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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · 5d

WHAT A BUG! 🤩❤️
Perfectly camouflaged in the mossy cloud forests of South America, this Lanternfly (Diareusa conspersa) flashes its bright red spotted underwings if disturbed! 🔥

This threat display is to make it look bigger and more menacing so predators like birds think twice! 🦜⁉️

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · 22d

It literally has ALL the cool stuff

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · 22d

An ALIEN on earth!? 🤯👽
CHECK OUT this insane Treehopper from the Peruvian Amazon! 🌳
Membracids are known for their bizarre shapes and protrusions, but this genus goes to a whole new level! It is thought this crazy C shape is to aid in camouflage to avoid predation from birds! 🐦😳

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · 25d

CYCLOPTERA!! 😍💚
The big leafy dream! 🍃
One of the most incredible leaf mimics in the Amazon, Cycloptera speculata is one special katydid! 🌳
Camouflaging as your food is one of the smartest ideas, especially when you’re so BIG! We were SO happy to see this BEAUTIFUL BUG!! 🤩

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · 27d

PONGO BOY!! 😍🐸
One of the most beautiful Poison Dart Frogs, Ameerega pongoensis is endemic to the San Martín & Loreto regions of Peru! 🌳🇵🇪

The yellow and blues on this guy are INCREDIBLE! 💛💙
An absolute highlight of our trip with @andes2amazon.expeditions ✨

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Aug 22

Dead leaf or BUTTERFLY!? 🤯🍂
Zaretis sp. from the Peruvian Amazon! 🦋
This one got very comfortable on our sweaty clothes and hands! 😅 So lucky!

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Aug 2

WHAT A BUTTERFLY! 🤯❤️🖤
One of the most striking insects in the world, the amazing Blood Red Skipper is found in the Amazon rainforest! 🌳

The males are this bold red & black colour whilst females adorn a similar pattern but with most of the wings shining white! 😮
JUST WOWWWWW! 😍🦋💅

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jul 29

UFO LEAF MANTIS!? 🤯💚🛸
How CRAZY is this Choeradodis stalli boy from the Amazon!! 🌳
Looking EXACTLY like a leaf, he can stay hidden from predators whilst also catching any unsuspecting insect prey! 🦗👀
An absolute honor to run into this spectacular critter!!🤩

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jul 22

We won't neglect you buddy! 🥹🦋
One of the most beautiful butterflies here at Manu Biological Station is the Neglected Eighty-eight, that is a little ray of sunshine every time you see it!☀️
This group of butterflies is named 88 because of the numeric pattern on its wings! 8️⃣8️⃣

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jul 19

Just really sad how all my effort is for very little now on Facebook as AI pages use AI photos ripping off insect photographers and dominate the newsfeed. Very disappointing that Meta allows this shit to continue 😡😡😡

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jul 18

Please if you want to support our work and see more of our progress, follow us here on Patreon! It means the world to us and keeps helping us document the world's hidden biodiversity! - 😇 patreon.com/c/nlwild

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jul 18

Welcome to the 50th butterfly species we've photographed for our guide on Insects of the Amazon! 🌳🦋
The spectacular Erichthodes antonina! Not too much is known on this species, but i LOVE the way it arcs its wings when at rest, almost like a leaf! 🍂

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Reposted by Nick Volpe

Gil Wizen @wizentrop.bsky.social · Jun 27

That mossy texture on this cute Ulocerus brentid weevil? That's REAL MOSS growing on it. Many beetles are long lived, just enough time for moss spores (and even lichens! although much rarer) to establish on their exoskeleton and start growing - similar to crabs covered in algae, anemones or sponges.

Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 27

MEET MR. MOSSY WEEVIL! 😍👋

This is the most ADORABLE beetle strutting its mossy stuff around the Amazon! 🌳

LOOK at those adorable little antennas! 🥹💚

I believe it is in the genus Ulocerus and it is another little BEAUTY found here at Manu Biological Station! 🪲💎

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 27

MEET MR. MOSSY WEEVIL! 😍👋

This is the most ADORABLE beetle strutting its mossy stuff around the Amazon! 🌳

LOOK at those adorable little antennas! 🥹💚

I believe it is in the genus Ulocerus and it is another little BEAUTY found here at Manu Biological Station! 🪲💎

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 27

MEET MR. MOSSY WEEVIL! 😍👋

This is the most ADORABLE beetle strutting its mossy stuff around the Amazon! 🌳

LOOK at those adorable little antennas! 🥹💚

I believe it is in the genus Ulocerus and it is another little BEAUTY found here at Manu Biological Station! 🪲💎

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Reposted by Nick Volpe

Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

NEW video up of a BELTER of a BUG! 🤩 -youtu.be/JONRa6Ic138

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Reposted by Nick Volpe

Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

youtu.be/JONRa6Ic138

CRAZY STICK GRASSHOPPER 🤯

YouTube video by NLWild

youtu.be

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

youtu.be/JONRa6Ic138

CRAZY STICK GRASSHOPPER 🤯

YouTube video by NLWild

youtu.be

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

NEW video up of a BELTER of a BUG! 🤩 -youtu.be/JONRa6Ic138

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

Omg love this 😂😂

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 8

WASP OR MOTH!? 🐝🤯

One of the most incredible mimics in the world, this Tiger Moth (Orcynia calcarata) looks so much like a wasp I was almost nervous holding it! 😳

There are so many tiger moths mimicking wasps in the Amazon it’s crazy! 😯🌳
How amazing is nature! 💛🖤

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Jun 2

WHERE MY FLY FREAKS AT!?🪰👀
The Amazon is home to some WEIRD & WHACKY flies, such as this male Paragorgopis sp. 🌳
Apart from looking like a hammerhead shark, we almost know nothing else about this genus of flies! There is still SO much to learn about the invertebrate world and it excites me so much!🤩

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · May 18

TARANTULA HAWK WASP!! 🤯😱

The world's most PAINFUL insect sting belongs to this crazy wasp! Paralysing the biggest spiders in the world, they mean business! 🕷️🐝

This wasp was very relaxed in Gwen's professional bug touching hands & I was NOT even close to game enough to try! 😳

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · May 8

AWESOME Hoatzin feeding on leaves at Manu Biological Station! 🌿
These birds are honestly real life dinosaurs! 🦖

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Nick Volpe @nvolpe.bsky.social · Apr 19

Sign this petition to help protect Darwin Harbour from more industrialisation and gas projects! - www.topendcoasts.org.au/protect_darw...

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