Pretty Ugly Things
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prettyuglythings.bsky.social
Pretty Ugly Things
@prettyuglythings.bsky.social
Amateur naturalist, serious collector, and appreciator of the unusual things our planet is capable of… based out of Tucson!

Purveyor of minerals, succulents, isopods, and information
https://prettyuglythingsaz.com // https://prettyuglythingsaz.etsy.com
Predatory stink bug alert 🚨

(alert is just to look at it because it’s fancy)
January 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM
We’re having a warm winter and the passion vine is still absolutely COVERED with gulf fritillary eggs and caterpillars.

The caterpillar’s warning is to dissuade birds/predators because they taste foul from feasting on passiflora foetida
December 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
I just learned of glauberite this year after getting some gypsum-after-glauberite pseudomorph specimens from Camp Verde, AZ, via a local rockhound.

Look at this weirdo.
December 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I’m prepping some “fairy forest” epidote quartz for sale, and my favorite subtype is when the quartz has phantoms. Excellent zoning!
December 20, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Ash Meadows is off the beaten path but an absolute treasure. If I recall correctly, it has one of the greatest concentrations of endemic species in the world!
December 11, 2025 at 5:14 PM
I thought this one was a beauty
December 2, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I enjoy rescuing moths from water. They often find their way into bird baths and water dishes, I just put a finger under them, lift out, and let them rest until they dry off.
December 2, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Aww yeah look at the uropods on that baby
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Climate change isn’t real, it’s normal for my orange tree to be blooming in *checks notes* the middle of November 👍
November 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM
The passion flower variety Passiflora foetida is native to the US southwest. It is typically only open for a few hours, closing before the heat of the day. This is the first flower I’ve spotted on my vine!
November 2, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Sir will you sign my ducky
October 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
She has excellent taste in rocks, I dare say
October 21, 2025 at 3:15 AM
I’m slowly building a collection of milkweeds native to the Tucson area because we’re part of the monarch migration route. My plants are getting chomped by caterpillars right now—but not monarchs! These are the very similar-looking queen butterfly which has an extra set of antennae thingies
October 16, 2025 at 3:38 PM
This post was perfect for today… the annual Tucson Insect Festival! These triops, named for their three eyes, were my favorite thing there (this fella was a bit rude though)
October 6, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Invertebrate? Haven’t heard of ‘em 😑
September 23, 2025 at 2:39 PM
When I was growing up, I felt lied to about emeralds. All the movies showed deep green gems and then every one I saw in person looked like absolute crap. When I met dioptase I was like THIS this right here is what emerald is supposed to look like! 💚

#Dioptase with calcite and duftite (I believe)
September 22, 2025 at 6:51 PM
I feel you, my endo may have triggered ibs and fibro soooo
September 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Holy crap I thought this meant they burned it somewhere close nearby, but they were using the incinerator IN the building for years without staff knowing. That is so dangerous, I would be livid!
September 16, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Give them the ol razzle dazzle
September 12, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Seek couldn’t narrow down the genus of jumping spider so I’m going with “cutie”
September 5, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Tiny uppies
September 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Fluorite is my favorite mineral to collect!

(Locales: Weardale, Xinjiang, YGX, Elmwood)
September 5, 2025 at 3:11 PM
This calcite hails from Irai City, Brazil.
September 4, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Calcite ranks pretty high in my hierarchy of needs, it has a remarkable range of forms.

This variety from China is known as ‘laser’ or ‘aurora’ calcite
September 4, 2025 at 1:44 PM
It looks like this (cute)
September 1, 2025 at 2:36 AM