Whatzit?

[webenda]

Oh no! The red Whatzit has captured another bee. What is the Whatzit? (Hint: Even though it is red, it is not a killer tomato.)

[MurphOnMillerAve]

It's a Red-whiskered Whooze-a-whatsit carnivorous thing-a-ma-jig.

[chuck]

Calliandra, possibly califorcanus? I don't think it's consuming the bee, I think the bee is trying to collect nectar.

I first thought it was a sundew family carnivorous plant but the "stamens" on those plants radiate from "stalks/branches" that fold the captured insect in for digestion. Calliandra stamens radiate from a central point in the flower and are much more delicate.

BTW, just a gorgeous photo no matter what the plant is. Great composition and coloring.

Further research indicates it could also be a bottle brush plant, a New Zealand Christmas tree or a member of the gum tree family. I can't make out the leaves which would help in narrowing it down.

[Roy]

Apparently, bees like bottle brush flowers:

[sleepmac]

Wayne, what a smashing photo!!!

Dan Weinhold

[chuck]

Stamen tips seem to be a closer match to Calliandra and I get the impression that the out of focus leaf stem near the upper right of the image looks like the soft flat needles of a fir but larger and probably softer?

[webenda]

Calliandra, possibly califorcanus? I don't think it's consuming the bee, I think the bee is trying to collect nectar.

Chuck, who are you! That is not a question, I am just marveling at how hard it is to stump you with a Whatzit. I really did not think someone from Michigan would get a Calliandra whatzit, especially with my misleading statement about it capturing a bee. Yes, it is Calliandra californica .

As for the leaves, they all belong to the Calliandra. I went out to capture an in-focus image of the leaves just now only to find them all closed up for the night. However, I do have a photo of another Calliandra with the leaves open, a Calliandra eriophylia. Californica has the same shape leaves as eriophylia.



For those that don't know, these plants are native to the Sonoran Desert and show up in my yard along with the weeds. I pull the weeds but leave the flowers to grow. The local name for all species of Calliandra is, "Fairy duster."

[chuck]

Those are beautiful shots. I love the close up with the bee, you can count the hairs on her body. Amazing colors and beautiful composition.

The flowers reminded me of something I saw on one of my trips to Monterey. I did a Google search for "trees with red flowers Monterey, ca" and I selected "images" to give me a starting point. Most were eliminated almost immediately with Calliandra, bottle brush, New Zealand Christmas and a member of the gum tree as possible candidates. Then it was a matter of paying attention to the details. Shape of flower blew out bottle brush and details of the stamen knocked out the gum tree. That left calliandra and the New Zealand Christmas tree and that's when I started to turn my attention to the leaves.

Part of my job at the Corps of Engineers was wetland plant identification. Part of that formal training involved learning how to use the Peterson Field Guide methodology of plant identification. The book wasn't as "pretty" as some of the other reference books in terms of imagery but the methodology rarely failed me. Are the leaves simple of compound? Are they alternate or opposite? What is the overall shape of the leaves? etc, etc.

I recently downloaded an app for my phone that was supposed to identify plants by taking a picture and comparing it to an on-line data base. I don't think it got anything I tried it on correct, including shrubs I already knew. I went back in the house and pulled Peterson's, used their method and got the shrub identified correctly in about 5 minutes. Once I had the plant I was able to use Google images to do a final verification. Machine vision has come a long way and it's certainly a useful tool but it has a long, long way to go.

[robert.]

62FB403D-E62B-4215-AE06-4223A8A7F189.jpeg

[chuck]

Golden Age comic book hero? Originally appeared in "Zip" comics in 1940. The character has managed to make himself "as strong as steel". He is impervious to bullets and able to do weird things with electricity and magnetism. He is vulnerable to "blows to the head", solar flares, and "magic"?

I'm not sure about the blow's to the head thing? Can he rust? What happens if you throw him in a ladle of molten steel? Does he melt like the Terminator? If you use one of those giant electromagnets like they have at auto wrecking places and/or steel mills can you immobilize him? Inquiring minds want to know.

This makes me appreciate the works of Jack Kirby and Bob Kane even more.

[robert.]

Yes, and almost. 1940 zip #2. Hand colored proof sheets. With notes on the backside. ( you did not see them. I only took one photo). Most of the notes tell a printer what color to use. Most likely hand colored by Charles Biro. I have others from that era. Mr. Satan, Magical Zambini and Kayo Ward. All found in the trash last week. Saved from the rubbish.
PS It's steel sterling.

[webenda]

Yes, and almost. 1940 zip #2. Hand colored proof sheets. Saved from the rubbish.

Wow, what a find!

Of course, now we know you are a dumpster diver.

[webenda]

Chuck Stumper
Rules: No rules.
Players: Anyone (If you beat Chuck... good!)

[HONDO74]

Yes, and almost. 1940 zip #2. Hand colored proof sheets. Saved from the rubbish.

Wow, what a find!

Of course, now we know you are a dumpster diver.

One man's trash can be another man's treasure.

In my younger years living in Arizona I was into stamp collecting so I was into dumpster diving getting envelope's that had stamps on them for my collection. Occasionally I would come across some other treasures.

[chuck]

Jelly bean mosaic, probably jelly belly's or some similar "premium" beans? I think the "brown" ones near the top are possibly a neckline. The pattern below looks familiar but I haven't placed it yet.