Chasing around
On May 19th I watched as these two beetles, one noticeably smaller than the other,
chased around on the flower head of a Texas thistle (Cirsium texanum) in Pflugerville.
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European sensitivity to espionage is well-founded. China economically supports Russia amid its war in Ukraine; at the same time, Beijing is likely also helping Russia collect intelligence. In mid-May, Swiss police raided a chalet owned by suspected Chinese spies stationed next to a base hosting NATO F-35s. In Poland and the Netherlands, authorities raided the offices of a Chinese company supplying security equipment. In early April, Sweden expelled a Chinese journalist over national security concerns. In March, multiple Italian MPs were the targets of Chinese hacking attacks. With most Russian diplomats expelled from Europe after the invasion of Ukraine, China may be filling a needed void not only for itself, but also its Russian partner. The EU’s move to seek “liaison officers” between the bloc’s universities and the security services of member states is not an impulsive overreaction.
That’s from Ian Oxnevad’s June 4th article “On Chinese Influence in Universities, Europe May Be Getting It Right,” which you’re welcome to read in full. China has been blatantly spying on and stealing technology from the United States for decades; it’s time for the American government to clamp down.
© 2024 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
amazing shot
beth
June 12, 2024 at 5:11 AM
Yes, I lucked out. This was on a property that has so far also lucked out but which is in a prime location for development.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 8:35 AM
You have, Steve, gods on your side, to get a picture like this one, brilliant!
When we know that China is not a friend, and never was, why are we pretending that the world is a family?!
Joanna
gabychops
June 12, 2024 at 5:17 AM
Having gods on my side is a new—or ancient—way to conceive of it.
Why the government of the United States and other institutions in the country are so deferential to China is an important question. One likely answer is money. Another hypothesis is that Americans who hate America are doing whatever they can to subvert this country.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 8:45 AM
We have the same problem with China and don’t seem to know how to deal with it. I think that globalization was a mistake as it wasn’t so bad before it became a norm.
Joanna
gabychops
June 12, 2024 at 8:57 AM
Yes, the English-speaking countries have many of the same troubles. One part of the problem with China is lack of reciprocity. For example, Chinese companies buy land in the United States close to military bases, but China would never allow American (or British) companies to buy land close to Chinese military bases.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 9:20 AM
Yes, I know!
Joanna
gabychops
June 12, 2024 at 9:23 AM
Beautiful image, Steve. I love Thistle and Teasel. Regarding those Beetles- I think you caught them In Medias Res.
circadianreflections
June 12, 2024 at 9:38 AM
Texas thistle flowers look attractive and also have a pleasant scent, though I assume the beetles didn’t pick that spot for those reasons. You’re right about in medias res, as I didn’t get to see what preceded the moment shown here.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 10:07 AM
What a stunning shot !!
gwenniesgardenworld
June 12, 2024 at 12:52 PM
Thanks. I found many interesting things on that property that morning.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Fantastic, Steve. Well spotted!
Pit
June 12, 2024 at 3:02 PM
I can’t complain, given how many photogenic things I found that morning.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 3:46 PM
Love Among The Thistles.
Hmmm, that may not be the best potential title for a book or film. Unless one is marketing to natural scientists.
Nice timing and nice skill resulted in a very nice photograph.
Wally Jones
June 12, 2024 at 5:42 PM
I searched and couldn’t find a book or movie titled “Love Among The Thistles,” though I did find a few occurrences of that phrase and even a photograph showing a pair of what appeared to be the same kind of beetles on a different kind of thistle.
Because the beetles moved around a lot I ended up taking dozens of pictures over a span of four minutes, hoping for at least one in which both beetles were in a good position and I got their main parts in focus. Most of my pictures failed on one or both counts, but the portrait shown here succeeded. You might say more persistence than skill this time, unless you consider persistence itself a skill.
Steve Schwartzman
June 12, 2024 at 7:03 PM
This combination of purple and orange is fully as pleasing as Tina’s coneflowers and daylilies. Thistles support such a great variety of life, and the beetles always are fun. For one thing, they don’t flit as much as the butterflies, although (as you mentioned) they can be quite active. This shows both of the insects very nicely.
shoreacres
June 13, 2024 at 6:55 AM
So now you’ve gotten consecutive doses of orange and purple from Austin.
Yes, beetles are generally better behaved (for a photographer) than butterflies. Probably my camera moving around inches away from these beetles got them moving more than they would have if left to themselves. As you most likely read in my replies to earlier comments, that led me to take a lot of pictures in hopes of getting at least one with the beetles in good positions and in focus.
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2024 at 7:20 AM
Echoing @shoreacres comments on beetles and butterflies in general. Monarchs and Queens, though, tend to sip on the nectar of Conoclinium dissectum for long periods of time. Apparently, for the Queen butterflies at least, it provides them with pheromones to attract mates. And once I managed to catch a couple of Gulf Fritillaries coupling among the Passion Flower leaves for long enough to capture a few pictures. Which was remarkable since those fritillaries rarely stop fluttering their wings.
RobertKamper
June 13, 2024 at 12:01 PM
I saw more orange beetles like these at the Wildflower Center today, though only one at a time, which may account for their staying in place and making it pretty easy for me to take pictures. Butterflies are generally in movement, particularly swallowtails, which keep fluttering even after they land on a flower. I took some pictures of an American painted lady today but haven’t looked closely to see how well they came out. How appropriate that the gulf fritillaries you caught coupling were on a passion flower (though historically that name was a reference by Spanish friars to the passion, i.e. suffering, of Jesus).
Steve Schwartzman
June 13, 2024 at 3:48 PM
wow
sedge808
June 17, 2024 at 12:11 AM
‘Twas a good find.
Steve Schwartzman
June 17, 2024 at 12:16 AM
Wonderful photo … thistle love
Julie@frogpondfarm
June 18, 2024 at 2:23 PM
I love thistles, too, but for other reasons.
Steve Schwartzman
June 18, 2024 at 2:26 PM
That is a double beauty of a shot. Such amazing flowers open to so many pollinators.
As for Chinese in UK, one local city has high blocks of student accommodation and built and all signs in Chinese. The money universities get from Chinese students and think lust be Chinese investment in developments in city centre means there is a ‘better’ and different economic arrangement with Chinese government than ever was with Russia. However, now I guess there is another angle to investigate with regards security.
navasolanature
June 20, 2024 at 5:25 AM
Yes, security is a big concern. For a long time now China has been ingratiating itself with countries around the world. That’s not out of charity but to get resources and information in return. It’s a real danger, one that other countries have been slow to realize and take steps against.
Steve Schwartzman
June 20, 2024 at 7:21 AM