Got Beetles? Win a Prize!!
We’re having an Air Potato Patrol photo contest! The topic for this is “Air Potato Beetles in Action”. Be creative, think outside the box (we really respect that- otherwise we never would have created this Citizen Science project), and have fun. Don’t worry if you don’t have an expensive camera- almost everyone has a smart phone these days.
Contest Rules and Details:
- Everyone can submit 1 (one) photo to be judged that must include an air potato beetle (doesn’t have to be an adult)
- By submitting this photo you agree to let us use the photo on the website, in our presentations and for the Air Potato Patrol project (we will give you credit)
- Entries to be judged must be posted along with a comment to this blog thread by midnight on Wednesday August 9
- On Thursday August 10 the first, second and third place winning images will be chosen, the winners will be notified and our judge’s decisions will be final
You can pose with your beetle, put him into costume, or just catch one doing something interesting. Extra points for quality and creativity! Just respond to this blog post with a comment and your picture entry.
Prizes:
We have your choice of three different UF/IFAS full color flip books- great reference guides! The first prize winner gets first choice, second place gets second, etc.
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- “Trouble Shooting Diseases of Flowering Plants”
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- “Helpful, Harmful or Harmless” Insect Guide
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- “Weeds You Should Get to Know”
Our Judges:
Special thanks to our judges for helping us with this contest!!
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- Photographer Alice Mary Herden at www.green-flymedia.com
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- UF Graduate Student Ploy Kurdmongkoltham (on right)
To Whom It May Concern:
I’d like to submit a photo for the “Air Potato Patrol photo contest” that I took June 21st here in Belleview when I was out counting Air Potato Beetles for the Air Potato Beetle Citizen Science Project.
A minute ago I tried to “send” this photo/message/info etc. but it appeared that it didn’t work so I’ll try once again… with the jpeg photo compressed to a smaller size this time.
Thanks.
Bill Lathrop
Note to everyone:
If your picture is too large to post please try to compress it to a smaller size. If you can’t feel free to e-mail it to us directly and we’ll enter it into the contest.
Bill – Do you know what the file size limit is? That would be helpful.
When I joined the air potato patrol a June 14, I could find only one returning beetle and about 50 larvae in one of the smallest locations in my infestation. I was assured they would spread rapidly, and they have! They have a long ways to go, but they are causing great damage, bless their little hearts. Saw a pair mating a few days ago.
This was taken the day we released our beetles. For the contest, we tried to imagine what they were thinking…
Great picture!!
We have been watching a group of beetles on a vine just outside our back door. When I received the email about this contest, I printed out a sign and took a quick photo…
My first attempt failed. Let’s see if this works…
I keep making the file smaller and trying to submit, but so far no luck.
That worked!
In our town, Safety Harbor, and maybe in other places, there is an effort under way to paint small rocks with positive, encouraging, kind words or symbols, and to hide these rocks. The finder will hopefully smile, take some message away, then keep the rock or hide it again for someone else.
I am not sure whether I attached the picture(s) correctly. Would be happy to try again, maybe in an e-mail?
Thanks.
P.S. I paint air potato beetles on my rocks! More and more people in S.H. realize what they are and do.
over under
When the survey was done I had no air potato beetles now I spotted five of them.
I guess this is a mating pair.
This couple is doing their part to ensure I do NOT have to order Air Potato Beetles next year!
resized
Now that’s creative!! Well done!
Hilarious!
One year in. Doing our part, time for new recruits!
Sooooo….is that a bulbil in your pocket or are you glad to see me?
{snort} good one!!!
Dinner!
title if this picture is: a one beetle wrecking crew
taken with iphone
subject of this photo- how many babies can you count in this picture?
two different color beetles. are they 2 different species ?
No- they would both be the same species. The large red insect is an adult and the smaller one is a larvae (or an immature beetle).
Here are a couple of Air Potato Beetles
A group of Air Potato Beetles just starting to eat.
Working’ it.
July 30, 2017
To Whom It May Concern:
I see that the photos that are submitted for “The Secret Lives of Air Potato Beetles” Photo Contest are limited to 1.8MB (this info’s at the very bottom of the page).
I have a photo (1.65MB) I’m submitting one that I took June 21st here in Belleview when I was out counting Air Potato Beetles for the Air Potato Beetle Citizen Science Project.
Thanks.
Bill Lathrop
This is a photo I took when doing research for my painting of the air potato beetle and air potato vine. I had the live beetles in my studio to study and all of a sudden I realized they were mating! I ran for my iPhone and got this picture which helped me include the “couple” in my painting. You can see the finished painting at: http://www.mindylighthipe.com/the-invasive-air-potato/
Your artwork is truly incredible–breathtaking!
Air Potato Beetles at work in Riverview Fl
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Happily welcoming home 100 of my new best friends home! We love these little guys!!
Here is Megan’s photo!
We have several acres overrun with Air Potato in Sebring, FL. Our beetle warriors are doing a terrific job at helping us try to get the problem under control. Caught this warrior nibbling on a tasty tender tip. Thank you to everyone involved in making the beetle project the success that it is.
Our beetles got right to “work” soon after arriving. While they do like to eat, indications are that they like other activities more. Who are we to judge?
I just wanted to let everyone know that our judges are reviewing all of the entries- we should have the winners chosen by tomorrow. Good luck!!
You can see who won our contest right here:
https://airpotatobeetle.com/contest-winners/