Some curiosities.
A few glochides on a pad. Probably was injured when a branch was broken. I don't know the cause. Can be the wind, too much water after a rain or other cause.
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On one pad edge I noticed some strange growths. They remind me of some galls of insects. But actually I do not know what it could be. The pad was not easily accessible to can be examine more closely.
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Generally the plants were very healthy. I just noticed very few pads that had traces of insects that suck sap. I have not noticed such bugs but that does not mean they were not. In general they tend to hide when someone is approaching. However, if they were there were not many.
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Instead I noticed many spiders on the plant. Many jumping spider. Few crab spider, green lynx spider and few orb spiders.
In general, I noticed that the association of spiders, especially jumping spiders with Opuntia plants is very beneficial for the plants. Where there are many spiders, the plants are healthier.
Few pictures
Black and yellow garden spider, (Argiope aurantia). Another common name is writing spider, due to the characteristic zig-zag on web for Argiope genus.
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Green lynx spider (Peucetia viridans)
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Not only many Jumping spider, but many species of Jumping spider. I was not able to photograph all the species of Jumping spider on this opuntia.
I photographed a few on weed that grew among cladodes of Opuntia.
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And one in action on a cladode
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