Insects 2016 part 2

[marlunn]

and so a new thread - Ishnura elegans, Blue tailed damselfly - female violet variant

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[IzzieK]

Very pretty...

[rudi]

- Ishnura elegans, Blue tailed damselfly - female violet variant

Very nice Damselfly Mark, I wonder why it is called 'elegans'

[rudi]

Ok, I will start with a few from the past weeks...

1.: Speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima), missing a hindleg:


2: ladybugs thinking abt the future:


3: and a little hover in a big frame :

[marlunn]

Nice Rudi, the Hover is a Episyrphus balteatus one of the few with a 'common' name - Marmalade fly

[Cantab]

This former bald faced hornets nest was located at the corner of a garden shed. Unfortunately its claim to fame is that my wife discovered it by accident and experienced the consequences.



I shoot most things on manual but shot this with auto ISO, hence the very high ISO setting of 5000, coupled with a Canon 100mm macro lens. In retrospect, I probably could've safely used a monopod and lowered the shutter speed (1/400) but I was certainly not going to take the time to set up a tripod and risk becoming the second victim!

The nest has been removed by a professional.

[Shadowman]

Ok, I will start with a few from the past weeks...

1.: Speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima), missing a hindleg:


2: ladybugs thinking abt the future:


3: and a little hover in a big frame :

Rudi,

Nice series, especially the hover.

[IzzieK]

This former bald faced hornets nest was located at the corner of a garden shed. Unfortunately its claim to fame is that my wife discovered it by accident and experienced the consequences.

Ouch!

I shoot most things on manual but shot this with auto ISO, hence the very high ISO setting of 5000, coupled with a Canon 100mm macro lens. In retrospect, I probably could've safely used a monopod and lowered the shutter speed (1/400) but I was certainly not going to take the time to set up a tripod and risk becoming the second victim!

The nest has been removed by a professional.

Good call...be careful out there...

[Geoff F]

I'm struggling to catch up with the editing and identification from the past couple of days. So here are just a few which may be of some general interest.

Black Snipeflies doing what comes naturally.



Cleg Horsefly. These would be attractive insects if it wasn't for the habits of these females!



And a tiny (5 mm) bug. Tachycixius pilosus.

[Ken MT]

A preying mantis feasting on her ex mate. Unfortunately only had 24-105 lens.

[James G]

I'm totally behind with identification. At the current rate it'll be next year before I catch up!

Still, today, I was quite pleased to catch this hover, Eristalinus sepulchralis, hopping and skipping through the blossom. Positively bathing in the pollen!

#1


#2


#3

[rudi]

I'm struggling to catch up with the editing and identification from the past couple of days....!

I'm totally behind with identification. At the current rate it'll be next year before I catch up!...

And I thought I was the only one

Good series guys !!!

[rudi]

... Unfortunately only had 24-105 lens.

Personally, I do like the 24-105 a lot as a general purpose lens (including macro) , which allows also for some modest cropping.

[Geoff F]

I must go looking for Eristalinus soon, but cool and misty today.

Anyway, here are a few which I've managed to process today, although shopping and a few other things got in the way.

Ready to fly, a Cantharis pallida beetle. Not perfect but at least it shows the wings ready state.



A fairly uncommon micro moth, Eulia ministrana.



A Gorse Shieldbug. My first of the year.



A sawfly which has been eluding identification. I think I have finally got it down to Tenthredopsis and possibly one of the rarer species. It wouldn't sit still so I only managed a few snaps as it was disappearing under a leaf.



And finally a nice bit of colour with Xanthogramma pedissequum. But another restless flighty model.

[James G]

From today.... and the catch-up list is growing well!

#1 Robber Fly, Common Awl Robber Fly, Neoitamus cyanurus


#2 Robber Fly, Common Awl Robber Fly, Neoitamus cyanurus (head on)


And just for Izzie... (well it does include aphids/greenfly )

#3 Wild Rose


(Amended Robber Fly identification from Dysmachus trigonus to Neoitamus cyanurus... bright orange tibia?)

[James G]

This fly caught my attention and obligingly stayed very still.... rather a suprise since it has been a very warm day.

I'm fairly sure it's a Lesser House Fly, and given the orange legs, probably Fannia lustrata.

[rudi]

1: A small black wasp I suppose:


2:


3:The head gardener (my beloved wife) won't be happy with this one, iff I am correct: a carrot fly:

4:

[Geoff F]

I've found a similar looking all black wasp like creature today, Rudi; and at the moment I don't have any idea of identity either.

As far as I'm aware carrot flies have clear wings so I wonder if you have one of the Picture-winged Flies. But that all covering description applies to several families and at the moment I don't recognise it.

Sometimes just one insect makes a whole week seem worthwhile; and I've found one today. Xanthogramma citrofasciatum, compare with the X. pedissequum above; particularly tergite 2 markings and leg colours, also scutellum and wing colouration.



I had found one or two a year but just in a very small area, then none for the past two years.

Also from the same area today, a Nomada marshamella female in flight.



And a few other insects like this Sicus ferrugineus but not a great number of species and a lot of them, particularly butterflies, were rather skittish today.

[James G]

So, here's the thing... this sequence is not the best, and frankly I got a bit nervous over the second and third.

I've encountered Cleg Flies before, (Horseflies), and I've been bitten.. I spent a lot of time on my grandfather's and Uncle's farms when I was younger and really got to detest them.

Two days ago I was at a local nature reserve, Moseley Bog and encountered a female, she got my attention when I nearly dropped the camera as she bit into my knuckle. So she got shaken off... things happen!, 30 secs later she's back, so gets shoo'd away, lands on my jeans, and I grab a quick shot (#1)... that's a nuisance. Very shorly after she's back looking for more.... so that's war! And, without any regret.... she got squashed!

That night my hand itched, developed a rash, and generally made me feel pretty uncomfortable, some anti histamine cream started to relieve it, so...

Yesterday I went out again to another spot. And, while in the long grass, concentrating on some orb web spiders, I see a movement in the corner of my eye, and there 'he' is, glaring at me, so I took a shot (#2), and then another (#3)...... and moved well away.
(By the way, I'm assuming male because of the eyes and darker spotted abdomen, but was not inclined to hang around to get a better angle!)

As Geoff said earlier, they are attractive little b#gg!"s, if it were not for that electric bite!

#1 Notch Horned Cleg female, Haematopota pluvialis ( on my jeans and not a well planned capture!)


#2 Notch Horned Cleg male, Haematopota pluvialis (getting ready to call in backup!)


#3 Notch Horned Cleg male, Haematopota pluvialis