Post your insects

[shetan]

[Letrow]

20120722-DSC_7600 by g.lang, on Flickr

Very strange creature Gary. Where did you photograph it and how big was it approximately? It is Dutch I guess, but I have never seen one like this. If it is pre metamorphosis that would make sense.

[Letrow]

Syrphidae

[johnbharle]

Not sure what this is but I photographed it at a nature preserve in central Florida today.

We used to call them bloodsuckers when I was a kid. We may also have called them a stink bug.

[shetan]

[Shibang]

Very strange creature Gary. Where did you photograph it and how big was it approximately? It is Dutch I guess, but I have never seen one like this. If it is pre metamorphosis that would make sense.

Hi Peter, It was taken in Duivendrecht. I would say it was about 4-5cm in length and was clinging onto a cabbage leaf "bloemkool" which was growing next to a stretch of water.

[Geoff F]

I'm not very good with larvae, Gary, but I would say you have photographed a dragonfly larvae which was about to hatch. A pity that you weren't a little bit later to see it actually happening.

Your latest hoverfly, Peter, is another Episyrphus balteatus male.

And here is a Gold-ringed Dragonfly from yesterday.



A few of these were playing games with me as I walked along a narrow lane. They would fly around me and land a few feet in front, looking up at me.

And as soon as I had my camera gear together; well you know the rest . . .

Eventually this one landed on a seed head which was blowing in the breeze and rather close to a confused background. In order to get him in focus I had to squeeze tight into the foliage on the other hedge.

By this time I had my 180 mm lens on the camera and wasn't going through the lens change process again.

Anyway, although not perfect, it will give an idea of what another species of dragonfly looks like.

[orlcam88]

These are insects from my backyard. Other than the dragonfly, I don't know the others. One looks like a bee but not the common one.

[shetan]

[Geoff F]

The first three are forms of bee/wasp, Orlando, but difficult to go any further from those angles.

The first one makes me consider one of the Digger Wasps (Sphecidae family) but they are a complex group; and I only know about the UK species.

[orlcam88]

I don't know what this is. There's lots of them on my tree and for the most part they stay up there. Unfortunately this is not a great focused shot. I shot over 30 times as I tried to fight the wind, the sun and they wouldn't stay still. Camera shy I guess.

[orlcam88]

The first three are forms of bee/wasp, Orlando, but difficult to go any further from those angles.

The first one makes me consider one of the Digger Wasps (Sphecidae family) but they are a complex group; and I only know about the UK species.

I'll take some more later. The first 2 are plenty.

[Karm Redland]

Came across this guy trapped in a spider's lace.

[shetan]

[Letrow]

And here is a Gold-ringed Dragonfly from yesterday.



A few of these were playing games with me as I walked along a narrow lane. They would fly around me and land a few feet in front, looking up at me.

And as soon as I had my camera gear together; well you know the rest . . .

Eventually this one landed on a seed head which was blowing in the breeze and rather close to a confused background. In order to get him in focus I had to squeeze tight into the foliage on the other hedge.

By this time I had my 180 mm lens on the camera and wasn't going through the lens change process again.

Anyway, although not perfect, it will give an idea of what another species of dragonfly looks like.

I know exactly what you mean Geoff. A few of the smaller damselflies sit still for me, but the big ones keep moving all the time.
Where I find them I am not allowed off the path, so that makes it extra difficult to get them in front of my lens and close enough.

I feel like a big game hunter sometimes, waiting for the perfect shot, that doesn't come.



Damselfly (well, at least she saluted me)

[pinakibaidya]

[Nat]

Some great photos posted, guys....I am jealous of many of them. So sharp and bugs I have never seen, too! I sat down in the backyard and this guy kept landing on the stick....it's so dry here, drought, so everything is brown, my yard is dead grass.....

[Letrow]

Syrphidae

[Geoff F]

If you are near a damp location, Peter, keep an eye open for the slightly larger brother to that Helophilus pendulus.

Known as Helophilus trivittatus, they are usually slightly brighter in colour and the face lacks that dark vertical stripe. I found one last week - when the sun was shining!

[ktuli]

A large wasp nest outside my house...



And you can see one of them working on the nest...