Post your insects

[Geoff F]

Are your wasps as nasty tempered as the UK wasps? They are the only insect here which needs treating with care.

[ktuli]

Quite often, yes... however, this nest seems to be pretty docile. It is up in a tree, so I can't get as close to it as I would like for some really close-up shots of their opening, and I have no idea where they go once they fly out of the nest as I've never seen the actual wasps around (actually, I've never noticed this species before). Some wasp nests if you get within range, the wasps are all over you trying to sting you. These ones fly right past without even a cursory investigation.

- Bill

[bhurley]

Those are bald-faced hornets, and they are indeed pretty docile compared with yellowjackets and some other wasps.

[ktuli]

Thanks for the ID, Brad!

[johnbharle]

A large wasp nest outside my house...



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

Those look more like hornets. We don't have them down here in Texas. There is a type of yellow jacket that will build inside the walls or underground. They are very, very mean. One stung me and it hurt for 3 days. These may be docile, but I think I'd walk the other way anyhow...

[Letrow]

Syrphidae



Fly

[Geoff F]

I can't place that first fly, Peter.

The wing tip cross veins don't quite look correct for Syrphidae family. Plus that rather spiky bum.

So I'm wondering about a Tachinidae species? Possibly Tachina fera? Fairly large, around 12 to 15 mm.

I recently had something similar myself. It eventually turned out to be a bluebottle type which was suffering from a fungus infection on it's abdomen!

The second fly looks like one of the Scarcophagidae family. Sometimes known as Flesh Flies.

[Arlen]

20120722-DSC_7600 by g.lang, on Flickr

I'm a bit late to the party here, so it's possible that Shibang is no longer monitoring replies. But just in case, I'll add a bit of info. Like others have said, this was a dragonfly nymph (of the "darner" variety). However, it appears to be just the empty "shuck" (exoskeleton), that is left behind after the adult inside has emerged and left the scene. If we could look along its dorsal mid-line, we would see a split, and confirm that the inside is hollow. Search among the plants by the water in this area, and you will probably find a lot of them. The nymphs usually emerge at night, so we don't often see them until after the metamorphosis has taken place.

[Letrow]

I can't place that first fly, Peter.

The wing tip cross veins don't quite look correct for Syrphidae family. Plus that rather spiky bum.

So I'm wondering about a Tachinidae species? Possibly Tachina fera? Fairly large, around 12 to 15 mm.

I recently had something similar myself. It eventually turned out to be a bluebottle type which was suffering from a fungus infection on it's abdomen!

The second fly looks like one of the Scarcophagidae family. Sometimes known as Flesh Flies.

Thanks Geoff. I actually wondered about the first one.

[Letrow]

A few syrphidae photos










and the two directly above are of the same insect, walking about on the flower

[Geoff F]

It looks to me as though you have a Helophilus trivittatus female with the first shot, Peter.

And another Eristalis tenax female with the second pair.

[jprzybyla]

I ran across this thing hanging in it's web above the nature trail I was walking on. Thank God it was several feet above my head.

[Letrow]

I ran across this thing hanging in it's web above the nature trail I was walking on. Thank God it was several feet above my head.

Thank God indeed. How big was it? You have a lot of detail here, so either you were close or it was a big one.

[jprzybyla]

Thank God indeed. How big was it? You have a lot of detail here, so either you were close or it was a big one.

Hello Peter, it was big...about 2 to 2 1/2 inches across. I took the shot from about 6 feet. Thanks for viewing.

[ktuli]

Looks like a member of the Nephila genus. Golden Silk Orb Weaver spiders. As you can see in your photo, the silk does have a bit of a yellowish color to it. It is very beautiful. These spiders do indeed grow pretty large - up to about 2 inches for the body, not including legs. Their venom is similar to a black widow's, but not nearly as potent, so bites are not usually considered dangerous - though they do have big fangs, so I'm sure it would hurt like a shot! Beautiful spider, nicely captured.

- Bill

PS: There is a separate spider thread you might want to use for future arachnid photos...

[jprzybyla]

Thanks Bill, I would hate to see one bigger than this one. I think spiders are interesting, and some beautifully colored. Next time I shall look for the spider thread. Thanks again for the id, now I can create a folder for it.

[Shibang]

I'm a bit late to the party here, so it's possible that Shibang is no longer monitoring replies. But just in case, I'll add a bit of info. Like others have said, this was a dragonfly nymph (of the "darner" variety). However, it appears to be just the empty "shuck" (exoskeleton), that is left behind after the adult inside has emerged and left the scene. If we could look along its dorsal mid-line, we would see a split, and confirm that the inside is hollow. Search among the plants by the water in this area, and you will probably find a lot of them. The nymphs usually emerge at night, so we don't often see them until after the metamorphosis has taken place.

Thanks for this Arlen.

I did go back to this place for about 4 days after I took the shot but on the 4th day it was gone.

What I did see was a lot of dragon flies around here and after having a look around google it looks like it is one of the darner variety but I hope somebody can confirm.

Regards,

Gary


20120729-DSC_7872 by g.lang, on Flickr

[johnbharle]

Tiger swallowtails are beautiful, as are their caterpillars. But my fennel feels differently about them.

[Arlen]

Gary, that is a damselfly. There are several different types--for example, see this web site http://www.odesforbeginners.com/fami...-families.aspx. I'm not familiar with the damsels in your area, but that one looks like it may be a "spreadwing" damselfly in the family Lestidae, similar to this one.

[Sonomadavid]

Another damsel fly???? Not sure, I shot this without much preparation. Not very sharp I'm afraid.