Post your insects

[Geoff F]

Patrik. Definitely not a common house fly. In fact something rather interesting which eats ordinary flies!

A species of Robber Fly (Asilidae family). Looks rather similar to Neoitamus cyanrus to me; but they are difficult to fully identify and need shots from several angles.

Hoverfly Orgy

Carrying on from Randy's beetles having fun. Here is a scene which I witnessed yesterday; although I have seen this behaviour once previously.



This Eristalis interruptus female was feeding when she was pounced upon by 4 males. They all hovered just over her thorax, with quite a bit of 'buzzing' then dropped lower to touch her thorax.

But she wasn't in the mood and eventually flew away. I have yet to take any photos of this species actually mating.

[orlcam88]

This little guy is quick. I think he's a butterfly though.




Then there's this guy. Is he a moth or a butterfly? I think he's a moth.

[orlcam88]

And now a butterfly

[terrib]

I like that last one, Orlando, because I like the perspective on both the butterfly and the flower. Pretty.

[orlcam88]

Thanks. There were 5 of them but I think I scared them away with my insect repellent! There's a lot of mosquitoes in my yard. This was the only one that remained.

[Geoff F]

If these were shot in the UK, Orlando, I would say the first ones were Skipper species (Hesperiidae family) and the second set a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

[Teton Chuck]

I found this tiger beetle crawling across the sand near the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, USA. It is fairly large so I just used my wide angle lens.

[orlcam88]

If these were shot in the UK, Orlando, I would say the first ones were Skipper species (Hesperiidae family) and the second set a Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui).

Thanks Geoff F, It does look like a Skipper but there are so many types I couldn't find a good match.
Here's a Monarch I found by surprise. I was out on the garden and my wife noticed something really strange. At first I thought it was a freak of nature. A wasp head with a Cicada body! But in closer inspection, it was a wasp carrying a Cicada up the wall. Of course I had to take a picture. So I ran upstairs to get my camera but by the time I came back, they were gone.
fortunately the insect "gods" gave me a Monarch instead.

[Geoff F]

I know what you mean about turning your back on an insect, Orlando. I often get quite close and manage to clearly identify it as it just sits there looking patiently back at me. But as soon as I turn around to get my camera it disappears.

It appears as though some insects 'freeze' when confronted by a potential threat but as soon as you move, so do they!

Managed an unusual angle recently.

Aliens Have Landed!



It's actually a Dingy Footman Moth. Exactly as shot.

[orlcam88]

Found this on my tree. There's 2 of them. One looks like it was eaten from the inside (not shown). This one looks like it has a worm coming out of it. I didn't notice that visually until I downloaded the photo. I'm going to say that this worm or it's relative ate through the other insect.



side view doesn't show the worm or whatever that white thing is.


I did a search and it's a Cicada Nymph. This is just a shell of the body. They break out and drop to the floor and suck on the root of the tree. Read more here:
http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.co...da-nymph-skin/

[Nat]

I'm sorry, I am trying not to laugh. I can't believe you have never found one of these before. It is actually a shell from which a growing cicada has emerged....please follow the link,you will see how it gets out......(I'm laughing, but the first time I ever encountered these, there were over a hundred in my yard, and I, too was baffled, many years ago!!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada

[orlcam88]

I've seen Cicada's before but it's after they leave the shell. I never knew they lived in this shell. It's pretty cool if you think about it. You drive up in a truck, come out and then fly off in a jet!!

[Letrow]

Syrphidae on the buddleia

[johnbharle]

Found this on my tree. There's 2 of them. One looks like it was eaten from the inside (not shown). This one looks like it has a worm coming out of it. I didn't notice that visually until I downloaded the photo. I'm going to say that this worm or it's relative ate through the other insect.



side view doesn't show the worm or whatever that white thing is.


I did a search and it's a Cicada Nymph. This is just a shell of the body. They break out and drop to the floor and suck on the root of the tree. Read more here:
http://somethingscrawlinginmyhair.co...da-nymph-skin/

Cicadas are my favorite bug from way back. The adults are beautiful/ugly. Think I've got a dead one at home, but haven't been taking pics lately. I'll try and shoot it this afternoon.

[Geoff F]

Beat this for a moustache.



A Black Arches Moth with distinctive antennae.

I photographed another one on a plain leaf background which shows off the antennae more clearly, but I think this shot looks more natural.

[SpiderBob]

This (I've been told) is a Fig Beetle. They land right on the fig and suck the juice out, harmless, but they sure are dive bombers, right at you. Anyway, this is a stacked image of 114 images. This is a first for me as for stacking images. A lot more in focus for sure. Any comments are welcome.

[Letrow]

Beat this for a moustache.



A Black Arches Moth with distinctive antennae.

I photographed another one on a plain leaf background which shows off the antennae more clearly, but I think this shot looks more natural.

Those antennae look like feathers, wow!

[Letrow]

This (I've been told) is a Fig Beetle. They land right on the fig and suck the juice out, harmless, but they sure are dive bombers, right at you. Anyway, this is a stacked image of 114 images. This is a first for me as for stacking images. A lot more in focus for sure. Any comments are welcome.

I am impressed by the 114 images Bob. Great colours in that beetle too. How big are they exactly?

[SpiderBob]

Peter, the beetle was 1.75" long x .75" wide - not sure in metrics what that works out to be, I think 4.5mm x 2mm. It was fun, but don't think I will be doing that a lot, very time consuming.

[Geoff F]

Slight confusion between mm and cm there Bob. 45 mm or 4.5 cm.

I still get confused by this and normally just stick with mm; as happens in the building trades and other situations; even when the numbers get into the thousands of mm.

For drill and screw sizes etc I find mm much easier than working with those 1/64 ths of an inch!

But once I get beyond 150 mm (6 ins) I tend to revert to thinking in ins.