Post your insects

[Geoff F]

Maniola jurtina sounds much more impressive than Meadow Brown doesn't it, Peter.

Incidentally Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus) are quite similar but have two small white dots in the black wing spots.

I don't recognise that bug, Andrea, possibly a form of Shieldbug that we don't get in the UK?

[kris]

Dear Geoff,

I do not know, but probably it is a Shiledbug. Usually they are green or brown. It is the first time I see one orange with black stripes and black dots.

[Letrow]

Maniola jurtina sounds much more impressive than Meadow Brown doesn't it, Peter.

It does sound more impressive, but the common names in English and Dutch sound nicer I feel.
We call them bruin zandoogje (which would translate to something like brown sand eye). Because of all these different names I tend to stick with latin mostly.

[Franci]

Maniola jurtina sounds much more impressive than Meadow Brown doesn't it, Peter.

Incidentally Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus) are quite similar but have two small white dots in the black wing spots.

I don't recognise that bug, Andrea, possibly a form of Shieldbug that we don't get in the UK?

Nothing too special, just an ant. I looked for Andrea's bug in a site on Italian insects, but could not identify it.

[Letrow]

pieridae (small white or witje in Dutch)

[jprzybyla]

I shot this a couple of weeks ago, I think it is a variety of Walking Stick. It was motionless on the same bush for several days waiting for an insect to come close.

[Ans]

I have a Nikon D300 and a 105 macro lens. And it is great fun, especially flowers and insects. Needless to say they weren't in a hurry anywhere. But these guys can destroy your flowers. It is a White Spotted Fruit Chafer

[Ans]

Stick insects are quite amazing looking creatures.

[kris]

[Letrow]

small white caught by the spider

[Geoff F]

Another of those Araneus spiders by the look of it, Peter.

Good sharp shot.

I'm still finding the odd butterfly but haven't seen any whites for a while.

Not sure about Andrea's bug. The antennae position make me wonder about some form of weevil. A difficult group to identify though.

[Letrow]

Another of those Araneus spiders by the look of it, Peter.

Good sharp shot.

It was a pity though. I photographed the white, looked at a flower, saw it fly away and straight into the spider's web. Thought about saving it, but the spider was quick and nature is what it is.

Another shot of the white




and of the spider in action (araneus diadematus)

[Geoff F]

That is always a problem, Peter, what to do when you accidentally scare an insect into a spider's web. And the spider says Thank You!

A few bright patches between the showers and the odd insect still around in sheltered areas.



A Hairy Shieldbug (Dolycoris baccarum). During the summer mating times their background colour becomes rather purplish but during the colder months they turn more brownish.

And this angle helps to show why they are called 'hairy'.

[johnbharle]

Was sitting on the front porch with a friend this evening and this little fella showed up. I rushed inside to get my camera...but he skedaddled. Fortunately, he cam back. Only had time for the one shot, as he's a little shy. My friend said it's some kind of mayfly (ok, it's November, so I guess a misnomer).

[Geoff F]

The term Mayfly is often totally misused in the UK. True mayflies (Ephemeroptera) are rather delicate flies with very long thin whip like tails. Two or three tails depending on the species.

Going by the head shape, that fly looks more like a US version of the European Scorpion Fly (Mecoptera family).

But I'm just guessing.

[ktuli]

Going on head shape??? Really - look at that tail curled in the classic scorpion shape under the wings. I think you nailed the ID the hard way, Geoff! Looking at the head instead of the very distinctive feature in the tail.

- Bill

[Geoff F]

Well it looks quite a bit different to our UK 'scorpions' so I'm a little wary of sounding too positive.

I have previously posted some photos of them here http://i50.tinypic.com/352lo48.jpg

[Letrow]

That tail is remarkable, I've not seen it before here in Holland. Just enough light coming through those wings it seems, nice shot.

[johnbharle]

Going on head shape??? Really - look at that tail curled in the classic scorpion shape under the wings. I think you nailed the ID the hard way, Geoff! Looking at the head instead of the very distinctive feature in the tail.

- Bill

That tail is remarkable, I've not seen it before here in Holland. Just enough light coming through those wings it seems, nice shot.

Well, I thank all three of you for id'ing my little fly. I noticed the tail, but had absolutely no idea there was such a thing as a scorpion fly. Will they sting? Or do they just look mean?
john

[johnbharle]

Well it looks quite a bit different to our UK 'scorpions' so I'm a little wary of sounding too positive.

I have previously posted some photos of them here http://i50.tinypic.com/352lo48.jpg

Wow, Geoff. That certainly looks different from mine. The head and tail resemble, but nothing else. Wonder if they actually are related?