Insects 2016

[rudi]

A Sunny day, a few hours off from work ....

1.: Chelosia sp ?


2.: Jumping spider


3.: Just for fun, I add my first bug in flight from this season. This picture might look familiar, but cropped so the bug is easier to find.
Will do 'better' next time .....

[DickyOZ]

Bee fly




And a red dragon

[Geoff F]

That Cheilosia is one of the few easy ones from that family, Rudi.

Look at those massive bright yellow antennae. Cheilosia pagana female. The male has normal sized antennae so can be a bit more tricky to identify.

[Geoff F]

Brian has been posting some brightly coloured Tortoise Beetles recently, well here is one of our small rather drab UK versions. Cassida rubiginosa



We do have a few slightly better marked species, but is is still a bit early in the year for them.

[IzzieK]

Rudi -- I like #1 very much. That bee is certainly more pronounced than the flower. #2 -- a bit more closer shot and I'll scream... #3 I think you shot that blue bells for me. Thank you.

[IzzieK]

Richard, what is that kind of background where you shot that #1 bee fly? Just curious...I can almost feel the sharpness of the antenna on both #1 and#2. Those are good ones. #3 is really good. I like the composition of that one from end to end. I also -noticed your lens (not to mention your camera, not that it matters) I am more interested in the lens because it says you used a mm. I supposed you used an extension tube (or 3) with it? Just asking...

[Geoff F]

Cranefly - Tricyphona immaculata



I was struggling to find an angle which would enable identification.

[Cantab]

Geoff, I'm curious about the white/translucent sacs behind the legs, one either side. Thanks for posting.

[Saorsa]

Once again flies flying and other things.

Got a name for them Dioprosopa clavata from bugguide.net

[Saorsa]

Narcissus Fly



Mirror Mirror on the floor
Why can't you hang behind the door?

[DickyOZ]

Richard, what is that kind of background where you shot that #1 bee fly? Just curious...I can almost feel the sharpness of the antenna on both #1 and#2. Those are good ones. #3 is really good. I like the composition of that one from end to end. I also -noticed your lens (not to mention your camera, not that it matters) I am more interested in the lens because it says you used a mm. I supposed you used an extension tube (or 3) with it? Just asking...

Thanks Izzie.
The first fly in on the sand in a mangrove swamp; there was a host of bee flies there, I think they were after the moisture. The dragon shot was a bit lucky, the wind was blowing at about 25kts and the reed was swaying all over the place. I was actually out birding so I had my Zuiko75-300mm II lens. I bought it cheap about two years ago thinking it would 'make do' until Olympus shipped the 300mm F4. It has turned out to be a surprisingly good and versatile lens; it is not weather sealed but I have used it in very harsh conditions for two years and it has only a little dust inside. Olympus have just released the 300mm F4 at only seven times the price I paid for the 75-300mm - so I'm in no hurry to upgrade.
Dicky.

[Geoff F]

Geoff, I'm curious about the white/translucent sacs behind the legs, one either side. Thanks for posting.

They are called Halteres.

Originally, all flies had two pairs of wings but a lot of them have evolved to lose the hind wings and these drumstick like projections are what remains of those wings. They do serve some purpose in helping to maintain balance; particularly with hoverflies and other precision fliers.

The haltere colour can be useful in identification because different species can have different colours varying between, black, brownish and yellow.

[James G]

Brian, Stunning! and a narcissistic Narcissus Fly seems somehow appropriate!

[Saorsa]

Brian, Stunning! and a narcissistic Narcissus Fly seems somehow appropriate!

I don't know what kind of fly it is but Narcissus seemed appropriate.

[IzzieK]

@Brian, was it still waters when you shot your flies or table top -- they both have reflections. .

@Geoff, the angle of the crane is very good.

[Saorsa]

@Brian, was it still waters when you shot your flies or table top -- they both have reflections. .

Well, the first flies are a pair in a mating flight. It isn't a reflection. Perhaps I should have flagged it NSFW.

The second is actually on one of my southfacing windows which have a reflective bronze tint to cut out some solar heating in our lanai.

[Geoff F]

Murky-legged Black Legionnaire - Beris chalybata. Sometimes the new English names seem more of a mouthful than the Latin alternative.



Birch Shieldbug - Elasmostethus interstinctus



Owl Midge one of the Pericoma species. Only about 4 mm and they rarely stand still for long enough to focus.



And a side view

[Geoff F]

Rhingia campestris, one of the hoverflies.



Oil Beetle - Meloe proscarabaeus

[James G]

Geoff, I've seen the Owl Midge here twice over the last month... and failed miserably to get a shot... I reckon they were jogging to keep warm!

[IzzieK]

I kinda love the frontal shot of the owl midge, Geoff...have to google what is oil beetle and what it does to the environment. Interesting little fella.