Insects 2016

[Geoff F]

Any other views of the wings, Rudi? Otherwise it is likely to be another of those Rhagio sp.

R. scolopaceus has dark markings across the wings as well as a dark stigma mark. Strigosus is similar but rare in the UK. Tringarius has completely clear wings. But there are some confusing other species.

Small stigma but otherwise clear wings, notatus (femora dark at base) or lineola (smaller and femora pale at base).

And then there are the other possible options which appear where you live, such as stigma with two spots which is maculatus.

[rudi]

Any other views of the wings, Rudi? Otherwise it is likely to be another of those Rhagio sp.

Thanks Geoff. Checking out the web I had second thoughts myself

Unfortunately no shots from above. Hereby the best shot of the wings. Don't know it helps . It is a big crop and I missed focus.

Shot on a cabbage plant in a greenhouse.

[DickyOZ]

Good sharp shot Rudi, it looks very similar to our Great Robber Flies.

[DickyOZ]

Harlequin Cotton bug (male) swaying in the breeze.

[Geoff F]

Robber Flies do appear quite similar, Richard, but they tend to have distinctly hairy legs.

The question with your fly, Rudi, is - does the wing have dark markings as well as the stigma? Well the stigma seems a little odd and the darkening is more general than in streaks, but it is definitely darkened. So that points to R. scolopaceus or strigosus. The simple difference (if there is such a thing) between those two is that the arista hair on the end of the third antennal segment is central in strigosus but offset in scolopaceus, which means placed at the bottom of the third segment (viewed from side) and there is a slight elongation of that segment.

As far as I can tell from that image, the third segment is offset which clearly makes it R. scolopaceus.

[marlunn]

one from 28th May in Whisby NR nr Lincoln, Libellula quadrimaculata 4 spot darter - the dragons are back !



and amongst a few found, a hoverfly I have been looking for - Eristalinus sepulchralis



the damsels were going to rest - count them

[John 2]

Love that Darter Mark. Cracking shot. In fact there is some good stuff all round in this thread. I haven't been following it while I have been sans desk top.

[John 2]

Hoverfly. Eristalis tenax I think??

[Shadowman]

Hoverfly. Eristalis tenax I think??

Nicely captured.

[AJCann]

I love my little Sony compact camera (Sony DSC-HX20V), which I bought used for under a hundred quid on eBay. It's so easy to slip in a pocket and darned if it sometimes doesn't take better macro pictures than my big fat, expensive DSLR. The trouble is there's not much control. Sometimes (as with this small hoverfly), it works great. Sometimes it just won't focus on anything at all at this range. The DSLR is a lot more work but it's a heck of a lot more reliable. The other problem is that with such a short focal length the Sony has a very short macro working distance - 1cm! Many insects are not as tolerant of you shoving a lens up their nose as this hoverfly was. But when everything works out, the Sony is a little star.

Platycheirus albimanus/scutatus agg.

[sleist]

[rudi]

the damsels were going to rest - count them

Wow, never seen so many together !

[rudi]

Robber Flies do appear quite similar, Richard, but they tend to have distinctly hairy legs.

The question with your fly, Rudi, is - does the wing have dark markings as well as the stigma? Well the stigma seems a little odd and the darkening is more general than in streaks, but it is definitely darkened. So that points to R. scolopaceus or strigosus. The simple difference (if there is such a thing) between those two is that the arista hair on the end of the third antennal segment is central in strigosus but offset in scolopaceus, which means placed at the bottom of the third segment (viewed from side) and there is a slight elongation of that segment.

As far as I can tell from that image, the third segment is offset which clearly makes it R. scolopaceus.

Thanks Geoff. This one was cooperative as long as I stayed very low to the ground, so I have some closeup shots from the side and the front (still to pp.. But as soon as I wanted to take a picture from above it flew off, well...next time .

[Cantab]

one from 28th May in Whisby NR nr Lincoln, Libellula quadrimaculata 4 spot darter - the dragons are back !



and amongst a few found, a hoverfly I have been looking for - Eristalinus sepulchralis



the damsels were going to rest - count them

Mark, the first one is spectacular.

[marlunn]

Thanks John, your hover i think E. pertinax - cant see the eye hair bands indicative of tenax

Rudi, it was fun, there were a few umbelifer heads with 8 - 10 on but this one was obviously the Hilton ! really annoyign was that for soem reason my camera decided to captur ein .jpg instead of raw - so cant do more with this image - not a happy photog

Cheers Bruce, it was quite patient with me considering the git was on a 50 degree slope down a knee high with wildflowers / grass / umbelifers bank to a stream, was a bit dodgy getting down to it and not ending up in the stream

[Geoff F]

I wonder if John's Eristalis might be arbustorum? Front and mid tarsi are dark; the face is unmarked by any strong stripe.

Yesterday brought me a few hovers and other things to ponder.

Pride of the day, in relation to wow factor if not photo quality, went to this little bee which on closer inspection turned into a rare Microdon myrmicae hoverfly.



Just one distant click and it was gone.

Another bee mimic, and first for the year was Cheilosia illustrata.



And one more quick shot as it ran away. Black-clouded Longhorn Beetle (probably).



Failed photographically with this sawfly but it still looks interesting. Arge ustulata



Loads of 'grass moths' about but I always struggle to photograph them.

[Geoff F]

A couple of water species, which were also a real struggle to snap.

A mating pair of Pond Skaters.



And some Water Crickets with a lot of obvious photographic stress.

[marlunn]

Cracking images Geoff, love the Microdon

[Cantab]

A couple of water species, which were also a real struggle to snap.

A mating pair of Pond Skaters.



And some Water Crickets with a lot of obvious photographic stress.

Geoff, were you in the pond too?

[marlunn]

Merodon Equestris - making sure the next generation will be there ! daughter came into kitchen and said - 'arhgg there is a bee trapped in the sundew', so I removed pot to outside and removed 'bee' to find it was these two !