Oh well, no sooner said than done. All you budding entomologists or photographers or anyone who likes nature, you can put your insect photos here!
I'll kick off with a few that I've had lately. This first is called a Mantis Fly & is a cross between a Fly & Mantis (funnily enough) & is in the Neuroptera family, which is a mixed bunch anyway, my first & I had 3 of them around the moth trap
& a Rhinocerus Beetle which was also attracted to the light & are quite rare now around here, he really was fabulous, very impressive,
& this Frelon was also in the moth trap, but seemed quite docile as long as I kept my distance!
& some Damsel flies, an Azure Damselfly (thanks for the ID Aiki)
a Large Red Damsel
& from early may a proper fly from the Dipteras, anyone know the English name, I think it's latin name is Otites lamed,
I usually only take photos of flies with interesting wings as I am hopeless at identiying them!
Thanks for looking & maybe you can post some of yours!!
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Thanks all for your interest ...
HiNH, you could always send him (caterpillar, not Ron ha ha) to me!! Just been reading up on life cycle & all my tomatoes are finished & I don't grow Cotton or Maize but have a nice patch of wild Geranium I could feed it on! I have a small glass terrarium that I could utilise, needs some soil to burrow into at chrysalis stage ... My Painted Lady pupae were sent in the post in a small pot in a small box, quite amazing!
Hope to get a Hawkmoth soon via a friend!
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On short holiday break.Will get decorator in next time! I should have turned the home into a - Butterfly house,Wendy.It would have looked an elluva lot nicer imho. :-) Have been looking at your wasps,Hazy. The 1st could well be a German rather than Common wasp.A front view would have confirmed.The second is an Ectemnius - cavifrons,cephalotes etc,etc.Generally narrowed down to species level by watching their behaviour and dining habits - Some have Hovers for breakfast. :-( Here`s a Dock bug - I`m close to where the Tansy beetles live at the mo. may well go for a look-see.
Great to hear from you EB, like your idea ... mine is well on the way with plain, easy to maintain Magnolia painted walls which make it so much easier to find escapees & buggy visitors!!
Beautiful metallic Green bug, haven't seen one of those here yet & will have to Google Tansy beetle for image & info!
Hope you find some to show us!!
Edit: Just remembered watching a programme featuring a couple who have devoted much time & energy to preserving these beetles & their habitat ... Do I also remember that they breed them too?? Do you know them?
EB - that's a Mint Leaf Beetle you've got there, I found a local one the other day....nice photo!
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Anyone know what this moth is?
It was seen locally, in Hertfordshire, the other day....
Many thanks,Graham
Treble bar Moth possibly or Lesser Treble bar dependent on size? Lovely Graham, IWOOT!
Yep.It`s a Treble-bar moth. My beetle,Graham, IS a dock beetle.A pregnant female.We get other chrysolina beetles here but not the mint leaf beetle.I live on the edge of the famous "Rhubarb triangle" so Dock beetles are public enemy no.1 ....along with the wrong sort of weather. :-)
Some interesting info & pics re Dock/Mint/Tansy to help the unitiated on this page ... www.buglife.org.uk/tansy-beetle-description
So much to learn!!
Wow, thanks EB. Dock/Mint/Tansy - I've now got a headache. I still can't see any differences between them. I've also got to take a look at all my 'Mint Leaf Beetle' photos of the past now..... :)
Well Graham your macro pics are so clear with such good detail that you should be able to recognise the finer points of difference!! Let us know!