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
Ha ha EB, at least mine has two legs!!!!
Lovely shieldbug ... Hawthorn or wot?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
WendyBartter said:you should read it all
@ Edge, lovely pic of the sheildbug, I assume this is not a clockwork one lol .........and Waggie will tackle even a DCH without fear - it's still very young, hasn't learned yet lol
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Regards, Hazel
I'm sure it will once DCH has spat in it's face! Lol
WendyBartter said:Warmed to him greatly though when I read about feasting on slugs & other unwanted beasties!!
I caught one having an all-in wrestling match with one of my moths that was sat around minding it's own business. I managed to separate them & mothy flew off OK. I must have interferred just in time! Best watch out for your caterpillars!
Oh dear HinNH, not nice! Used to find loads of these beetles when I was a kid (without knowing any of the detail) & taunt them to provoke the scorpion action, wonder I never got bitten!! This is the first one I've seen this year, no wonder I have so many slimy slugs!!!
Found this handsome creature on my new shed today (giving it his seal of approval maybe!)
May just be Common Green (Palomena prasina) but looked good to me
Even sat nicely as I poked macro lens up its' nose! Lol
He is handsome,Wendy, good photo. It looks like the Common Green to me to.
Annie
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
Einstein
Thanks Annie, quite taken with these Shieldbugs, seem quite gentle until they get hold of a caterpillar!!
Oh poor little Shield bug, it won't harm a caterpillar but it does suck the life out of our runner beans which were "in the local lingo" a catastrophe. Lots of baby runners but they never grew big, they were covered in Shield bugs that according to OH sucked them dry.
Evening Wendy, what very nice photos of the Shieldbug and raindrop background, they are such an attractive species with the variations in armour plating lol