This is the carry on thread from "All about Insects 2018" here https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/196071/all-about-insects-2018
I had a lovely Minotaur Beetle around the UV trap this morning, my first ever!
Apparantly this is their time of year!
All insects, spiders, beetles, flies etc etc welcome,
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
Sticking with Ladybirds, my first ones of the year today. :-)
My bird photos HERE
Lot to learn
The insects are coming (at least on the warmer days). One of a few Tawny Mining Bees I've spotted
Before anyone says anything, I think these are hoverflies, which means they're both female and therefore they aren't doing what you first think! Quite what they are doing is another matter. They're on a Marsh Marigold.
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Nige Flickr
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Regards, Hazel
With this rather chilly weather I've not seen many insects around. This is the first hoverfly I've managed to photograph this year. I'm still not confident about IDing them despite having a book. Initially I thought it was the common "Marmalade" hoverfly. However, I now think it's probably a Syrphus sp, possibly Syrphus ribesii. No idea what the other little chap is.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
As you say Tony, it's pretty chilly outside but we have at least blue sky and sunshine here. Great to see the hoverfly, that's a lovely detailed photo of it; I forgot to add what I suspect is a Tawny Mining Bee from last week; we have tons of them in the garden .... bit of a fuzzy photo though. I have also seen Brimstone and Peacock butterflies in the garden.
Can anyone please help me identify this fly (I think) - sorry about the fuzziness of the picture. I did have a look on Naturespot, but to be honest I have no clue what I am doing!!
Nice hoverflies and bees, Tony and Hazy. Despite the sun, I'm not seeing much at the mo', just queen bees and they won't settle for me :( For what it's worth, Tony, I agree it is not a Marmalade fly, but after that it gets difficult!
Keira, I'm no expert but it does look a bit like this
Silver Colonel
You'll see it has a limited range, so I don't know if you are in the area but there's also another similar one and insects aren't always readily identifiable just from photos. Still fun to take photos of them though!