Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Insects (assorted) Page 12

Image Taken on 21 May 2019 at 08:16 Image of day on 25 Jun 2019

On the Hawthorn Flowers we spotted this Hover-fly which promptly departed before we could get some more detailed pics of it. We seem to be seeing a number of new-to-us species of Hoverfly this Spring. This seems to be Syrphus Ribesii.

Ref: 20190625_df5_20190521_0816_012 hover-fly probably syrphus ribesii female on hawthorn flowers (detail crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Jul 2011 at 10:19 Image of day on 25 Aug 2011

We didn't realise Hover-flies came this big or Gorgeous and had an expert confirm our ID as a Volucella zonaria. He commented 'I think it's the biggest native species of hover-fly, but only took up residence in Britain in the 1940s. ... The larvae live in wasp nests.'

Ref: 20110825_df1_20110711_1019_067 hover-fly volucella zonaria on blackberry flower (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 24 Aug 2020 at 10:56 Image of day on 10 Oct 2020

Neither of us are keen on green flowers, but our aesthetic judgement is not shared by the insects. This head contains both unopened and open Ivy flowers.

Ref: 20201010_d73_20200824_1056_025 ivy flower starting to open attracting fly and wasp(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 06 Oct 2017 at 12:49 Image of day on 15 Nov 2017

Ivy always seems an unlikely plant to make flowers, but each year we get a good show at the end of the summer. The insects really appreciate this late bounty.

Ref: 20171115_df3_20171006_1249_175 ivy flower with wasp flying in (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Nov 2019 at 09:12 Image of day on 15 Dec 2019

A few metres from the house we have a simple little conical rain gauge from which we record the last days rain every morning. On this morning the edge glowed with a green speck which close inspection turned out to be a Juniper Shieldbug. The morning was cold and wet and the insect was comatose with several raindrops on their back (very clear in the bottom image) and in the top image one at the centre magnifying the underlying pattern.
We managed to read and empty the gauge without disturbing the 'sleeping' insect!

Ref: 20191215_p10_20191103_0912_368+371 juniper shieldbug (cyphostethus tristriatus) with raindrops comatose on rain gauge (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Sep 2020 at 16:15 Image of day on 11 Nov 2020

The female Kestrel sees something in the recently cut grass margin, and dives onto it. You sort of expect a rodent to be the target, but no, this Cranefly is worthy of the effort.

Ref: 20201111_df3_20200925_1615_176 kestrel female catching cranefly then running over grass for another catch 01 of 19 (detail crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Sep 2020 at 16:15 Image of day on 11 Nov 2020

Then a first for us - this female Kestrel runs over the grass to grab another prey item. The bird is, not unexpectedly, not particularly good at running, and we show here about every third image of those taken at 7 fps - so just under half a second between each image accurately montaged except for the last which would overlap the previous, hence the white bar. We never saw what she caught, but the grass is alive with Craneflies.

Ref: 20201111_df3_20200925_1615_182-204 kestrel female catching cranefly then running over grass for another catch 03+08+11+14+17+19 of 19 (accurate montage @7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Sep 2014 at 15:46 Image of day on 28 Nov 2014

Seeing this ladybird at the beginning of autumn reminded us that after a flurry in the spring, we saw very few in the summer. This is our regular 7-spot species, and relief at seeing very few Harlequin invaders this year.

Ref: 20141128_df2_20140919_1546_531 7-spot ladybird(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 08:36 Image of day on 21 Oct 2013

On a Dandelion leaf we made our first recorded sighting here of the tiny 22-spot ladybird.

Ref: 20131021_p10_20130831_0836_983 22-spot ladybird (first ever image) on dandelion leaf (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Mar 2007 at 10:39 Image of day on 11 Mar 2007

Warm enough to tempt out this Ladybird for a walk on the violets.

Ref: 20070311_p34_20070303_1039_541 ladybird and violets(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Oct 2010 at 12:29 Image of day on 01 Jan 2011

Talking of 7-spot ladybird - this dead hogweed seems to be a good place for them to cluster in the sunshine.

Ref: 20110101_p34_20101030_1229_288 6 7-spot ladybird clustered in dead hogweed (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 10 Mar 2015 at 16:08 Image of day on 24 Apr 2015

The first Ladybird out and about this year, rather than comatose in some protected cranny. This is our most common - the 7-spot ladybird - sunning itself on a piece of Lichen.

Ref: 20150424_df2_20150310_1608_269 7-spot ladybird in blackthorn hedge on piece of yellow lichen (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 17 Feb 2007 at 11:31 Image of day on 25 Feb 2007

This ladybird was hiding in the creases in the bark of a diseased elm.

Ref: 20070225_p34_20070217_1131_918 ladybird in elm bark(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 09 Aug 2009 at 11:36 Image of day on 24 Sep 2009

Ref: 20090924_da1_20090809_1136_066+1234_165_ft1 7-spot ladybird in flight with hawthorn twig (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 14 Jun 2019 at 12:32 Image of day on 03 Aug 2019

A 7-spot Ladybird Larva on a mint leaf.

Ref: 20190803_df5_20190614_1232_001 7-spot ladybird larva on mint leaf(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 08 Aug 2019 at 10:49 Image of day on 26 Sep 2019

Not many Ladybirds of any sort at the moment, so we're pleased to see this native 7-spot walking around on the Blackberry leaves, undoubtedly in search of their favourite food - Aphids.

Ref: 20190926_df3_20190808_1049_002 7-spot ladybird on blackberry leaf(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Mar 2014 at 12:47 Image of day on 18 May 2014

This 7-spot ladybird has chosen a blackberry leaf to sun itself.
Ladybirds are surprisingly active even near freezing temperatures as we discovered when researching appearances of insects in UV light - see Seven spot ladybird in UV. Even at 4 degrees C one was walking about rather than torpid like most other insects at the temperature. Once warmed up all the insects went back unharmed to where we found them.

Ref: 20140518_p10_20140330_1247_752 7-spot ladybird on blackberry leaf (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 22 Mar 2023 at 10:13 Image of day on 28 Apr 2023

All the Ladybirds we have seen so far have been 7-spot Ladybirds - no signs of Harlequins yet, but that won't last.

Ref: 20230428_df3_20230322_1013_005 7-spot ladybird on blackberry leaf (1st of 2023)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Sep 2018 at 09:59 Image of day on 24 Oct 2018

There has been a severe dearth of Ladybirds this year, but those we have seen are mostly the native 7-spot species photographed here, rather than more recent years predominantly 'Harlequins'.

Ref: 20181024_df3_20180902_0959_072 7-spot ladybird on debris from clearing scrub in meadow(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Mar 2014 at 12:45 Image of day on 18 May 2014

We are pleased to see 7-spot Ladybirds in many sunlit patches. Here one of several sunning themselves on a Lodgepole pine cone.

Ref: 20140518_p10_20140330_1245_746 7-spot ladybird on developing lodgepole pine cone(r+mb id@576).jpg

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