Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Insects (assorted) Page 13

Image Taken on 30 Mar 2019 at 09:18 Image of day on 01 May 2019

A heat-trap made by a 'wall' of Lodgepole Pine trees facing SSW contains a wonderful selection of nooks and crannies, making this a favourite place for the British resident 7-spot Ladybird. In a couple of minutes we found 10, of which this was the most photogenic.

Ref: 20190501_df5_20190330_0918_033 7-spot ladybirds below and on lodgepole pine (orig)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Nov 2010 at 08:04 Image of day on 15 Jan 2011

We showed you this group of 7-spot ladybirds on the image for 1 Jan 2011, but not like this after an overnight frost. Doubt that they could be active now, but working with them for technical photos we can tell you that they can be quite lively at 4 degrees C.
We are trying to decide what to do with this stem. It is very exposed and fear it will break & dump its cargo.

Ref: 20110115_p34_20101116_0804_529 10 7-spot ladybirds covered in thawing frost on dead hogweed (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 08 Mar 2011 at 16:09 Image of day on 05 Apr 2011

Ref: 20110405_p34_20110308_1609_948 7-spot ladybirds in hollow stem (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Mar 2006 at 13:10 Image of day on 29 Mar 2006

Most of the Beech trees are still hanging onto their autumn leaves, and this pair of ladybirds are using them for cover.

Ref: 20060329_p32_20060323_1310_064 2 ladybirds on dead beech leaf (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 07 Oct 2010 at 10:21 Image of day on 02 Dec 2010

By the standard of recent years we have a decent number of 7-spot ladybirds & only a few Harlequins. This group of 4 7-spots were hiding under a leaf in the hedge and were rudely turned vertical for a picture.

Ref: 20101202_p34_20101007_1021_909 4 7-spot ladybirds under leaf in hedge(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Jul 2009 at 18:15 Image of day on 13 Aug 2009

The skipper butterflies are difficult to differentiate in photos, but we think this is a Large Skipper. But the most interesting item we only spotted when preparing the image - a caterpillar aligned along the edge of a partially eaten leaf.

Ref: 20090813_db1_20090703_1815_137 large skipper butterfly with camouflaged caterpillar eating leaf to the right (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Jul 2009 at 14:35 Image of day on 01 Sep 2009

This was found in a patch of teasel. Its about ladybird size but is actually one of many stages of life of a shieldbug with no common name (see description). The dark areas including the row of spots are iridescent.

Ref: 20090901_da1_20090725_1435_586 ft1 late instar nymph of shieldbug troilus luridus (7mm long) head iridescent on teasel (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 08 Sep 2009 at 16:16 Image of day on 20 Oct 2009

A change on land management in a our open area has brought a flood of grasshoppers and crickets. We think we have identified this grasshopper correctly.

Ref: 20091020_db1_20090908_1616_115 lesser marsh (q) grasshopper (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jul 2011 at 15:13 Image of day on 18 Sep 2011

The same Lesser Marsh Grasshopper moved onto some meadow 'weeds'

Ref: 20110918_db1_20110730_1513_004 lesser marsh grasshopper (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Jul 2010 at 12:28 Image of day on 18 Aug 2010

On a patch of desiccated grass in the back garden, this grasshopper obligingly allowed us a few images before hopping off. We think it is a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper but we are not knowledgeable enough to be sure. Note the stunning and colour match with dead grass (like it is at the bottom of rank grass) even though produced by different materials.

Ref: 20100818_df1_20100711_1228_096 (prob) lesser marsh grasshopper (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 30 Jul 2011 at 15:10 Image of day on 18 Sep 2011

We really enjoy Grasshoppers, although a combination aging ears and a generally noisier environment means that we can rarely hear their stridulation. This as a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper. Its just about invisible unless you see it land.

Ref: 20110918_db1_20110730_1510_002 lesser marsh grasshopper on vertical grass blade (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Jun 2010 at 19:56 Image of day on 12 Aug 2010

We had a photograph of a Whitethroat with caterpillar on 26 May 2010, so this one a month later must be another family.

Ref: 20100812_d45_20100625_1956_037_fb1 lesser whitethroat (q) with caterpillar in beak (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 26 May 2010 at 06:13 Image of day on 03 Jul 2010

Another first for us. After some internal and external debate we conclude that this is a Lesser Whitethroat. This one would appear to have a nest nearby & it is collecting breakfast for some youngsters.

Ref: 20100703_d45_20100526_0613_093_fb1 lesser whitethroat with caterpillar (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 06 May 2011 at 11:24 Image of day on 08 Jun 2011

The Long-tailed tits continue to catch tiny caterpillars and 'show them to us' outside the living room window. This one looks like it has just spotted the camera. We have no idea where the nest is.

Ref: 20110608_df1_20110506_1124_015 long-tailed tit with caterpillar in beak (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 03 May 2011 at 08:19 Image of day on 02 Jun 2011

Ref: 20110602_df1_20110503_0819_082 long-tailed tit with caterpillar in beak (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Aug 2010 at 13:53 Image of day on 11 Sep 2010

These Long-winged Conehead Cricket are quite hard to spot on the Hop Sedge. The antenna on the left is about 20% out of crop, whilst the apparently short vertical one is full length but foreshortened by pointing at the camera. Don't be conned by the short wings - this is an immature insect and the wings are not yet fully developed - the telling detail is at the tail end.

Ref: 20100911_df1_20100801_1353_025 long-winged conehead cricket (straight cerci with wings undeveloped) on hop sedge (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Aug 2010 at 14:36 Image of day on 30 Sep 2010

Cricket & Grasshopper are broadly differentiated by the former having very long antennae. This is a Long-winged Conehead Cricket female.
The book description "antennae longer than the body" does not even begin to express the staggering length!

Ref: 20100930_db1_20100816_1436_016 long-winged conehead cricket female including whole antennae (montaged with detail insert)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Jun 2022 at 14:20 Image of day on 16 Aug 2022

The left pic is about half-an-hour earlier than the two on the right (just 400mS apart) as probably the same Magpie takes some sort of caterpillar to the Meadow Post, undoubtedly on the way to a demanding youngster. On the right the Magpie seems to be deliberately Jamming the insects into a crack in the top of the post.
Woodpeckers do this to steady nuts to break open - quite why a Magpie would do this doesn't seem obvious.

Ref: 20220816_d01_20220625_1420_466+1456_484+485_fb6 magpie collecting caterpillars and using crack in meadow post top 1-3 of 3 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 10 Sep 2023 at 12:08 Image of day on 02 Nov 2023

Mallow flowers grow in convenient cracks along the edge of the access track. While photographing this pair of open and opening flowers we didn't even notice that there was a Green Shieldbug perched on the group of buds. Good Camouflage.

Ref: 20231102_df3_20230910_1208_086 mallow flowers + green shieldbug + fly (crop with insert)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 09 Jul 2021 at 11:14 Image of day on 17 Aug 2021

The Marmalade Hover-fly stops on this buttercup, only a bit bigger than the insect.

Ref: 20210817_d73_20210709_1114_089 marmalade hover-fly feeding on buttercup flower(r+mb id@768).jpg

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