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Insects

 

Another subject notoriously difficult to photograph.  Still, you've got to start somewhere...

 

Select to enlarge/identify/scroll, or use thumbnails to select image and hover to identify.

 

 

Hoverfly [Episyrphus balteatus] - with thanks to the Open Air Laboratory network at http://www.opalexplorenature.org/

Harlequin ladybirds [Harmonia axyridis], an extremely invasive arrival here in 2004 from North America, where it was introduced in 1988. Unfortunately its food choices include not only aphids but also the eggs and larvae of butterflies and moths... and other ladybirds.

Banded Demoiselle (damselfly) [Calopteryx splendens]

Juvenile Dock bug [Coreus marginatus], one of the squashbugs. This one has strayed from docks onto raspberries.

Adult Dock bug [Coreus marginatus]. Obviously they are fond of raspberries.

Another (Asian) harlequin ladybird [Harmonia axyridis conspicua]

Migrant hawker dragonfly, male [Aeshna mixta]

Honey bee on pumpkin flower

Red soldier/cardinal beetle - locally "Bloodsucker" [Pyrochroa serraticornis]

Bumblebee: Is this Bombus hortorum?

Harlequin ladybird, possibly Harmonia axyridis succinea

Four-banded longhorn beetle [Leptura quadrifasciata]

This Hoverfly is Syrphus ribesii

Another hoverfly, this one Volucella pelucens. They are prolific on brambles at the plots, but this one was snapped at home

This hoverfly is the Dronefly [Eristalis tenax]: with thanks to www.uksafari.com... see next image for link to site

... and this is its larva, the rat-tailed maggot. These appear in my water butt via the leaf litter in the shed gutters. Thanks to www.uksafari.com for the photo - do visit them via the link below for information on hoverflies and much more.

Grasshopper...er...um

Wasp on fennel. Sorry, better on fennels than on wasps...

Southern Hawker dragonfly (male) [Aeshna cyanea]

Two-spot Ladybird [Adalia bipuncta]

The Red-legged shield bug (formerly Forest bug) [Pentatoma rufipes]

horseflies [Tabanus sudeticus]

A blowfly, the Greeenbottle [Phoenicia/Luciia sericata], the larvae of which are used for maggot therapy... any volunteers?

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