The acrobat, the Heterotoma Planicornis, and new flier!
Paul Iddon
Registered Users Posts: 5,129 Major grins
Very strong blustery winds have continued and it's not good for my garden!
In between the gusts, I managed today to get an acrobatic hoverfly, hanging upside down, and a plant bug - Heterotoma Planicornis, on a leaf on the apple tree, and frustratingly, I managed just 2 photos stretching across the shrubbery, and unfortunately on the concrete post making awkward contrasts, of a what I first thought was a sawfly, but I now think it is a wasp-waist "Hymenoptera" because of the two triangles behind the head - I cannot find a sawfly with these markings - leading to think it might be of the sub-order Apocrita Aculeata where, generally, the ovipositor has been modified into a stinger of some sort. Obviously this relates to females only and males of the same species can often look quite different (this is known as sexual dimorphism) – just another joy to add to the mix!
I could be wrong about the sawfly though!
Last two aren't brilliant, but if it is what I thought, then it's a first for me, and a new flier ticked off, so any shot is better than no shot!
Paul.
In between the gusts, I managed today to get an acrobatic hoverfly, hanging upside down, and a plant bug - Heterotoma Planicornis, on a leaf on the apple tree, and frustratingly, I managed just 2 photos stretching across the shrubbery, and unfortunately on the concrete post making awkward contrasts, of a what I first thought was a sawfly, but I now think it is a wasp-waist "Hymenoptera" because of the two triangles behind the head - I cannot find a sawfly with these markings - leading to think it might be of the sub-order Apocrita Aculeata where, generally, the ovipositor has been modified into a stinger of some sort. Obviously this relates to females only and males of the same species can often look quite different (this is known as sexual dimorphism) – just another joy to add to the mix!
I could be wrong about the sawfly though!
Last two aren't brilliant, but if it is what I thought, then it's a first for me, and a new flier ticked off, so any shot is better than no shot!
Paul.
0
Comments
Congratulations on the Heterotoma. I have made many attempts at getting a good image, without success.
Your wasp may be Ectemnius lituratus which hunts hoverflies.
Harold
Paul.
Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk
Brian v.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
After checking (and subsequently recording on) BWARS and iRecord, they say, going by the gold hairs on clypeus and the yellow on the underside of the abdomen, it would appear to be Ectemnius sexincinctus.
Paul.
Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk
Feel that temp is leaning on warm side....especially for first two.....wish it didn't.
Cheers!
The Venus does have a red tendency of it's own.
Paul.
Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk
Chinese political influence?
Harold
My Smugmug gallery
Thanks Ian - appreciated m8
Paul.
Link to my personal website: http://www.pauliddon.co.uk