Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Hi Alf

Lovely stuff, saw them earlier on Flickr, glad they are here too.

I am not the best source of bee IDs. It is a new an exciting area for me. I have started by calling them by the colour of their bottoms. My equivalent to the LBJ in bird IDs. But Harold has been a good source of Latin.

More importantly the sunshine and individual clarity is really good.

I saw a good number yesterday, but they were shot with my other camera. So I will revisit with an Olympus soon.

Thanks Pater

The first one is a female Andrena miner bee. I could tell you a few that it is not. It looks most like A. scotica.

The other is a Nomada bee. Identifying species is not easy.

Harold

Thanks Harold
Thats the second suggestion of that ID (the other was the old name A. carantonica) so may be likely. That shot could contain 4 indviduals there were a lot about and they sharing entrances.
I had the same info on the Nomada but was told "yellow on face & 13 antennal segments make it a male"

[brian1208]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

I finally got my Metz macro flash working again (turned out to be a dodgy PC sync cable) so was able to have a macro session yesterday despite dank and dark weather. Amongst a variety of flies, bugs etc I managed to get some shots of this handsome Ichneumon Wasp which was hiding in and under Pam's Gladiolus Byzantinus (I particularly admired its colourful antenna)

Hand-held using the EM-1 + 60mm macro with the tubes above / below the lens and only the top tube powered

wood wasp cleaning antenna by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

wood wasp showing antenna 01 antenna by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

wood wasp showing antenna 02 by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

The flash still needs more diffusion but despite that, it allowed me to get shots of a new species for me under conditions that otherwise would have required ISO1600+

(one nice thing about this set-up is that by using reduced power, below 1/4 power, I can shoot at 6fps and still maintain constant flash output for bursts of 3-5 shots)

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Brian,

Nice images. It looks a bit like Ichneumon stramentor but that does not have the yellow on the face.

Harold

[brian1208]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

thanks Harold, I wondered about ichneumon xanthorius as the antenna look similar but as an expert elsewhere described it "its almost impossible to ID one of these unless you have the specimen to hand and even then its confusing"

So I'm just enjoying the pics

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

thanks Harold, I wondered about ichneumon xanthorius as the antenna look similar but as an expert elsewhere described it "its almost impossible to ID one of these unless you have the specimen to hand and even then its confusing"

So I'm just enjoying the pics

Brian,

That looks like a better match. The problems is that, unless you know the group well, you don't know which other similar species there are.

I. xanthoriusseems not to be common enough to be included in my book.

Watch out, as summer progresses, for larger, equally strikingly coloured wasps. Tenthredo are sawflies.

Harold

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

More Nomad bee shots

Nmad bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Alf,

Good set.

I think it is the Six-banded Nomad Bee Nomada sexfasciata.

Harold

[DavyG]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

A better example of a Hairy Dragonfly than the one I posted previously, taken today at Minsmere.



Dave

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

More Nomad bee shots

Nmad bee by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Hi Alf.

Nice shots

But Bees that look like wasps... I have some reading to do.

But bees seem to be a rich vein of learning. Alongside coloured bottom bees I will be looking for waspish bees now...

Still there are butterflies out now and I understand them....

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

A better example of a Hairy Dragonfly than the one I posted previously, taken today at Minsmere.



Dave

Nice, Dave. Not seen any yet. But we are all behind here.

[art frames]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Looking for his Grace the Duke of Burgundy today without any joy, might need a few more days of warmth.

But did find some lovely fresh butterflies.

Firstly for Imageryone.. a Holly Blue. There were lots and most were very active.


Holly Blue - Celastrina argiolus by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

A Green Hairstreak


Green Hairstreak - Callophrys rubi by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

Giving me the evil look.


Green Hairstreak - Callophrys rubi by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

And several Dingy Skippers.


Dingy Skipper - Erynnis tages by Peter Willmott, on Flickr

So no Duke. But it is nice to have some butterflies to choose from.

[David M]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

I like the head on Green Hairstreak.

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Hi Alf.

Nice shots

But Bees that look like wasps... I have some reading to do.

But bees seem to be a rich vein of learning. Alongside coloured bottom bees I will be looking for waspish bees now...

Still there are butterflies out now and I understand them....

Thanks Pete
Bees and Wasp are really difficult IMO.

Alf,

Good set.

I think it is the Six-banded Nomad Bee Nomada sexfasciata.

Harold

Thanks Harold I will look at that

Edit
I thought it was Marshams nomad bee and an ID on Flickr sugests it so.

[Harold Gough]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Spotlight on Pollinia

I was frustrated in my efforts to photograph a bumble bee carrying pollinia (pollen bundles) from my Pleione orchid.

This image of a bee, up in a corner of the greenhouse structure, had looked hopeless, very underexposed and lacking contrast. However, some work on is produced this, to me anyway, pleasing effect.

EM-1, Kiron 105mm, flash, hand-held.

Harold

[alfbranch]

Re: Communal Dragonfly, Butterfly and Insect photo thread

Another bee with some pollen on board

Laden with pollen by Alf Branch, on Flickr