[noelcmn]

A Carpenter bee (I think). Mean looking thing

[WPRESTO]

Back swimmer SCAN. A bit disorienting = which image is the bug and which its reflection on the underside of the water surface? This is the correct orientation because the direct image is sharper than the reflection except for the long third leg used for swimming which is totally bokehed pointing straight toward the camera underwater. It is better defined in the reflection because that is technically farther away, but it's cut off at the top of the frame.

[dadipentak]

Those Dark Paper Wasps keep hatching--onto the ice from yesterday's nasty weather. Took this with the Oly 300/4 &2x TC rig (because why not?)

[WPRESTO]

A colorful beetle. SCAN

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[TER-OR]

A Carpenter bee (I think). Mean looking thing

This is a bee-mimic robber fly, a predator. Note the antennae and lack of mandibles.
Nice shots of it. There is a lot of mimicry in nature.

---------- Post added 02-26-21 at 01:01 PM ----------

Another local predator. She let me get pretty close. Female Blue Dasher dragonfly.

[WPRESTO]

Stag beetle. SCANS. Another insect I have not seen for at least two decades

[ehrwien]

Western Conifer Seed Bug. Not seen in Europe before 1999 and in Germany before 2006, yet this one was flying through my room...


Bug on Fake Flower


Underside of Abdomen of Western Conifer Seed Bug

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Last edited by ehrwien; 02-27-2021 at 01:42 AM.

[WPRESTO]

Locust borer. Megacyllene robinia SCAN

[Arjay Bee]

Ulysses butterfly on ixora shrub.



K3 & Tamron 90mm Macro

[pkboy]

Took a series hoping to do a focus merge, but I was in an uncomfortable position and missed the shot for the back part of the head section.

[WPRESTO]

Phantom crane fly. SCAN

[rjbrett]

Late stage Assassin Bug instar, Pentax KP & Voigtlander 90mm F3.5 APO Lanthar SL;

[Arjay Bee]

A butterfly drinking deeply and relaxing - K3 & Tamron 90 2.8
Near the end of the season so looking battered.

[dadipentak]

t I have not seen for at least two decades

Now that you mention it, I think I could say the same.

[WPRESTO]

Now that you mention it, I think I could say the same.

I keep repeating myself again another time saying the same things over and over. A longitudinal study in Europe collecting flying insects with standardized methods at many, many locations has documented approximately an 80% reduction of flying insect biomass over the past roughly 30 years (I forget the exact timescale). That is only flying insects and only their biomass, not documenting the possible complete disappearance of some, perhaps scores, perhaps hundreds of species. That data should be of very deep concern to all of us. About 80~90% of flowering plants are pollinated by insects. About 35% of human food crops are pollinated by insects. Fortunately for us, the staff of life, grain crops are primarily wind pollinated, but as for fruits and veges........ Additionally, enormous parts of the animal food chain depend on insects. Bats would be doomed almost completely. Many bird species feed on insects, or feed on birds that in turn feed on insects. There are also fresh water fish species of great interest to humans that feed extensively on insects. The decline in insects is a major ecologic catastrophe that gets almost no notice. In the news it's like a cat who comes home after being lost for eight years = here's an interesting tidbit, mentioned just once, then on to the real news. The problem with insects is like the problem with your teeth = ignore it and they will go away. Extinction is forever.