Mark McCaughrean<p>With temperatures set to rise back to 30°C in the coming days & week, thought I’d get in some pre-emptive kilometres on a nice cool evening 🥵</p><p>46km to Ladenburg & back, including a brief stop at the pond in Edingen. Success – found a blue-tailed damselfly, aka Große Pechlibelle in German (Ischnura elegans). </p><p>First I’ve seen since we moved from NL 🙂</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CyclingLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CyclingLife</span></a> 🚴♂️<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
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26 posts · 9 participants · 3 posts today
Mark McCaughrean<p>Refocussing on the tiny lives living in my garden, here's a small sweat bee from a few days ago.</p><p>It's known as the common furrow bee or slender mining bee, the Gewöhnliche Schmalbiene in German (Lasioglossum calceatum).</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Devijand<p>The picture doesn't really convey the scale of this dragonfly, but it's enormous. Easily as long as my index finger (which I didn't include in this picture because I'm a scaredy cat who wants to keep a safe distance, lol)</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/dragonfly" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>dragonfly</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/libelle" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>libelle</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/insects" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>insects</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/insectsofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>insectsofmastodon</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/bug" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>bug</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/beautiful" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>beautiful</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/scary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>scary</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/giantbugs" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>giantbugs</span></a></p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>One more garden insect species less than brilliantly photographed today, albeit this time an easy one to ID 🤷♂️</p><p>It's a locust blowfly (Stomorhina lunata), originally from Africa, where they prey on the eggs of locusts. But it has been spreading north & is common in Europe now.</p><p>This all-grey specimen is a female – males have orange abdomen stripes & are often confused for hoverflies.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Ay yi yi – another tricky garden wasp identification 🙀</p><p>This is definitely in the subgenus Eumenes, the potter wasps – they build their nests out of mud.</p><p>Comparing the yellow patterns with photos taken around me in southern Germany, I'd likely plump for Eumenes coronatus. Can't be 100% certain though.</p><p> <a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>The more time I spend in the garden with Tigger (this is not an optional duty), the more wacky insects I see 😽</p><p>I spotted this one in the distance & grabbed a quick shot. Horrible quality, but enough for a stab at an ID.</p><p>It's definitely a wasp in the Gasteruption genus, found worldwide. Best guess is this is G. jaculator & male, because it lacks the crazy long ovipositor of a female 🙀</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>And finally for now, a new visitor to the garden that was thankfully much easier to identify.</p><p>It's a small copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas; Kleine Feuerfalter in German), although it's hard to tell the gender, as males & females are very similar. </p><p>They have beautiful red and brown topsides, so I very much hope this rather skittish example comes back 🤞</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Next, a small parasitoid fly from the Gymnosoma genus, known as ladybird flies. Not a great picture, but ... </p><p>It's hard to be more specific: there are several likely species including G. rotundatum, clavatum, nitens, & nudifrons, but they're very variable & very hard to definitively identify. </p><p>Indeed, it's suggested they may all be one species genomically:<br><a href="https://resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/syen.12450" rel="nofollow noopener" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">resjournals.onlinelibrary.wile</span><span class="invisible">y.com/doi/10.1111/syen.12450</span></a></p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>After some pictures of dead insects earlier, here are a few of some very much alive ones in the garden today.</p><p>First, some western honey bees (Apis mellifera) going about their business 🐝</p><p>Of course, they've been here all summer, but flit around so quickly, I haven't got many good shots 🤷♂️</p><p>Plus I've been distracted by more exotic species, which is unfair, given how vital these are 🙂👍</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Another dead insect, I’m afraid, but nevertheless one more for the list.<br> <br>This is a leafcutter bee from the Megachile genus & my best guess is an alfalfa leafcutter (Megachile rotundata). In German, the Luzern-Blattschneiderbiene.</p><p>It’s a solitary European bee, deliberately distributed worldwide to help with pollination, including Australia & NZ where it pollinates alfalfa. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>A small mystery for expert entomologists & bug fans 🧐</p><p>I found this dead fellow, but am unsure of the ID. I suspect it’s a green shield bug (Palomena prasina), which is all green in the spring, but turns brown in the late summer & autumn. </p><p>Is that what’s happening with the red legs, red antenna, & small red-brown parts on the back, caught on the turn?</p><p>Anyone have any ideas? 🤨</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>In addition to the larger & more exotic species in the garden, I've also been trying to capture decent shots of some of the many smaller insects. </p><p>Frankly, they're irritating because they move fast & often run away from the camera 😡</p><p>But I will persevere ... 🤷♂️</p><p>In the meantime, here's a female German scorpionfly (Panorpa germanica), showing a hint of her huge beak. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>After a rainy day, it's warm & sunny near sunset, & the garden is teeming with insects 🙂</p><p>This one was a surprise though: it's a Mexican grass-carrying wasp (Isodontia mexicana) 😬🇲🇽</p><p>From the name alone, you'll realise that it's an invasive species, one that has been working its way north in Europe since arriving in southern France in the 60s 🤷♂️</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Some excitement from yesterday – turn the sound on 😉</p><p>At the Fischkinderstube pond in Edingen, I found this burrow being excavated by European wasps – watch closely & you'll see them bringing out small stones. </p><p>They started getting a little annoyed at the presence of the phone, let alone me, so I beat a retreat after a couple of minutes 😬✌️</p><p>Either way, I think we can tick off Vespula germanica 🙂🐝</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Excuse the hairy, wrinkly knee, but this little fellow seemed comfortable, so … 🤷♂️</p><p>I believe it’s a brown china mark (Elophila nymphaeata), which is appropriate perhaps. In German, it’s the Laichkraut-Zünsler or Seerosenzünsler.</p><p>See next toot for a confusion though 🧐</p><p>As seen on today’s 56km ride, my first in a fortnight, thanks to travel & endless rain 🙄</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/CyclingLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>CyclingLife</span></a> 🚴♂️<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>Another new species in the garden today: a bright-spotted ground bug (Rhyparochromus vulgaris), aka the Gemeine Bodenwanze in German.</p><p>It's a so-called "dirt-coloured seed bug" in the Rhyparochromidae family. It's found in Africa, Europe, and some parts of Asia, & has been present in North America too since 2001. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>While I'm trying to catch new species in the garden where possible, I couldn't resist taking a portrait of this dark bush cricket in the undergrowth 🦗</p><p>Not least because if you look closely, he has lost one of his big hind legs, so probably won't be able to evade predators for too much longer 😬✌️</p><p>Why "he"? Because it's a male & lacks the giant sword-like ovipositor that females have 🗡️</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>One last evening visit to the garden at the insistence of His Majesty, King Tigger 😽</p><p>Armed only with my phone, I nevertheless got semi-reasonable shots of a couple of new small beetles to add to my list:</p><p>1. Hellbraune Glasflügelwanze (Rhopalus subrufus; I can't find an English name), a scentless plant bug;</p><p>2. Woundwort shieldbug (Stagonomus venustissimus; Schillerwanze).</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>And as a bonus, here's a shot of a red-banded sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) seen on the garden steps, immediately beneath me. </p><p>The lack of additional black spots on the tergites further forward from the end identify it as a female.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
Mark McCaughrean<p>To make up for the rather gruesome robber fly picture earlier, here are a couple of butterflies that paid brief visits to the garden this afternoon 🙂</p><p>The first three pictures are of a female holly blue (Celestrina argiolus), while the last is of a very skittish European comma (Polygonia c-album), which really didn't want to let me get close 😬</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Heidelberg" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Heidelberg</span></a> 🏰<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/Photography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Photography</span></a> 📷<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BugOfTheDay" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BugOfTheDay</span></a> 🐞<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/MacroPhotography" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>MacroPhotography</span></a> 🔬<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/InsectsOfMastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>InsectsOfMastodon</span></a> 🦗<br><a href="https://mastodon.social/tags/BackGardenEntomology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>BackGardenEntomology</span></a> 🪲</p>
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