15 replies to this topic

[Martialis]

Just some photos of insects I took. Some are obviously better than others.

 

 

Two-lined Treehopper

 

 

Buckeye butterfly

 

 

Mutualism between some azure caterpillars and a fusca-group Formica species on a dogwood.

 

 

More of the above

 

 

Acanalonia conica. Leafhopper.

 

 

Weevil. Any ID?

 

 

Virginia creeper sphinx moth.

 

 

Megachile sculpturalis. Giant resin bee

 

 

Cicada. Not sure of species

 

 

Fusca-group Formica drinking from a nectary on a partridge pea.

 

 

The same ant a little later. She hung out for a while.

 

 

Angry mantis! He bit me shortly beforehand....

 

 

Monarch caterpillar

 

 

Same as before

 

 

Adult monarch

 

 

Crab spider

 

 

Robber fly

 

 

A rather dead bumblebee

 

 

Taken over a twoish year period using an iPhone SE. Some were taken with a macro lens, most weren't.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Hate to be a stinker, but that Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is a female.

Also, the cicada is a Swamp Cicada.

[Martialis]

Hate to be a stinker, but that Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is a female.

Also, the cicada is a Swamp Cicada.

 

He's a male. I know my own mantis, believe me.

[Ferox_Formicae]

 

Hate to be a stinker, but that Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is a female.

Also, the cicada is a Swamp Cicada.

 

He's a male. I know my own mantis, believe me.

 

There are three specific traits that lead me to believe that this mantis is female. For one, the reduced size of the ocelli. Males have larger ocelli to assist them in flight, similar to the ocelli in gyne and male ants. Second, the antennae are shorter and more slender, a trait which in the male is emphasized as to sense objects and other environmental factors in flight. Third, she seems to have a more robust body structure. Males are more slender as they need to be lighter and more aerodynamic in flight. Female Tenodera sinensis are capable of flight but it's more of "jumping with extra steps". What would really help me tell the gender of this mantis would be pictures of the underside of the abdomen. Females have a 6-segmented abdomen with a wedge-shaped tip and a stockier build, while males have an 8-segmented abdomen with a sort of boot-shaped abdominal tip with a much more slender build, often having a reddish tint to the abdomen in dorsal profile under the wings.

[Martialis]

I know. This is literally my pet mantis.

Edited by Martialis, September 12 2019 - 6:52 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I know. This is literally my pet mantis.

Soooooo..........

 

Segment count?

[ponerinecat]

Mart is pretty good with IDs. I don't doubt it, but a pic of the full body would help.

[Martialis]

Eight. He’s a he. I know what females look like.

Ernest is very much a male.

Edited by Martialis, September 12 2019 - 7:23 PM.

[ponerinecat]

My friend has a pregnant female. Want to see the eggs being laid.

[gcsnelling]

The weevil is Lixus.

[Martialis]

Thank you!

[ponerinecat]

I'll add some things, tell me if you don't want me to.

California gall wasps, largest in California. This generation is asexual, having only females, the next will have males as well.

[ANTdrew]

Not sure how I missed these, but great shots!
I love the one of Formica drinking from partridge pea. Is that last bee a Xylocopa virginica?

Edited by ANTdrew, September 18 2019 - 1:32 PM.

[Martialis]

Not sure how I missed these, but great shots!
I love the one of Formica drinking from partridge pea. Is that last bee a Xylocopa virginica?

Thank you!

Quite possibly for that bee! I wouldn’t doubt it seeing where I found it (and my lack of experience with bee IDs.)

[Martialis]

I'll add some things, tell me if you don't want me to.
California gall wasps, largest in California. This generation is asexual, having only females, the next will have males as well.

Pretty neat wasps! I’ve not seen gall wasps before.

Also, are my pictures still working? They aren’t on what I’m on.

Edited by Martialis, September 18 2019 - 3:08 PM.

[ANTdrew]

I see them on my phone in mobile mode.