A mixed bag

[alfbranch]

Some stuff from recent macro safaris


A large red eating a crane fly I geuss


Large red Damsel eating by Alf Branch, on Flickr


One of the blue ones eating a micro moth



Damsel eating by Alf Branch, on Flickr


This maybe does not show that well but this is a great diving beetle larvae attacking another smaller great diving beetl larvae. I spotted the comotion and though it was newt first.
Thanks to Mr Badger for the correct ID.


Great diving beatle larva attack by Alf Branch, on Flickr


A mirco moth possibly Micropterix calthella



Micro moth by Alf Branch, on Flickr

A rather small wasp

Tiny wasp by Alf Branch, on Flickr

An Ichneumonid wasp

Ichneumonid wasp by Alf Branch, on Flickr

No idea what this is

Unknown by Alf Branch, on Flick

 

[alfbranch]

Here is another shot only shown in the ID thread

This is a ladybird that has been parasitised by a braconid wasp the larvae of which has emerged from the ladybirds body woven the cocoon below the ladybird. The ladybird is still alaive and twitches when danger aproaches this is to protect the wasp and 25% of the ladybirds survive.

Whats happening by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[davholla]

I wonder if the last one is a land caddis fly.

 

[HarryLens]

Really nice detailed shots. No.1 is a stunner.

 

[Mr Badger]

That third photo is a great diving beetle larva (Dytiscus sp.) lunching on a slightly smaller great diving beetle larva. Voracious predators in ponds and ditches, which earned them the common name of water tiger. I have a photo somewhere of one feeding on an adult smooth newt.

 

[alfbranch]

I wonder if the last one is a land caddis fly.

Thanks David I have been told it is a bagworm I did wonder about a Land caddis fly

Really nice detailed shots. No.1 is a stunner.

Thanks Shane

That third photo is a great diving beetle larva (Dytiscus sp.) lunching on a slightly smaller great diving beetle larva. Voracious predators in ponds and ditches, which earned them the common name of water tiger. I have a photo somewhere of one feeding on an adult smooth newt.

Thanks Mr Badger you are correct and I have heard of them before and seen video of them but forgot about it.

 

[Mr Badger]

Thanks Mr Badger you are correct and I have heard of them before and seen video of them but forgot about it.

Quite an interesting animal and development process. The large one you photographed doesn't look far off metamorphosing. They do this by crawling out of the pond, creating a golf ball sized hole in the soil, often beneath a bankside log or similar object, then pupate into the adult beetle.

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

I like the "things eating things" theme Alf.
Keep it up!

 

[davholla]

Thanks David I have been told it is a bagworm I did wonder about a Land caddis fly



Thanks Shane



Thanks Mr Badger you are correct and I have heard of them before and seen video of them but forgot about it.

I thought about bagworm but it looked a bit different from my photos of them so went land caddis fly.

 

[alfbranch]

I thought about bagworm but it looked a bit different from my photos of them so went land caddis fly.

I have not found anything to match exactly for either

 

[alfbranch]

Quite an interesting animal and development process. The large one you photographed doesn't look far off metamorphosing. They do this by crawling out of the pond, creating a golf ball sized hole in the soil, often beneath a bankside log or similar object, then pupate into the adult beetle.

Thats really interesting Mr Badger

I like the "things eating things" theme Alf.
Keep it up!

Thanks Ulfric I am sure I wil manage to keep this up in part