Official ID thread

I thought I had found a Collembola (springtail) but I have no idea what it is or will become

Unknown by Alf Branch, on Flickr
 
@Ajophotog

Alby

I wonder if you can ID 'this' just from this description.

We had a moth come in and settle in a awkward position on the open window frame. Rather than get my camera I was more concerned about safely ejecting it.

I did manage to trap it in our catch and release plastic cup and card lid ;)

Description
Approx 30-35mm wingtip to wingtip
Resting, its wings were flat and the antenna were more butterfly like I e. Not the frond like ones.
The abdomen (ovipositor?) extended approx 5mm beyond the wing edge
Colouring
Around the whole of the wing edges there was a dark brown(?) band 4-5mm wide. The rest of the wing area was a silver like sheen colour, this was the same on the upper wing and the underside.

I have looked in the books I have to hand and also online but cannot find anything remotely like it. Though the silvery sheen made me look up the Mother of Pearl Moth...but other than relative size and shape including the extended tail it was not the same colouring :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

TIA :)

PS it flew once allowed outside :D
 
Box Brownie said:
@Ajophotog

Alby

I wonder if you can ID 'this' just from this description.

We had a moth come in and settle in a awkward position on the open window frame. Rather than get my camera I was more concerned about safely ejecting it.

I did manage to trap it in our catch and release plastic cup and card lid ;)

Description
Approx 30-35mm wingtip to wingtip
Resting, its wings were flat and the antenna were more butterfly like I e. Not the frond like ones.
The abdomen (ovipositor?) extended approx 5mm beyond the wing edge
Colouring
Around the whole of the wing edges there was a dark brown(?) band 4-5mm wide. The rest of the wing area was a silver like sheen colour, this was the same on the upper wing and the underside.

I have looked in the books I have to hand and also online but cannot find anything remotely like it. Though the silvery sheen made me look up the Mother of Pearl Moth...but other than relative size and shape including the extended tail it was not the same colouring :thinking: :thinking: :thinking:

TIA :)

PS it flew once allowed outside :D
Click to expand...
This sounds like Box-tree Moth, an invasive, non-native species which is decimating Box Trees in some parts of the country.
 
Callophrys said:
This sounds like Box-tree Moth, an invasive, non-native species which is decimating Box Trees in some parts of the country.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the ID, I have looked that up and that does indeed look like the one we saw.

Pity it is a destructive non native and in hindsight, had I known that I may not have been so concerned about catching and releasing it :(
We know about blighting of hedging, our conifer hedging has been progressively dying due to something, whose name I cannot recall :mad:
 
@ Box Brownie I posted a box tree moth last year, quite the pest for box growers. and ironic given you forum name. ;)
 
It reminds me of pictures i have seen of a female parasitic wasp.

Oooops should have refreshed before I hit reply.
 
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51369542581_92db747997_c.jpg


Information gratefully received.
 
Saw this unusual fly the coloring of the wing caught my attention, it was in my Dads Garden in Verwood, Dorser reckon between 0.5 and 1.0 inches long.

Side View

Fly_SV_Cropped.jpg


Top View

20210815-NIKON D500_DSC6234.jpg

Underneath View

Fly_UV_Cropped.jpg
 
Thanks for the Id Paul, Fascinating how linked the flies are to the host species, managed to take photos of a Grand Tachinid last year and had to get it Id here then as well.
 
my wife says it's a grasshopper, but the bug was minute - length of a small finger nail, maybe less

aphid??

The bud is a small Dahlia bud

TP_flower_stack_insect.jpg
 
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BillN_33 said:
my wife says it's a grasshopper, but the bug was minute - length of a small finger nail, maybe less

aphid??

The bud is a small Dahlia bud

TP_flower_stack_insect.jpg
Click to expand...
Yes, that is a bog standard greenfly.
 
BillN_33 said:
ID please - or is it just and ordinary small fly - tiny thing!!
Click to expand...
Hover fly, but no idea which one there are many.
Someone will no doubt be able to narrow it down.
 
Another ID please, (I'm waiting for a Spyder guide from Amazon)

hanging around in the greenhouse

Giant house spider??​


TP_Spyder_ID_12_sept.jpg
 
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No idea but any clues as to country and specific geographic location might give folks a fighting chance to try to find some supporting ID evidence ;)
 
Box Brownie said:
No idea but any clues as to country and specific geographic location might give folks a fighting chance to try to find some supporting ID evidence ;)
Click to expand...

Winchester, Hampshire, UK - back garden Greenhouse

This is the nearest I can find

Giant House Spyder

Giant house spider | The Wildlife Trusts

The giant house spider is one of our fastest invertebrates, running up to half a metre per second. This large, brown spider spins sheet-like cobwebs and pops up in the dark corners of houses, particularly in autumn.
www.wildlifetrusts.org www.wildlifetrusts.org
 
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Ah :)

According to uksafari site it looks like a 'garden spider'
1631484079346.png

Hmm not that close :thinking:
 
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I, based on what I could find, agree that it is a House Spider.

There does appear to be some variation of the abdomen markings making differentiated ID harder!
 
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Deleted member 3428 said:
It is a window gnat.
Click to expand...

Common names are always a problem, but "Window gnat" is the name used for Anisopodidae which are Nemotocera - i.e. they have long antennae. This is a Lonchopterid - a "Pointed wing fly". Assuming it was taken in Britain, this is a small family with only 7 species, all in the genus Lonchoptera - but not identifiable any further from this photo.
 
simon ess said:
Any ideas on this one?

DSC_6593 by simon ess, on Flickr
Click to expand...
I don't think it is identifiable from this photo. TimmyG's suggestion of a Heleomyzid is a possibility, my first thought was a Dryomyzid, but it could also be a Sciomyzid of the genus Tetanocera. If you want an ID, take several phoros - top view showing the wing venation and a close up showing the head bristles are likely to be necessary to get much further.
 
Hello Stu, @StuartUK
Long time no see I trust you are well?
 
Can anyone identify this insect please..
I was fishing and saw it fly towards me over the lake and it landed at my feet.
crap photo i know but it was gone before i could take another.

nearest i can see is a sabre wasp, but it didn't have and white spots.
PS it was about the length of a finger.

bug.jpg

bug.jpg

ufo
 
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wambam said:
Can anyone identify this insect please..
I was fishing and saw it fly towards me over the lake and it landed at my feet.
crap photo i know but it was gone before i could take another.

nearest i can see is a sabre wasp, but it didn't have and white spots.
PS it was about the length of a finger.

bug.jpg

bug.jpg

ufo
Click to expand...
Water-measurer or water scorpion, not the best photo to be sure.
 
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Looks like one of the tussock moths. That should help you discover the id Dave. ;)
 
BillN_33 said:
ID please - or is it just and ordinary small fly - tiny thing!!

TP_fly_10_Sept.jpg
Click to expand...
Cobra is correct - it is a hoverfly. Female Platycheirus. Not sure of the species from this angle, but I suspect it is one of the scutatus group.
 
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