Wednesday 22 September 2010

Adonis Ladybird and Other Insects

A large Ivy bush next to the front gate is swarming with insects at the moment. Among the species noticed were a couple of very small ladybirds. On searching they turned out to be Adonis Ladybirds. They are 4 to 5mm long and quite slim.

Adonis Ladybird

There were plenty of small wasps but I wasn't in a hurry to hold the Lumix camera a couple of inches away from them. Quite a rare sight in my garden was a small number of bees. Normally I only see bumble bees. So far I haven't been able to identify this one.

Bee 3

Sat in the middle of the largest orb web I have ever seen was this Garden Orb Spider, a real Humpty Dumpty of a body with a tiny head. The web was about 20 inches (50cm) across. The spider itself has beautiful markings. Size probably a little less than 20mm.


Garden Orb Spider

I was very pleased that this 40+mm  parasitic wasp was on the outside of the kitchen window.

Ichneumon Wasp

Good job the 'tail' is an ovipositor and not a sting!  I think it is an Ichneumon Wasp.

8 comments:

  1. Your Kitchen window is a superb place to photograph insects.

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  2. Prize winning close-ups of the shieldbug from previous post, and these today. The detail and lighting is amazing. Agreeing with Adrian that your kitchen window (with blue sky background) is a perfect spot for photos. Also the green ivy background for the ladybugs is very effective. I don't look too closely at spiders ;)

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  3. It is Adrian although often all I can get is a silhouette.

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  4. Thank you for that Glo. The Shield Bug was very obliging. Many insects just refuse to stay still. The blue sky helps to make things stand out.

    I know what you mean about spiders, my 'thing' being moths. I have to rapidly scroll past any photos of them.

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  5. I love this time of year especially for the number of amazing webs strung across the garden often for 2 or 3 yards.

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  6. Hello Gerry. I seemed to spend most of yesterday walking through invisible webs as I pottered round the garden.

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  7. Beautiful, detailed photos again John. The markings on the spider are extraordinary! The Lumix (with your expert help of course) produces some amazing results :)

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  8. Thank you Jan. As long as I aim the focus spot correctly the Lumix does all the rest ;) Of course it pays to take a series of shots and be able to choose the best.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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