[NatureNS] Flies, Wasps & Grasshopper

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From: c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca
Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 09:52:45 -0300
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Hi Angus,

On 13-Aug-07, at 10:48 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:

> The last one appears to be a grasshopper.
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/1093099965/

The "grasshopper" is really a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae). It's  
photographed from below but I'd lay odds on the fact that it is  
Typocerus v. velutinus (Olivier), a common flower longhorn who larvae  
feed in various hardwoods including oak.

Also, below, are comments from David McCorquodale (who seems to have  
difficulties in posting to NatureNS).

Cheers!

Chris

> <This appears to a Macroceromys sp. (Xylomyid Family). Flies in  
> this genus
> appear to be all brightly colored. Photographed in Spital Road Pit,
> Coldbrook, Kings Co.
>
> My take on this is a Tenthridinidae, a sawfly.  You can see the  
> 'saw' at the
> back end, making this a female.  The square head and the broad  
> connection
> between the thorax and abdomen put it in this group of  
> Hymenoptera.  It is
> hard to see on this photograph but it should have four wings.  Most  
> big
> yellow and black sawflies around here are in the genus _Tenthredo_.
>
> The sarcophagid and tachinid, yes the family is correct, but past  
> that is
> beyond my ability.  Marshall's book has several photos that are  
> consistent
> with each of the two.
>
> "Wasp sp"
> I cannot detect a second pair of wings but it looks like a wasp  
> including
> the thin waist. Photographed in Coldbrook, Kings Co.
>
> This is a very interesting wasp in the subfamily Astatinae, family
> Crabronidae (Sphecidae in many classifications).  It is a male  
> based on the
> huge eyes that meet on top of the head.  Males use obvious perches  
> and then
> dart after almost anything that flies by.  Sometimes it is a female  
> that
> they can connect with.
>
> My guess is that this is _Astata sp., possibly _unicolor_, based on
> distribution, rather than being sure.   Perhaps Chris can check if  
> this
> species or any _Dryudella_ (but usually have some red on abdomen) or
> _Diploplectron_ (usually thinner) are in the NS Museum collection.


_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.
Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H 3A6
(902) 424-6435   Email <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. 
_.


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<HTML><BODY style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Angus,<DIV><BR><DIV><DIV>On =
13-Aug-07, at 10:48 PM, Angus MacLean wrote:</DIV><BR =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite"><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; ">The last one appears to be a grasshopper.</DIV><DIV =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><A =
href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/1093099965/">http://www.=
flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/1093099965/</A></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><DI=
V><BR class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span">The "grasshopper" is really a longhorn beetle =
(Cerambycidae). It's photographed from below but I'd lay odds on the =
fact that it is <I>Typocerus v. velutinus</I> (Olivier), a common flower =
longhorn who larvae feed in various hardwoods including =
oak.</SPAN></DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Also, below, are comments =
from David McCorquodale (who seems to have difficulties in posting to =
NatureNS).</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cheers!</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Chris</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV><BLOCKQUOTE =
type=3D"cite"><DIV><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span">&lt;This appears to =
a <I>Macroceromys</I> sp. (Xylomyid Family). Flies in this =
genus</SPAN></DIV><DIV>appear to be all brightly colored. Photographed =
in Spital Road Pit,</DIV><DIV>Coldbrook, Kings =
Co.</DIV><DIV><BR></DIV><DIV>My take on this is a Tenthridinidae, a =
sawfly.=A0 You can see the 'saw' at the</DIV><DIV>back end, making this =
a female.=A0 The square head and the broad connection</DIV><DIV>between =
the thorax and abdomen put it in this group of Hymenoptera.=A0 It =
is</DIV><DIV>hard to see on this photograph but it should have four =
wings.=A0 Most big</DIV><DIV>yellow and black sawflies around here are =
in the genus _Tenthredo_.</DIV><DIV><BR></DIV><DIV>The sarcophagid and =
tachinid, yes the family is correct, but past that is</DIV><DIV>beyond =
my ability.=A0 Marshall's book has several photos that are =
consistent</DIV><DIV>with each of the two.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>"Wasp sp"</DIV><DIV>I =
cannot detect a second pair of wings but it looks like a wasp =
including</DIV><DIV>the thin waist. Photographed in Coldbrook, Kings =
Co.</DIV><DIV><BR></DIV><DIV>This is a very interesting wasp in the =
subfamily Astatinae, family</DIV><DIV>Crabronidae (Sphecidae in many =
classifications).=A0 It is a male based on the</DIV><DIV>huge eyes that =
meet on top of the head.=A0 Males use obvious perches and =
then</DIV><DIV>dart after almost anything that flies by.=A0 Sometimes it =
is a female that</DIV><DIV>they can connect =
with.</DIV><DIV><BR></DIV><DIV><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span">My guess =
is that this is <I>_Astata</I> sp., possibly <I>_unicolor_</I>, based =
on</SPAN></DIV><DIV>distribution, rather than being sure. =A0 Perhaps =
Chris can check if this</DIV><DIV><SPAN class=3D"Apple-style-span">species=
 or any <I>_Dryudella_</I> (but usually have some red on abdomen) =
or</SPAN></DIV><DIV><SPAN =
class=3D"Apple-style-span"><I>_Diploplectron_</I> (usually thinner) are =
in the NS Museum collection.</SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><DIV><BR =
class