[NatureNS] Bug Photos taken this past Sat & Sunday

Date: Mon, 05 May 2008 20:37:42 -0300
From: David McCorquodale <david_mccorquodale@cbu.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Thread-topic: [NatureNS] Bug Photos taken this past Sat & Sunday
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Photo DPP_0157 is a sawfly as David notes.

It is likely the all black early flying _Dolerus nitens_ (Hymenoptera:
Tenthredinidae).  The caterpillar-like larvae feed on grasses.  The name
sawfly refers to the saw-like ovipositor of the females.  A couple of shots
(almost as nice as Melvina's) and a fuzzy one that shows the ovipositor are
at: http://cirrusimage.com/bees_wasps_sawfly_Dolerus%20nitens.htm.

The mosquitoes feeding on the frog are fascinating.  Remember this later in
the summer, all mosquitoes do not bite us.

One of the smaller species of _Culex_, _C. territans_ often bites frogs. I
cannot be sure of the identification, but it does look like a Culex and it
is highly likely base on behaviour. Other Culex prefer birds and some switch
from birds to people depending on the season.

I will again emphasize the freely available Canadian Journal of Arthropod
Identification ( http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/ejournal.html).
You can quickly confirm that Stephen Shaw's identification of _Bombylius
major_ looks good.  If you want, you can collect some of the pesky
mosquitoes on your arm and check what species bite people in your area.

DBMcC


 On 5/5/08 5:45 PM, "David & Alison Webster" <dwebster@glinx.com> wrote:

> Hi All,        May 5, 2008
>     That antenna looks too large for either a wasp or March Fly and
> there is no wasp waist. I would guess Sawfly of
>  some kind.
> Yt, DW
> 
> Stephen Shaw wrote:
> 
>> Agreed with Chris Majka about 0164, 0165, and 0169 (appears to be a
>> female
>> Bombylius major, a European originally).  0157 is a bit hard in side
>> view, but
>> could be a female nematoceran fly ("March Fly"), that comes out at
>> this time of
>> year -- family Bibionidae, possibly Bibio species. The males have huge
>> bipartite, wrap-around eyes if you can get a shot of one.  The bugs
>> sucking on
>> the frog in 0158 are some type of mosquito.
>> Steve
>> 
>> Quoting Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>:
>> 
>>> Hi Melvina,
>>> DPP_0165 copy.jpg & DPP_0164 copy.jpg are photographs of a mayfly
>>> (Ephemeroptera).
>>> DPP_0166 copy.jpg & DPP_0168 copy.jpg are of Ellychnia corrusca, a
>>> beetle which is the commonest lampyrid (firefly) in the province,
>>> although this species is a non-luminescent one.
>>> DPP_0169 copy.jpg is a bee fly (Bombyliidae) in the genus Bombylius.
>>> DPP_0157 copy.jpg is a wasp of some sort.
>>> 
>>> All the best!
>>> 
>>> Chris
>>> 
>>> On 5-May-08, at 12:27 AM, Melvina Weatherby wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I am using for the first time an extension tube with my sigma 100mm
>>>> macro lens.
>>>>  My eyes were focused a little lower than usual  because I was
>>>> searching for bugs to photographing this fine week-end,   they are
>>>> so  beautiful  when viewed  so close up . I have no idea what any of
>>>>  the bugs are called and I was too lazy to use a tripod so the focus
>>>>  could of been better.
>>>>   I would appreciate any names for my captured bugs .
>>>> 
>>>>  Melvina
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.pbase.com/applady2001/bugs_may_34th_2008




David McCorquodale
Department of Biology
Cape Breton University
Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Rd., Sydney, NS B1P 6L2, CANADA
902-563-1260    david_mccorquodale@cbu.ca  FAX: 902-563-1880

Department of Biology, Cape Breton University
http://discovery.capebretonu.ca/biology
http://www.cbufa.ca/news

Biological Survey of Canada (Terrestrial Arthropods)
http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/bschome.htm

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