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Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects --001a1133e93619e53904ffb8da42 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I agree that this is a nematoceran fly. This is the large group of flies with many segmented antennae (including crane flies, mosquitoes, fungus flies, black flies, and many families that humans rarely notice). At first I was thinking one of the chironomid midges, but have changed my mind. I think this is a phantom midge (Chaoboridae, likely genus *Chaoborus*) and likely a female because of the relatively few hairs on the antennae. It is difficult to discern in the photo, but the wings do not have any of the hardened sections or the short antennae if they lack the hardened sections of most Hemiptera. In some shots you can make out that the antennae are many-segmented. Phantom midges larvae live in freshwater, from temporary ponds to lakes. Here they feed on plankton including Daphnia and rotifers. Stephen Marshall=E2=80=99s new book =E2=80=98Flies=E2=80=99 is a superb res= ource. It is like the fly section of his equally superb =E2=80=98Insects, their natural history a= nd diversity=E2=80=99 on performance enhancing substances. I also had a look at BugGuide, here is the link to one species of *Chaoborus*: http://bugguide.net/node/view/392272. As you can tell from the waffle words above, I am not sure. I welcome alternative suggestions. David McCorquodale Georges River, NS David McCorquodale Georges River, NS On Sun, Aug 3, 2014 at 12:58 AM, Stephen Shaw <srshaw@dal.ca> wrote: > First pic looks like a recent eclosed adult with the wings present as > as-yet uninflated balloons, if it is the same specimen. Antenna visible = in > 2nd pic (a later shot?) indicates a nematoceran fly, if it is a fly, stil= l > the best guess. > This phone's camera obviously can't focus at this close range: need to > move further back to get a focus, with the drawback of a smaller image. > Steve > ________________________________________ > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] on > behalf of nancy dowd [nancypdowd@gmail.com] > Sent: Saturday, August 2, 2014 10:09 PM > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] what? Another pic plus a few more > > I have trawled through all the pictures on my phone and found a few more > that show different views, not necessarily clear. It seems to have quite = a > "ruff" showing some colour: > https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14627090478/ > https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14813732615/ > https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14813369042/ > > Maybe some of these will help? > > Thanks all for taking a look. > > Nancy > On 2014-08-02, at 8:52 PM, jim.edsall <jim.edsall@bellaliant.net> wrote: > > > Looks like dipteran to me > > > > > > > > > > Jim Edsall > > Check out my new website at http://jimedsall.com > > > > > > > > -------- Original message -------- > > From: nancy dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com> > > Date: 08-02-2014 8:39 PM (GMT-04:00) > > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Subject: Re: [NatureNS] what? Another pic > > > > > > Here is another clearer photo of what looks like the same species but > likely not the same individual. Taken several days later with flash befor= e > dawn: > > https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14810872164/ > > > > Maybe this will help with ID. > > > > Nancy > > > > On 2014-08-02, at 7:37 PM, Steve Shaw <srshaw@dal.ca> wrote: > > > > > Some hemipterans have elaborate ornaments on the prothorax (1st > thoracic segment) -- helmets that may reach over the head. The recently > suggested origin of these (as equivalent to modified prothoracic wings) h= as > proved extremely controversial -- wings are always on the second and thir= d > thoracic segments, and unheard of on the first. I don't think that's it= , > here. > > > Leafhoppers jump with their back legs which are specialized and short= , > sit underneath and don't look like this. It's hard to tell what's what a= t > the front end (not quite in focus), but my initial guess from the pic is > that the bug might be 'lower' Diptera (Nematocera) -- some sort of midge = or > mosquito. > > > These don't have appendages sticking out of their heads, though -- if > that is the head -- so perhaps it's a fungus sprouting from a sick fly? > Difficult one. > > > Steve, Hfx > > > > > > On 2-Aug-14, at 6:50 PM, nancy dowd wrote: > > > > > >> I am not sure what this small insect is, a Leafhopper? And that > peg-like looking reddish thing on its "head" -part of the animal itself o= r? > (details below): > > >> https://www.flickr.com/photos/92981528@N08/14625823780/ > > >> > > >> I have not found anything that really matches it on BugGuide so far. > > >> > > >> Thanks for any help, Nancy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --001a1133e93619e53904ffb8da42 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">I agree that this is a nematoce= ran fly.=C2=A0 This is the large group of flies with many segmented antennae (including crane flies, mosquitoes, fungus fli= es, black flies, and many families that humans rarely notice).</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">=C2=A0</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">At first I was thinking one of = the chironomid midges, but have changed my mind.</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">=C2=A0</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">I think this is a phantom midge (Chaoboridae, likely genus <i>Chaoborus</i>) and likely a female because of the relatively few hairs on the antennae.</s= pan></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">=C2=A0</span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang=3D"EN-US">It is difficult to discern in t= he photo, but the wings do not have any of the hardened sections or the short antenna= e if they lack the hardened sections of most Hemiptera.=C2=A0 In some shots you = can make out that the antennae are many-segmented.=C2=A0 </span></p> <p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span lang