Archive for the year 2023

No. 105 | December 1, 2023

Garden Bumble Bee

The garden bumblebee or small garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum, is a species of bumblebee found in most of Europe north to 70ºN, as well as parts of Asia and New Zealand. It is distinguished from other bumblebees by its long tongue used for feeding on pollen in deep-flowered plants. They have a remarkable visual memory capacity, which aids them in navigating the territory close to their habitat and seeking out food sources. Due to its long...

No. 106 | December 2, 2023

Hornet Mimic Hover Fly

Volucella zonaria, the hornet mimic hoverfly, is a European species of hoverfly.

No. 107 | December 3, 2023

European Paper Wasp

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula, often misspelled as dominulus) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than that of most Polistes species (many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes), giving it superior survival value over many other wasp species during a shortage of resources.

No. 108 | December 4, 2023

Speckled Bush-cricket

The speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) is a flightless species of bush-cricket that occurs across most of Europe.

No. 109 | December 5, 2023

Marmalade Hover Fly

Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to...

No. 110 | December 6, 2023

European Paper Wasp

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula, often misspelled as dominulus) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than that of most Polistes species (many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes), giving it superior survival value over many other wasp species during a shortage of resources.

No. 111 | December 7, 2023

Dicyphus errans

Dicyphus errans is a Palearctic species of true bug.

No. 112 | December 8, 2023

Sarcophaga carnaria

Sarcophaga carnaria or the common flesh fly is a European species of flesh fly.

No. 113 | December 9, 2023

Sarcophaga carnaria

Sarcophaga carnaria or the common flesh fly is a European species of flesh fly.

No. 114 | December 10, 2023

Marmalade Hover Fly

Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to...

No. 115 | December 11, 2023

Black Garden Ant

The black garden ant (Lasius niger), also known as the common black ant, is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, found all over Europe and in some parts of North America, South America, Asia and Australasia. The European species was split into two species; L. niger is found in open areas, while L. platythorax is found in forest habitats. It is monogynous, meaning colonies have a single queen.

No. 116 | December 12, 2023

Goldenrod Crab Spider

Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with holarctic distribution. In North America, where it is the largest and best-known flower spider, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, because it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays in the autumn. Young males in the early summer may be quite small and easily overlooked, but females can grow up to 10 mm (excluding legs); males reach 5 mm at most.

No. 117 | December 13, 2023

Oedemera podagrariae

Oedemera podagrariae, common name False Blister Beetles, is a quite common species of beetles belonging to the family Oedemeridae subfamily Oedemerinae.

No. 118 | December 14, 2023

Common Pollen Beetle

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No. 119 | December 15, 2023

Black Garden Ant

The black garden ant (Lasius niger), also known as the common black ant, is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, found all over Europe and in some parts of North America, South America, Asia and Australasia. The European species was split into two species; L. niger is found in open areas, while L. platythorax is found in forest habitats. It is monogynous, meaning colonies have a single queen.

No. 120 | December 16, 2023

Marmalade Hover Fly

Episyrphus balteatus, sometimes called the marmalade hoverfly, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12 mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to...

No. 121 | December 17, 2023

Hornet Mimic Hover Fly

Volucella zonaria, the hornet mimic hoverfly, is a European species of hoverfly.

No. 122 | December 18, 2023

Garden Bumble Bee

The garden bumblebee or small garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum, is a species of bumblebee found in most of Europe north to 70ºN, as well as parts of Asia and New Zealand. It is distinguished from other bumblebees by its long tongue used for feeding on pollen in deep-flowered plants. They have a remarkable visual memory capacity, which aids them in navigating the territory close to their habitat and seeking out food sources. Due to its long...

No. 123 | December 19, 2023

Western Honey Bee

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bee worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey for the winter.

No. 124 | December 20, 2023

Aphidoidea

Aphids, also known as plant lice and in Britain and the Commonwealth as greenflies, blackflies, or whiteflies (not to be confused with "jumping plant lice" or true whiteflies), are small sap-sucking insects and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea. Many species are green, but other commonly occurring species may be white and wooly, brown, or black. Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions. They are capable of extremely rapid increase...

No. 125 | December 21, 2023

Podagrica fuscicornis

No. 126 | December 22, 2023

Goldenrod Crab Spider

Misumena vatia is a species of crab spider with holarctic distribution. In North America, where it is the largest and best-known flower spider, it is called the goldenrod crab spider or flower (crab) spider, because it is commonly found hunting in goldenrod sprays in the autumn. Young males in the early summer may be quite small and easily overlooked, but females can grow up to 10 mm (excluding legs); males reach 5 mm at most.

No. 127 | December 23, 2023

Lindenius albilabris

Lindenius albilabris is a Palearctic species of solitary wasp from the Crabronidae.

No. 128 | December 24, 2023

Speckled Bush-cricket

The speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) is a flightless species of bush-cricket that occurs across most of Europe.

No. 129 | December 25, 2023

Western Honey Bee

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bee worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey for the winter.

No. 130 | December 26, 2023

Locust Blowfly

Stomorhina lunata is a species of fly in the family Calliphoridae, often misidentified because of the unusual band pattern in the abdomen, typical of hoverflies. S. lunata is an important egg predator of some major African agricultural pests, the South African Brown locust (Locustana pardalina), the more widespread Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), and the migratory locust (Locustana migratoria).

No. 131 | December 27, 2023

Garden Bumble Bee

The garden bumblebee or small garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum, is a species of bumblebee found in most of Europe north to 70ºN, as well as parts of Asia and New Zealand. It is distinguished from other bumblebees by its long tongue used for feeding on pollen in deep-flowered plants. They have a remarkable visual memory capacity, which aids them in navigating the territory close to their habitat and seeking out food sources. Due to its long...

No. 132 | December 28, 2023

Common Green Capsid

Lygocoris pabulinus also known as the common green capsid, is a species of bug from the family Miridae which can be found throughout Europe (except for Greece, Malta, and Iceland). It feeds on plants.

No. 133 | December 29, 2023

Pria dulcamarae

No. 134 | December 30, 2023

Ferruginous Bee-Grabber

Sicus ferrugineus is a species of fly from the genus Sicus in the family Conopidae....

No. 135 | December 31, 2023

European Paper Wasp

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula, often misspelled as dominulus) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than that of most Polistes species (many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes), giving it superior survival value over many other wasp species during a shortage of resources.