Arthropods Daily – February 2025 February 1, 2025 – February 28, 2025

No. 534 | February 2, 2025

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. 535 | February 3, 2025

Seven-spotted Lady Beetle

Coccinella septempunctata, the seven-spot ladybird (or, in North America, seven-spotted ladybug or "C-7"), is the most common ladybird in Europe. Its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific names (from the Latin septem = "seven" and punctus = "spot").

No. 536 | February 4, 2025

Sharp-collared Furrow Bee

Lasioglossum malachurum, the sharp-collared furrow bee, is a small European halictid bee. This species is obligately eusocial, with queens and workers, though the differences between the castes are not nearly as extreme as in honey bees. Early taxonomists mistakenly assigned the worker females to a different species from the queens. They are small (about 1 cm), shiny, mostly black bees with off-white hair bands at the bases of the abdominal segments. L. malachurum is one of the...

No. 537 | February 5, 2025

Sharp-collared Furrow Bee

Lasioglossum malachurum, the sharp-collared furrow bee, is a small European halictid bee. This species is obligately eusocial, with queens and workers, though the differences between the castes are not nearly as extreme as in honey bees. Early taxonomists mistakenly assigned the worker females to a different species from the queens. They are small (about 1 cm), shiny, mostly black bees with off-white hair bands at the bases of the abdominal segments. L. malachurum is one of the...

No. 538 | February 6, 2025

Sharp-collared Furrow Bee

Lasioglossum malachurum, the sharp-collared furrow bee, is a small European halictid bee. This species is obligately eusocial, with queens and workers, though the differences between the castes are not nearly as extreme as in honey bees. Early taxonomists mistakenly assigned the worker females to a different species from the queens. They are small (about 1 cm), shiny, mostly black bees with off-white hair bands at the bases of the abdominal segments. L. malachurum is one of the...

No. 539 | February 7, 2025

Sharp-collared Furrow Bee

Lasioglossum malachurum, the sharp-collared furrow bee, is a small European halictid bee. This species is obligately eusocial, with queens and workers, though the differences between the castes are not nearly as extreme as in honey bees. Early taxonomists mistakenly assigned the worker females to a different species from the queens. They are small (about 1 cm), shiny, mostly black bees with off-white hair bands at the bases of the abdominal segments. L. malachurum is one of the...

No. 540 | February 8, 2025

Common Pollen Beetle

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No. 541 | February 9, 2025

Black-shouldered Shieldbug

Carpocoris purpureipennis is a species of shield bug belonging to the family Pentatomidae, subfamily Pentatominae....

No. 542 | February 10, 2025

Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee

Megachile rotundata, the alfalfa leafcutter bee or leafcutter bee is a European bee that has been introduced to various regions around the world. As a solitary bee species, it does not build colonies or store honey, but is a very efficient pollinator of alfalfa, carrots, other vegetables and some fruits. Because of this, farmers often use M. rotundata as a pollination aid by distributing M. rotundata prepupae around their crops. Each female will construct and provision...

No. 543 | February 11, 2025

Alfalfa Leafcutter Bee

Megachile rotundata, the alfalfa leafcutter bee or leafcutter bee is a European bee that has been introduced to various regions around the world. As a solitary bee species, it does not build colonies or store honey, but is a very efficient pollinator of alfalfa, carrots, other vegetables and some fruits. Because of this, farmers often use M. rotundata as a pollination aid by distributing M. rotundata prepupae around their crops. Each female will construct and provision...

No. 544 | February 12, 2025

Red-barbed Ant

Formica rufibarbis is a European formicine ant of the Formica fusca group. In the classification by Auguste Forel, it is treated in the subgenus Serviformica. F. rufibarbis is subject to a Species Action Plan (SAP) in England, where it is known from only two locations, although it is not considered to be at risk on continental Europe.

No. 545 | February 13, 2025

Red-barbed Ant

Formica rufibarbis is a European formicine ant of the Formica fusca group. In the classification by Auguste Forel, it is treated in the subgenus Serviformica. F. rufibarbis is subject to a Species Action Plan (SAP) in England, where it is known from only two locations, although it is not considered to be at risk on continental Europe.

No. 546 | February 14, 2025

Common Globetail

Sphaerophoria scripta, the long hoverfly, is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.

No. 547 | February 15, 2025

Calocoris affinis

Calocoris affinis is a species of insect in the subfamily Mirinae of the family Miridae that can be found everywhere in Europe except for Switzerland and Greece.

No. 548 | February 16, 2025

Variegated Brown Lacewing

Micromus variegatus is a species of brown lacewing in the family Hemerobiidae. It is found in Europe & Northern Asia (excluding China) and North America.

No. 549 | February 17, 2025

Lygus pratensis

Lygus pratensis is a species of plant bugs belonging to the family Miridae.

No. 550 | February 18, 2025

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. 551 | February 19, 2025

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. 552 | February 20, 2025

Lygus pratensis

Lygus pratensis is a species of plant bugs belonging to the family Miridae.

No. 553 | February 21, 2025

Yellow-bowed Smoothwing

Scaeva selenitica is a species of hoverfly.

No. 554 | February 22, 2025

Yellow-bowed Smoothwing

Scaeva selenitica is a species of hoverfly.

No. 555 | February 23, 2025

Bronze furrow bee

Halictus tumulorum is a Palearctic species of sweat bee.

No. 556 | February 24, 2025

Common Globetail

Sphaerophoria scripta, the long hoverfly, is a species of hoverfly belonging to the family Syrphidae.

No. 557 | February 25, 2025

Oedemera lurida

Oedemera lurida is a species of beetle belonging to the family Oedemeridae subfamily Oedemerinae.

No. 558 | February 26, 2025

Wood, Mound, and Field Ants

No. 559 | February 27, 2025

Wood, Mound, and Field Ants

No. 560 | February 28, 2025

Wood, Mound, and Field Ants