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Post by NathanGrosse on Aug 26, 2017 13:13:03 GMT
This summer I have been out collecting at least once a week, almost all within ten miles of my apartment. I have mostly been gathering bees as part of my undergraduate research project to create a checklist of native pollinators in my area of western Wisconsin, USA. But while I'm out, I collect anything else that catches my eye as well!
A trip to California earlier this summer also produced numerous specimens.
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Post by trehopr1 on Aug 26, 2017 17:07:08 GMT
Any quality time spent in the field is a positive re-enforcement in many ways. Summertime is fleeting and so are insect life spans. Enjoy every opportunity with anticipation, wonder, and excitement !
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Post by nomad on Sept 24, 2017 16:09:54 GMT
An Autumn day. There are not too many insect field trip days left in the UK, as it is now Autumn here but there are still quite a few species about, hence the large variety of spiders that appear at this time of year. Yesterday I went to hunt for Dipterous insects on Crookham and Greenham Commons in Berkshire, an area of open and wooded heathland and grassland. The common land here was once an air base and from the 1980s, cruise missiles were housed here and Greenham became famous for its large women's peace camp. Today, the military and protesters are gone from the common, and are replaced by dog walkers and joggers and very occasionally the odd naturalist. I went there to search for the Autumn soldierfly, Sargus bipunctatus of the Stratiomyidae family, the largest of its genus. I had seen this scarce species on the common the week before in unusual circumstances, as a prey item for the Heath Robberfly, Machimus cingulatus of the Asilidae family. The robber fly has a beak enclosing a dagger used to stab its victim in the head or thorax and inject a fluid which kills it. This fluid soon causes the victim’s “insides” to become liquid and the robber fly then proceeds to suck it dry, leaving nothing but an empty shell. Quite a fearsome insect predator. After quite a search, I found one female Sargus bipunctatus resting on a leaf of a small scrubby aspen and as a bonus, I later found one female of the rarer and smaller allied soldierfly Sargus flavipes. The larvae of both species develop in dung that is here in plenty, as cattle graze the common. In the same area, there were a few of the Diptera, Loxocera albiseta of the Psilidae family hiding under leaves. The larvae of this small fly feed on Juncus (rush) species. Sitting on a aspen leaf was a female of the Speckled Bush Cricket, Leptophyes punctatissima. A pair of Small Coppers, Lycaena phlaeas added their own blend of autumnal colour to the common. Many thanks to Theo and Paul of the Diptera forum for confirmation on the ID of the Diptera. Below. Sargus bipunctatus female. Below. Sargus flavipes female. Below. Loxocera albiseta.Below. Speckled Bush Cricket, Leptophyes punctatissima.
Below. Small Coppers. Below. The Robberfly, Machimus cingulatus dining on Sargus bipunctatus.
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billg
New Aurelian
Posts: 29
Country: U.S.A.
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Post by billg on Oct 30, 2017 15:48:27 GMT
Great pics nomad.
Before I retired, collecting was limited to summer and weekend nights because I had to teach the next day. I am basically the luckiest guy (now retired) in that I get to go out whenever I want, take trips to cool places, and stay up real late not having to worry about school the next day. I am not, for sure, one of those guys who sits in front of the tv when there are bugs to be had, larvae to be fed, etc.
While I don't live in the greatest bug area when I'd love to move, the wife wants to remain. So......as long as she lets me do the travel bit, all is ok. Had a few great trips this last year to LA, KY, TN, AL, and WI. I also got permission to use several private properties for sleeving and food gathering for the tons of rearing I did this last summer as well as new blacklighting spots.
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