The "What is this bug?" thread

[brancho]

Flies do not have nymph stages. Egg, several instars of larva, pupa and adult. Judging by the poor degree of melanization, I'll suggest a newly emergent adult.
Flies are Diptera = one pair of flight wings and the other pair reduced to haltere balancing organs. I see two obvious pairs of wings so Hymenoptera is a possibility.

I did not say it was a fly. I said it was a Barkfly nymph

http://www.brc.ac.uk/schemes/barkfly/introduction.htm

Psocoptera are an order of insects that are commonly known as booklice, barklice or barkflies. They first appeared in the Permian period, 295–248 million years ago. They are often regarded as the most primitive of the hemipteroids.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psocoptera

Here is an adult from the same location but I have no idea if it is the same species.

Barkfly by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[Robson Valley]

Ah. I see. Thank you for the illumination.

 

[brancho]

Ah. I see. Thank you for the illumination.

No problem I just found out they started calling them Barkflies in 2007 as one guy didnt like the term barklice.

 

[brancho]

Edit this is
loricula elegantula adult female found on my fence and about 2.3mm long

http://www.britishbugs.org.uk/heteroptera/Microphysidae/Loricula_elegantula.html.

Possible Damson Bug by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[THOaken]

Quality thread. Good banter too.

Can anyone get a bit more specific on this Syrphid for me?

And this bee on Himalayan Balsam?

 

[brancho]

The Hoverfly is probably volucella inanis
http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/volucella-inanis
ID from here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Britains-Hoverflies-Revised-Updated-WILDGuides/dp/069116441X

The Bumble bee could be a large garden bumble bee which this is probably

Bumble bee on sedum by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[THOaken]

Could anyone tell me what species of Tipulid this is? Looks a little like Nephrotoma quadrifaria, but I'm not sure.

 

[brancho]

Fairly sure it is a Nephrotoma though quadrifaria is not in my book

http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/nephrotoma-quadrifaria

Here is an edit of that shot

Not my shot 32 2016 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[THOaken]

Fairly sure it is a Nephrotoma though quadrifaria is not in my book

http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/nephrotoma-quadrifaria

Here is an edit of that shot

Not my shot 32 2016 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Cheers, Brancho. Nice edit, too. It was just a quickie and I'm not a photographer!

 

[Harvestman]

Nephrotoma appendiculata is the likely candidate, but I doubt you would get it to species without a specialised key.

 

[THOaken]

Hey, what's happened tae the thread?

No been on BCUK in a wee while and just assumed this great sticky continued. Was surprised to see it still on page 33.

 

[acheter]

That's lesser stag beetle I think.

 

[quietone]

So, attached is an action shot, of two unknown (by me) insects doing the... er.... wild thing... whilst chowing down on an unfortunate bluebottle. Sorry for the crappy image. They sort of look familiar, as in I've seen them flying aound before, but no idea as to the species?

 

[quietone]

Found this on my red currant bush today. Very interesting, striking colours and the transparent wings, and what looks like feathers at the rear. Only wish I had the ability to take better pictures.

 

[Nomad64]

Cardinal beetle larvae?

By coincidence, I found an adult one yesterday but it flew off before I got a decent pic.

 

[dwardo]

Found this on my red currant bush today. Very interesting, striking colours and the transparent wings, and what looks like feathers at the rear. Only wish I had the ability to take better pictures. View attachment 49288 View attachment 49289 View attachment 49289

Looks like a flying blue lobster! Brilliant shot.

 

[brancho]

Found this on my red currant bush today. Very interesting, striking colours and the transparent wings, and what looks like feathers at the rear. Only wish I had the ability to take better pictures. View attachment 49288 View attachment 49289 View attachment 49289

This looks like a Currant clearwing to me a type fo clear wing moth
Synanthedon tipuliformis

 

[brancho]

View attachment 49166 So, attached is an action shot, of two unknown (by me) insects doing the... er.... wild thing... whilst chowing down on an unfortunate bluebottle. Sorry for the crappy image. They sort of look familiar, as in I've seen them flying aound before, but no idea as to the species?
View attachment 49165

What you have got is something like this a pair of Empis flies mating while the female eats

empis-stercorea-mating-and-eating by Alf Branch, on Flickr

 

[brancho]

By coincidence, I found an adult one yesterday but it flew off before I got a decent pic.

View attachment 49330 View attachment 49331

A black headed cardinal beetle

 

[quietone]

This looks like a Currant clearwing to me a type fo clear wing moth
Synanthedon hylaiformis

Many thanks for clearing up the mystery for me
I searched for the Synanthedon hylaiformis, but it threw up no further info? but I did find Synanthedon scoliaeformis, which is, apparently called the the 'welsh clearwing' looks identical to the one I saw. I must admit to having a love for moths, but have never seen one of those before.