The "What is this bug?" thread

[John Elstob]

Is this just red mite? I was surprised how vibrant the colour is! I know they say beauty is subjective but it an ugly bugger of a thing

 

[Nice65]

Is this just red mite? I was surprised how vibrant the colour is! I know they say beauty is subjective but it an ugly bugger of a thing

I think it’s a Clover Mite. They look more like ticks but aren’t harmful.

 

[lou1661]

Found this in a outside plant pot, any ideas what it is?

 

[Mesquite]

Nest for a Leaf-cutting bee?

 

[Nice65]

This thing is stuck to the back of my car. It’s been on there a few days while parked on chalk land. One end seems to be glued on, and if undisturbed it stands up with just the stuck end attached. If disturbed it hunches back down into the larvae you can see.

 

[Mesquite]

This thing is stuck to the back of my car. It’s been on there a few days while parked on chalk land. One end seems to be glued on, and if undisturbed it stands up with just the stuck end attached. If disturbed it hunches back down into the larvae you can see.

Looks like a Harlequin ladybird larva

 

[Nice65]

Looks like a Harlequin ladybird larva

Yeah, I think it is, cheers. I thought it looked ladybirdy but the standing up behaviour is odd, well, it’s unfamiliar to me.

 

[Kadushu]

 

[John Elstob]

it looks similar one of the insects that Coyote Peterson featured on his YouTube channel, and it looks like an executioner wasps, but I am guessing or reaching I don’t know 100% but the colours look very similar

 

[John Elstob]

Just run a Google search on it and this popped up.
Search indicated a type of yellow jacket

 

[slowworm]

That's a native hornet on the pear.

 

[Chris]

Yep, that's a European hornet.

If you see one which is mostly black with smaller yellow stripes and dark legs with yellow tips, it would be an Asian hornet which needs reporting.

 

[slowworm]

Might be useful:

 

[Broch]

Lovely beast, just fascinating
(European that is)

 

[henchy3rd]

The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know - and that was never more true than with insects. Every time I go down to the wood I see something new!

I thought this one would be easy with its bold markings, but I can't identify it. I thought it was a cranefly (Nephrotoma or Ctenphora) but none of them fold the wings back like this one.

Any ideas?

View attachment 68148

From what I can make out you are right, it’s a spotted crane fly(Tipulidea).
It has no ocelli(simple eyes)& open anal cells on the wings(again only Tipulidea).
Also the V shape formation on the thorax is a give away.
There a a few that rest with their wings folded roof like.
The only thing that is puzzling me is.. it looks like the abdomen is banded, could be a variation?

 

[Chris]

Looks like a tiger cranefly. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephrotoma_flavipalpis

 

[Wander]

Out for a walk today and saw this hangover from the time of the dinosaurs:

Anyone know what it is?
I wondered if it was a cicada. But doesn't look like one when I checked online.
It's about 35/40mm long.
It was seen today, south east UK, on chalk heath/downland.
In the picture it's sitting on a cow pat.
Help me, Obi Wan - you're my only hope...

 

[Broch]

The Force is strong .....

I think you'll find it's a Robberfly, probably Hornet Robberfly (Asilus crabroniformis) - typically on chalk heathland in the south.

 

[Wander]

I think we have a winner!
Likes chalk soil, sits on dung, eats grasshoppers (there were loads about)...
And funnily enough, when I first glimpsed it, the first thought I had was, 'Ooo...was that a hornet?'

 

[Chris]

The Force is strong .....

I think you'll find it's a Robberfly, probably Hornet Robberfly (Asilus crabroniformis) - typically on chalk heathland in the south.

I thrice this.