Thread for Other Invertebrates Not Covered By Other Threads (we have other threads for arachnids, bees & wasps, butterflies and moths, and flies)

[Epona]

Today I found and learned about the larvae of the Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea).

Funny looking things.

They are predatory and have large mandibles with which to incapacitate and eat their prey (aphids).

They then stick the broken bits of carapace of their fallen victims to their own hairy body in order to camouflage themselves

Inset is the adult, which releases a bad smell as a defence mechanism, and main image is of the larva enrobed in the exoskeletons of its prey



(Not my photos, source is from The Wildlife Trusts website)

Just cos we needed somewhere for all the other odd things that don't fit into the multiple more specific threads for various types of invertebrate! (We might also have one for snalis/slugs and some others but I ran out of room in the title)

Links to other invertebrate related threads for anyone interested in this sort of thing, makes sense to list the ones I know about/can find here:

Ladybirds: Ladybirds
Spiders: Thread about spiders (not for the arachnophobic!)
Slugs (Snails not welcome!) SLUUUUUUUUG!!! (A thread for all things slug - snails can GTFO)
Butterflies and Moths: Butterflies and moths
Wasps: https://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/wasps-are-lovely.370993/
Flies: There are threads for spiders and wasps - what about flies ?

Bees: There are actually loads of threads about bees from all different angles - different types of bees, what to do about bees nests, what is this bee, how to help bees etc.
Too many to go through and list them all. I would suggest general bee posts welcome here (I'm not going to tell anyone off anyway, I just don't want to detract from more species/genus specific threads with this one).

If anyone knows of a general bee love/pics thread, let me know and I'll add it to the list.
Same for any other relevant invert. threads that you know of/find!

 

[Epona]

My comment btw (we were on an insect walk led by some experts in the field) when I spotted this in the sample we took and was told about it was "blimey, it's like Silence of the Lambs", I don't think anyone else appreciated my comment as much as I did

 

[Ax^]

do we have a snail thread

 

[moochedit]

There are creepy crawleys that farmerbarleymow hasn't created a thread for?

 

[Epona]

EDIT: Oh no sorry, that is just for slugs, snails not welcome.

So snails can belong here!

That is very pretty

 

[moochedit]

do we have a snail thread

Bound to be!

 

[Ax^]

We do, it is here:

SLUUUUUUUUG!!! (A thread for all things slug - snails can GTFO)

Hey big fella! How ya doing? Wait, what's that... ...on the side of your... ...oh sweet jeebus, oh fuck oh 🤮

www.urban75.net

That is an extraordinarily pretty snail!

hmm say snails can gtfo

poor snails

 

[Epona]

hmm say snails can gtfo

poor snails

Yeah sorry I have edited my post accordingly - I had about 1 hour of kip last night (bloody insomnia) and a busy day today, my brain is drifting off a bit

Doesn't look like there is anything for snails so they are welcome here.

 

[Epona]

I found a ladybird thread too, thinking it might be an idea to edit my first post with links to other related threads to make it easy for people to find them for more invertebrate inspiration, information and images!

 

[Ax^]

not seen one of these since i was a kid

 

[Epona]

not seen one of these since i was a kid

There's actually a massive problem with stag beetles disappearing from parts of London that used to be seen regularly here (and the same applies to other areas too) due to massive habitat loss largely caused by development and loss of large open spaces with deadwood and other debris in favour of more managed and tidy parks and recreational areas in our cities. They are under threat of extinction and becoming quite rare in much of the UK.

We (the project I volunteer with) built a stag beetle motel recently in the hope that providing suitable habitats on a smaller scale dotted around the place will help to lure them back.

 

[Callie]

I love hoverflies!!!!

Their season is getting going now. They live sunny days, flowers and hanging out in the garden. LIKE ME.

I think my favourite is Myathropa florea because they seem to be friendly and inquisitive and you can get them to sit on your hand

(Blah blah wrong thread)

 

[Ax^]

how to spot the a hoverfly its the one on the right

 

[Callie]

Bees and wasps have antennae

 

[Callie]

Tiny extra wing things

 

[Epona]

Wasps have 4 wings, hoverflies have 2

 

[Ax^]

hmm cannie you lot not see the picture of the hoverfly on a flower next to a waspy looking thingy

 

[Callie]

hmm cannie you lot not see the picture of the hoverfly on a flower next to a waspy looking thingy

Yes.



They look different. But simular

 

[Ax^]

kinda what i was aiming at so people could tell see the difference my bad :O

 

[Callie]

There have been a lot of posts recently on FB about GIANT KILLER DEATH HORNETS where people just starting saying they'd seen one and posting pics of yer big standard wasp. Simular. But different.

 

[Ax^]

ah was not my intent meant to show a pleasant pollinator vs mr yellow jacket not have a go at either beasties

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Thread for Other Invertebrates

There's already a keir starmer thread in politics...

 

[gentlegreen]

Well I can't spot a bee thread so here's my bee from today which wouldn't sit still.
I was hoping it was a freaky parasitic bee fly ...

 

[Epona]

Not great at bee ID but it looks like it could be a tawny mining bee?

Here is a reference photo for comparison:

 

[Epona]

Bee flies (if that is what you mean) are easy to differentiate from bees btw, because they don't on even first glance look that much like bees - for a start they have a massively long proboscis (ooh-er missuz) which you can't really miss seeing even from a bit of a distance.

Unless you mean a cuckoo bee, or some other parasitic thing.

 

[souljacker]

There's actually a massive problem with stag beetles disappearing from parts of London that used to be seen regularly here (and the same applies to other areas too) due to massive habitat loss largely caused by development and loss of large open spaces with deadwood and other debris in favour of more managed and tidy parks and recreational areas in our cities. They are under threat of extinction and becoming quite rare in much of the UK.

I still see the odd one in Reading but they were always pretty rare anyway.

May bugs/Cock chafers seem to have disappeared though. I haven't seen one in ages.

 

[gentlegreen]

I though THIS was a tawny mining bee ... I posted it on the other thread ...

Sexual dimorphism ?

 

[Epona]

gentlegreen Here are some reference photos of those I've mentioned above:

Bee Fly (this is a true fly, order Diptera) and has several features that mean it only superficially resembles a bee, on closer inspection you can see it looks more like a miniature flying mouse with a drinking straw:



And cuckoo bees are a type of bumble bee:

 

[Epona]

I though THIS was a tawny mining bee ... I posted it on the other thread ...

Sexual dimorphism ?

View attachment 372442View attachment 372443

Yes indeed, the one with the darker smoother abdomen is a male, the one that is orange and fuzzy all over is a female

 

[gentlegreen]

gentlegreen Here are some reference photos of those I've mentioned above:

Bee Fly (this is a true fly, order Diptera) and has several features that mean it only superficially resembles a bee, on closer inspection you can see it looks more like a miniature flying mouse with a drinking straw:

View attachment 372444

I spotted one of those the other day - doubtless hoping to lay eggs on the larvae of the bees - haven't managed to photograph one yet