Unusual insects ...part II

[Dark Raptor]

Beautiful, those Agrilus pictures look great. Definitely the most diverse genus! I'm guessing you're IDing the larva as Chalcophora based on size?

Thanks.
Yes, mostly on size and habitat. It is the largest species in that Pinus sylvestris / Picea abies forest.

 

[pannaking22]

Ah that makes sense.

 

[Smokehound714]

Ceuthophilus californianus- California camel cricket.

My only encounters with camel crickets was with smaller species, these get pretty big, the specimen pictured is a juvenile female.

Posted this in another thread- Ophryastes argentatus, a large snout beetle, found in the sonoran and mojave desert.

Hyles lineata mature larva:

been encouraging mexican evening primrose to grow, to encourage this striking species to establish.. Fortunately they're by no means a true pest, as their host plants grow almost as quickly as they do.

Stenopelmatus nigrocapitatus

Stenopelmatus sp 'Mahogany'

poecilanthrax arethusa, a VERY difficult species to photograph. I got extremely lucky with this shot, which came out very nice.

Male Hoplosphyrum boreale, scaly cricket species.. I plan on culturing these, as they mature at a small size, and are significantly less cannibalistic.

 

[Dark Raptor]

This Stenopelmatus looks really cool : I found something, a bit similar, in Sabah, Borneo.

51. Large orthopteran from Kinabalu National Park.

52. Amphiacusta sp. from central America

53. Sitona griseus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), one of my favourite weevils.

54. Sphinx pinastri. There are only 20 species of hawk moths in Poland. This one is probably the most common.

55. Bombylius sp. bee-fly.

 

[Mike41793]

Wicked thread

 

[Dark Raptor]

This time... mantids

56. Unknown mantis from Borneo.

57. Ameles sp., from Crete island.

58. Sphodromantis sp.

59. Hierodula membranacea vs Pholidoptera grisea

60. Creobroter gemmatus

 

[-Sarah-]

Dark Raptor,

Man. Your stuff is awesome. I've been a photographer for many years and thoroughly have enjoyed this thread!! It's very refreshing to see someone with your level of talent. I've been away from AB for a few years so I've missed a lot. Glad to see such detail and character!

 

[Dark Raptor]

:biggrin: Thanks. In the last years, I've started taking more landscape and wildlife shots than macros. But still, it is my favourite style of photography

61. Duliticola sp.

62. Eye of Aeshna mixta dragonfly. Taken with reversed Takumar 28/2.8 and extension tubes.

63. Andrena cf fulva solitary bee.

64. Wanna get some? - Ameles sp. from Bulgaria.

65. Vespa crabro, european hornet.

 

[kjm]

I'm just mesmerized by the talented photographers in this forum and particularly this thread. Job well done and thank you for showing us. :yes:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[numbat1000]

Where did you find that gorgeous Duliticola? I have always been mesmerized by trilobite beetles, I wish I could find some for sale...

 

[Dark Raptor]

Thank you

Where did you find that gorgeous Duliticola? I have always been mesmerized by trilobite beetles, I wish I could find some for sale...

Near Kinabalu National Park, Sabah, Borneo. I tried to keep them, but they survived only 6-8 months. In most species, males are unknown. Still, scientists are not sure what is the food source of these beetles (they probably feed on fungi, protozoans and bacteria from the decaying wood). My specimens were also parasited by entomopathogenic nematodes... so I think it is a bit difficult to have them for a longer time.

66. Chrysopa sp.

67. Myrmica sp. These tiny ants are really nasty.

68. Ochlodes sp.

69. Ibycus rachelae, long-tailed slug aka "ninja slug" from Borneo. Species discovered in 2008.

70. Trachycephalus resinifictrix. Ok, not an insect... but another tiny amphibian

 

[numbat1000]

Thanks! I have always had a soft spot for those guys. Were they very common there? What did you feed them when they were in your care?

 

[Gail]

Fantastic photos - my fav is the 14. Cionus tuberculosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) - very cool "fur" and legs!

 

[Dark Raptor]

Thanks!

Thanks! I have always had a soft spot for those guys. Were they very common there? What did you feed them when they were in your care?

Yes, everyday I was able to find 10-15 specimens near or under the dead tree logs. They move really slowly, so it was very easy to capture them. I was also able to record short movie with one, adult female:

[YOUTUBE]W0uLQiYpDLU[/YOUTUBE]

I used wood, in the last stage of decay (deciduous trees - mostly Betula, Quercus and Malus). They probably fed on fungi and bacteria.

Here are another five:

71. Louse fly (Diptera: Hippoboscidae).

72. Rhagium mordax (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

73. Sphodromantis sp.

74. 2mm long rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) feeding on hymenophore.

75. Formica rufa/polyctena hunting Trochosa sp. wolf spider.

 

[numbat1000]

Wow! 10-15 of them everyday! And I thought they were rare! How long were the biggest ones you saw?

 

[Dark Raptor]

Wow! 10-15 of them everyday! And I thought they were rare! How long were the biggest ones you saw?

Yup, I was also amazed. But maybe I was lucky and I found specific place in Kinabalu National Park.
The largest specimens were about 80-90mm.


...and 5 more.

76. Chrysis cf ignita.

77. Rhynchites auratus (Coleoptera: Rhynchitidae).

78. Tychius quinquepunctatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

79. Protaetia (Liocola) marmorata marmorata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

80. And first mammal... but feeding on insect - Vespertilio murinus.

 

[numbat1000]

Beautiful pictures, as always
I love that Chrysis though, they look so stunning close up!

 

[Dark Raptor]

I'm testing my new "set-up" for shadwoless macro photography...

81. Valgus hemipterus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

82. Meloe sp. (Coleoptera: Meloidae)

83. Cetonia aurata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

84. Melolontha melolontha (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

85. Byrrhus pilula (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae)

86. Cytilus sericeus (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae)

...and three spiders, as bonus

87. Evarcha falcata (Araneae: Salticidae)

88. Tegenaria cf sylvestris/ferruginea

89. Avicularia diversipes - adult male.

 

[Smokehound714]

Daihinibaenetes, a genus of large camel crickets, known as 'Sand-treaders'. Much larger than the algodones sand treaders which inhabit the same region.

Unlike the more familiar ceuthophilus, of which are peaceful and gregarious, Daihinibaenetes are aggressive predatory omnivores that seem to have a special fondness for macrobaenetes as prey.

They behave somewhat like a mix of stenopelmatus (jerusalem crickets) and ceuthophilus, building a complex network of tunnels in hummocks (mounds of stabilized sand that collect around vegetation in dunes), and like other ceuthophilinae, are intensely photophobic and sensitive to sound.

I love how pallid she is, like an ivory carving brought to life I also currently have 50+ viable eggs from her, as well!

EDIT: just lost around 30 of 'em. I had incorrectly assumed they stay in a dry diapause state until the monsoon, but they don't. they're likely laid amongst roots of creosote and other desert plants, using the humidity to stay alive until the monsoonal moisture arrives and soaks them. The other eggs I have are all being kept moist and are obviously developing.

 

[Biollantefan54]

I thought this was interesting