Various insects for ID

[djeyewater]

Can anyone help me out with an ID for the following?

Thanks

Dave

Body size about 6mm


Has nice feathery antenna. Body size about 5mm


Body 2 or 3mm length. Looks like an aphid but I can't see the big sticking up bits aphids have on their backs. Also it has a big hole in it, what could have caused this?


Body size 2 or 3mm length. Fished it out of my cup of tea.


About 2 or 3mm body length

[Jason Green]

Pic 1 - a soldier beetle I think, of the family Cantharidae. I think it's a Rhagonycha testacea?

Pic 2 - perhaps a mosquitoe or or cranefly species... not too sure.

Pic 3 - an aphid, I suspect the hole could be the result of a parasite. Maybe a Hoverfly's larvae? I've heard some hoverflies' will inject eggs into aphids, somewhere. Maybe this is the result?

Pic 4 - The DoF is quite low, but I'd guess a Grasshopper/cricket nymph?

[Toby]

#1 is Cantharis pellucida.

#5 is a Shieldbug nymph - probably Green Shieldbug 2nd instar.

[djeyewater]

#1 Thanks for the ID

#2 I think maybe Paratendipes nudisquama, but I've only found 1 pic of it by someone else and possibly they could have mis-identified it

#3 Thanks for the info

#4 I had a look at some grasshopper/cricket nymph pics, and I don't think it is one of them. I think its a fly of some kind. Hopefully I'll find one not in my tea another day and be able to get a better pic.

#5 Yep, that looks probably right. Shame I didn't get a better pic.

[Laurence Clemons]

Number 2 is an orthocladine chironomid. It is not Paratendipes nudisquama.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Toby

#1 is Cantharis pellucida.

I agree with Cantharis (it has bilobed third tarsomere which Rhagonycha doesn't) but I key it to C. lateralis because of the "yellow" elytral underside.

http://aramel.free.fr/Cantharis-lateralis-4.jpg

[steve_nova]

I think the aphid has been parasitized by a Hymenopteran Wasp. Possibly in the genus Aphidius.

[steve_nova]

Aphid parasatoids used in biological control. Fargro Green Team Aphid Control

[djeyewater]

Thanks everyone!

[Action_Man]

Regarding the Aphid, i caught this Parasitic Wasp doing the business the other day ...