Beetle, butterfly and others for ID

[djeyewater]

Can anyone ID these?

#1 About 7-8mm long


#2 Has the 2 white spots in a black spot on the top of its wings like a Gatekeeper, but no white spots on the underside of its wing (shown here).


#3 On Lavender here, there were also quite a few on our geraniums, about 8-9mm


#4 Not a very good picture I'm afraid, these white things were hanging around with aphids and ants that were farming the aphids. Are these white things aphids as well?


#5 Not particularly looking for an ID here (I presume its Lasius Niger, although if anyone can confirm from just this head shot would be appreciated). But what I wanted to know is if an ant would eat a small spider, as that's what it looks like to me (must be a very small spider).


Thanks

Dave

[GuyF]

Not sure about the others but the butterfly is a female Meadow Brown,
Guy

[djackso]

4. I think they are "cast skins" shed from the aphids as they grow and molt.

[Paul mabbott]

The beetle is one of the Staphylinidae, rove beetles. There are quite a few species with this sort of shape/size but Tachinus spp are fairly common ... Tachyporus are usually smaller.

[djeyewater]

Thanks for the IDs everyone.

I was just reading about Lasius Niger on wikipedia, and it said on there that they eat spiders so I guess that must be what's happening in #5.

Anyone got an idea about #3?

Thanks

Dave

[oxycera]

#3 is a female hoverfly, either Platycheirus or Melanostoma

[djeyewater]

Originally Posted by oxycera

#3 is a female hoverfly, either Platycheirus or Melanostoma

Thanks, yes must be a hoverfly, I forgot they were hovering around!

[JonSadler]

The beetle is a Tachinus spp. Sometimes the shape of the last tergite (abdominal segment) can help get you towards a specific identification.

Regards
Jon