Insect photographs

[jennyb]

I uploaded 3 unidentified insect photographs to the gallery yesterday but none of them have appeared yet. Is there a delay or perhaps they were rejected or maybe they disappeared into cyberspace?

They were not particularly good but I guess someone would have told me if they were rejected. Can anyone enlighten me?

Jenny

[glsammy]

Certainly. They are still there, patiently waiting until our insect man can id them. We are trying not to fill the gallery with unidentified specimens, so please be patient if they are unnamed or unidentified.

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Certainly. They are still there, patiently waiting until our insect man can id them. We are trying not to fill the gallery with unidentified specimens, so please be patient if they are unnamed or unidentified.

Thanks for this. I thought that they went into the gallery even when unidentified. I'm not in any hurry but I thought they may have gone astray.

Jenny

[eucera]

Hi... Had a quick look at the "Country Garden" site and a couple of bits and bobs...
The "Common Wasp" is actually a perfect, and beautifully marked specimen of Vespula germanica (German wasp). The bee labelled "Tawny mining bee" is not A. fulva, but a female of Andrena nitida.
Hope this is of help

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by eucera

Hi... Had a quick look at the "Country Garden" site and a couple of bits and bobs...
The "Common Wasp" is actually a perfect, and beautifully marked specimen of Vespula germanica (German wasp). The bee labelled "Tawny mining bee" is not A. fulva, but a female of Andrena nitida.
Hope this is of help

Many thanks. I really appreciate feedback about my web site especially when I have made a mistake (or two!).

Firstly, can you explain exactly how you can tell from my wasp photos that they are German and not Common. I have looked again at my books and various pictures on the Internet and still cannot see where I have gone wrong

Secondly, there was a bit of discussion on WAB about the mining bee. See http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...-thingies.html. However, looking at your pedigree on your "Hello" post, I am more than happy to take your word for it! As you now realise I am a complete beginner where insects are concerned (but learning!). Andrena nitida is not in any of my insect books. Can you give me a few pointers about how you identified it?

Many thanks,

Jenny

[eucera]

Hi Jenny

I'll do my best with this!

Common and German Wasps.
Superficially similar but a couple of clear pointers are visible in this pic.

1) the markings on the 1st dorsal segment of the abdomen. In V. germanica the central black mark is almost diamond shaped and the lateral marks are usually separated both from the central mark and the black front margin of the segment. (Difficult to describe). In V. vulgaris there is often some fusion of these black markings.

2) The yellow stripe on the shoulder. In V. germanica this is usually widened in the middle, whereas in V. vulgaris this is parallel sided.

As far as the Andrena is concerned it is more complicated because we have some 65 spp in UK. The previous discussion about Anthophoras is interesting, and there are some hints as to what to look for. The females of Anthophora plumipes are like small black bumblebees (in UK), with golden hairs on the hind legs. They fly early in the year (March to May). The males are similarly coloured to the bee you photographed but have a fan of long hairs on the MID-tarsus. They also have yellow marked faces. As you can see, your bee is carrying a full pollen load, and that alone should rule it out as a male.

Now.... Andrena fulva is a very striking bee indeed, and the hairs on the female are a dark tawny red on the thorax, and a slightly paler tawny red on the abdomen. Your bee has a gingery thorax, but the abdomen is very sparsely haired, and black.

A. nitida (sometimes referred to by its junior synonym A. pubescens) is one of the larger Andrenas, and (in addition to the characters mentioned above) has patches of pale greyish hair on the sides of the abdomen, which are characteristic, even when the bees are old and faded.

[jennyb]

That is really interesting. Thanks for the explanation. Now that you point out those features, I see what you mean.

About the wasp - I now need to find and photograph a common wasp in my garden to compare! Are they both widespread in the UK, or it is likely that I will have mainly one or the other here?

Thanks again for your help.

Jenny

[eucera]

Both species are very common - should be no problem (unless you want a queen).

Stuart

[jennyb]

I have never been a particular fan of wasps (got stung last summer), but I shall look at them much closer in the future!

Jenny

[eucera]

Hi Jenny
A CLASSIC Vespula vulgaris on this French site. All the features visible!

http://www.insecte.org/forum/vespula...te-vt9471.html

Cheers, Stuart

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by eucera

Hi Jenny
A CLASSIC Vespula vulgaris on this French site. All the features visible!

http://www.insecte.org/forum/vespula...te-vt9471.html

Cheers, Stuart

They are very good photos for ID. Yes, I can see the differences quite clearly.

Thanks,

Jenny