Common but extremely beautiful: The small tortoiseshell
Source: Common but extremely beautiful: The small tortoiseshell
Common but extremely beautiful: The small tortoiseshell
We are in the middle of The big butterfly count which is a nationwide survey run by Butterfly Conservation, Friday 14 July to Sunday 6 August, to assess the status of the nation’s butterflies … Continue Reading Common but extremely beautiful: The small tortoiseshell
Decomposition of a mole
Source: Decomposition of a mole
Decomposition of a mole
I came across a dead mole as I was walking along a logging tract in a pine forest in Galicia, northern Spain. It looked as though it had only just … Continue Reading Decomposition of a mole
Mating Common Blue Damselflies
When damselflies mate, the male grasps the female by the front end of her thorax (the pronotum); but only if she is willing! Accepting his advance is not compulsory according … Continue Reading Mating Common Blue Damselflies
Canoodling bee-grabbers
Source: Canoodling bee-grabbers
Canoodling bee-grabbers
These remarkable flies, known as Thick-headed Flies (Conopidae), are larval parasitoids of bees and wasps. Females of this species, Conops quadrifasciatus, attack bumblebees in flight, which has earned them the name ‘bee-grabbers’. Apparently, … Continue Reading Canoodling bee-grabbers
Chasing leopards by the falls!
Source: Chasing leopards by the falls!
Wild at heart: the Giant honey bee
Source: Wild at heart: the Giant honey bee
Wild at heart: the Giant honey bee
The Giant honey bee (Apis dorsata) is a large (17–20 mm long) bee, which occurs in India and S E Asia. (1) There are four subspecies; the one shown here … Continue Reading Wild at heart: the Giant honey bee
Hitching a ride on a giant wasp
Source: Hitching a ride on a giant wasp
Hitching a ride on a giant wasp
I came across this very large (c. 5 cm in length) digger wasp which was searching the leaf litter in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, northern Thailand. It is a scoliid wasp … Continue Reading Hitching a ride on a giant wasp
Ant-attended aphids
Source: Ant-attended aphids
Ant-attended aphids
Many homopteran species, including aphids, have evolved mutualistic relationships with ants. Such symbiotic relationships are beneficial to both species and will endure as long as the costs do not outweigh … Continue Reading Ant-attended aphids
A trick of the tail!
Source: A trick of the tail!
A trick of the tail!
When we look at an organism, we see a host of different adaptations which have evolved to improve or enhance the fitness and survival of that species. One such trait … Continue Reading A trick of the tail!
