August bugs

A few insect images taken during this August

July Bugs

Insects taken this July

Banded Demoiselle

Banded Demoiselle

Sphaerophoria scripta

Greenbottle fly 

Eriothrix rufomaculata

Marble white

June bug

Crab spider

June Bugs

A few insect images taken during June

Garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)

Common blue damselflies mating 

Common Red Soldier beetle 

Marmalade fly (episyrphus balteatus)

Bumblebee

May Bugs

A few insects take during May 2018

Green bottle fly

Green bottle flies are similar in size to house flies and appear metallic green with portions of copper-green.They have clear wings with brownish-colored wing veins; large, reddish-colored compound eyes; and black legs and antennae. Green bottle flies are classified as filth feeders that develop in and feed on dead animals, feces, garbage and decomposing plant materials. Because of their unsanitary habitats, they may carry pathogenic bacteria that can be transmitted to people and animals via mechanical transmission. Outside, they are commonly seen on dog feces and are one of the many reasons why it is so important to pick up dog feces. Stronger fliers than house flies, green flies can travel as far as 10 miles, with wind assistance. If a large number of green bottle flies are found inside a structure, they are usually breeding inside the home or in the immediate area of the home. Examples of such breeding sites may be a dead mouse or squirrel in the attic or wall void, or a dead bird or other animal in the chimney. Green bottle flies complete their life cycle in a short time, but the period of time is affected by factors such as the quality of their food source, seasonality, temperature and humidity. The adult female fly deposits up to about 200 eggs that hatch and become larvae in 1-3 days. Within about 3-10 days, fully developed larvae leave their development site and burrow into the soil. Pupal development takes approximately 6-14 days after which time the adults will emerge and begin to feed on plant nectar, a carcass or garbage. The female fly lays eggs about 2 weeks after they leave the pupal stage. Green bottle flies usually complete 3 or 4 generations per year, more in the warmer regions of their distribution areas.

Marmalade hoverfly

Marmalade hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, is a relatively small hoverfly (9–12mm) of the Syrphidae family, widespread throughout the Palaearctic region, which covers Europe, North Asia and North Africa. The upper side of the abdomen is patterned with orange and black bands. Two further identification characters are the presence of secondary black bands on the third and fourth dorsal plates and faint greyish longitudinal stripes on the thorax. Its color patterns may appear wasp-like to other animals, such as birds, protecting it from predation.
E. balteatus can be found throughout the year in various habitats, including urban gardens, visiting flowers for pollen and nectar. They often form dense migratory swarms, which may cause panic among people for their resemblance to wasps. It is among the very few species of flies capable of crushing pollen grains and feeding on them. The larva is terrestrial and feeds on aphids.
As in most other hoverflies, males can be easily identified by their holoptic eyes, i.e., left and right compound eyes touching at the top of their heads.