Mercer Botanical beasties

[Kenj8246]

Went down to Mercer Botanical Gardens early this morning. Man, it's hot day or night!! Stayed until 10:00 AM and sweated completely thru my t-shirt. Must've drunk a half-gallon of water when I got home.

#1 Mosquito? Midge?

#2 Bumblebee on purple coneflower (sorry about chopping off the end of the wings, had this one all lined up and the wind came up as I started shooting)

#3 Shot this beetle before but have, as yet, to find an ID

Have more, will post later. Thanks for looking.

Kenny

[DigitalScape]

Sweet! The bee image is just popping off the screen.

[jfoureyes]

These look fine Kenny! Don't you just hate the wind!!! If you'd had more room behind the wings of the bee it would have really, really been nice! I love the reflection in the eye of that one anyway! If you find the ID on that little beetle be sure to post it so I can ID the one I have of the same kind. The one I captured was about 3/16" long but the same pattern on the body...Good going on these dude!

[tomhooper]

Excellent, excellent, excellent. That may be a "Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle". Labidomera clivicollis. At least that's what my National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spider says.

[Kenj8246]

Originally Posted by DigitalScape

Sweet! The bee image is just popping off the screen.

Thank you, John.

Originally Posted by jfoureyes

These look fine Kenny! Don't you just hate the wind!!! If you'd had more room behind the wings of the bee it would have really, really been nice! I love the reflection in the eye of that one anyway! If you find the ID on that little beetle be sure to post it so I can ID the one I have of the same kind. The one I captured was about 3/16" long but the same pattern on the body...Good going on these dude!

Thanks Jim. This guy was a lot larger than 3/16, but who knows?

Originally Posted by tomhooper

Excellent, excellent, excellent. That may be a "Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle". Labidomera clivicollis. At least that's what my National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spider says.

Thanks, Tom. That ID is consistent with one from FM member MVers, who says the same thing. The milkweed part is good, considering it was captured on Mexican milkweed, aka butterfly weed.

Kenny

[D80]

Love them all, especially the bee!!

[Kenj8246]

Thanks, Bill, appreciate it.

Kenny