Insects and other small creatures
by Per Hoffmann Olsen
| Lepidoptera | Coleoptera | Heteroptera | Dictyoptera | Hymenoptera | Neuroptera | Odonata | Orthoptera | Araneae |
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Latest photos
Updates
Saturday 13. November 2010 - Bugs on insects.at
Over the years I have always taken pictures of Bugs when I saw something strange or beautiful. So I just recently added a small handful of Bug photos.
Please enjoy.
Over the years I have always taken pictures of Bugs when I saw something strange or beautiful. So I just recently added a small handful of Bug photos.
Please enjoy.
Saturday 13. November 2010 - The Sycamore lacebug (Corythucha ciliata) in Europe
Today I found 20+ Sycamore lacebugs on a single plane tree (Platanus orientalis) also known as sycamore trees. I got a tip to look under the bark of the sycamore and went out to the only sycamore in our small nearby forest. Under the first bark piece I found 3 C. ciliata. Their size I about 3 to 4 millimeters but compared to other larger bugs found the same day, they were very slow and didn't move at all if disturbed.
The C. ciliate is not originally from Europe, it came from North America in the sixties. First spotted in North Italy in 1964. From then on it slowly spread out through South and Middle Europe. They have not yet been found in Denmark, but are on the observation list.
Even though I haven't seen them fly, they should be very agile flying bugs. On the other hand they are very small and light, so I guess they let themselves glide with the wind.
They are phytophag which means they're herbivore - eating plants only - as the name in English and German says they live on the Sycamore, sucking on the underside of the Sycamore leaves. On mass occurrences the leaves of the Sycamore can turn yellow and even lead to early defoliation.
During the winter Adult animals hide under the bark of the Sycamore and are very easy to find.
Today I found 20+ Sycamore lacebugs on a single plane tree (Platanus orientalis) also known as sycamore trees. I got a tip to look under the bark of the sycamore and went out to the only sycamore in our small nearby forest. Under the first bark piece I found 3 C. ciliata. Their size I about 3 to 4 millimeters but compared to other larger bugs found the same day, they were very slow and didn't move at all if disturbed.
The C. ciliate is not originally from Europe, it came from North America in the sixties. First spotted in North Italy in 1964. From then on it slowly spread out through South and Middle Europe. They have not yet been found in Denmark, but are on the observation list.
Even though I haven't seen them fly, they should be very agile flying bugs. On the other hand they are very small and light, so I guess they let themselves glide with the wind.
They are phytophag which means they're herbivore - eating plants only - as the name in English and German says they live on the Sycamore, sucking on the underside of the Sycamore leaves. On mass occurrences the leaves of the Sycamore can turn yellow and even lead to early defoliation.
During the winter Adult animals hide under the bark of the Sycamore and are very easy to find.
Sunday 21/06-2009 New Overview Page Design
In my effort to change the design to something more up-to-date, i have changed the overview Page.
We went on a small trip to Niedersulz in Loweraustrias Wienviertel and for the first time i found the Spanish Fly. Except that it's actually an oil beetle, the Spanish Fly is well known through history as an aphrodisiac.
It contains up to 5% cantharidin which irritates animal tissues. The crushed powder of Spanish fly is of yellowish brown to brown-olive color with iridescent reflections, of disagreeable scent and bitter flavor, but in food it can go unnoticed. The cantharidin is dangerous since the amount required is very small and the difference between the effective dose and the harmful dose is quite narrow. Cantharides cause painful urination and fever. The poison can cause permanent damage to the kidneys and genitals. If taken as an overdose - more than 0,03 grams for an adult - it causes death. In America cantharidin is illegal.
In my effort to change the design to something more up-to-date, i have changed the overview Page.
We went on a small trip to Niedersulz in Loweraustrias Wienviertel and for the first time i found the Spanish Fly. Except that it's actually an oil beetle, the Spanish Fly is well known through history as an aphrodisiac.
It contains up to 5% cantharidin which irritates animal tissues. The crushed powder of Spanish fly is of yellowish brown to brown-olive color with iridescent reflections, of disagreeable scent and bitter flavor, but in food it can go unnoticed. The cantharidin is dangerous since the amount required is very small and the difference between the effective dose and the harmful dose is quite narrow. Cantharides cause painful urination and fever. The poison can cause permanent damage to the kidneys and genitals. If taken as an overdose - more than 0,03 grams for an adult - it causes death. In America cantharidin is illegal.
Sunday 25/04-2009 New Start Page Design
The old design was from March 2002 and haven't really been updated since. Many things has changed over the last seven years, browsers has disappered new browsers has taken over. Modems are practically a thing of the past and the average pc has become a lot more powerfull. The design change is at the moment just for the start page, the rest is updated in the next months.
The old design was from March 2002 and haven't really been updated since. Many things has changed over the last seven years, browsers has disappered new browsers has taken over. Modems are practically a thing of the past and the average pc has become a lot more powerfull. The design change is at the moment just for the start page, the rest is updated in the next months.
Sunday 27/01-2009 Added new Images
Went hunting in my image library and found some nice pictures from 2008 but also one from 2006 - the Lucanus cervus female.
Went hunting in my image library and found some nice pictures from 2008 but also one from 2006 - the Lucanus cervus female.
Saturday 20/10-2008 Added Cerambycidae
Together with Jan Pedersen we went for a small tour around Vienna and Lower Austria. We found a lot of exciting species on that trip - some of which are new under Cerambycidae.
The new photos has been added with a resolution of 1024x768 pixel.
Other species like those under the Elateroidae and Curculionoidea Family was added Earlier in June shortly after the trip.
Together with Jan Pedersen we went for a small tour around Vienna and Lower Austria. We found a lot of exciting species on that trip - some of which are new under Cerambycidae.
The new photos has been added with a resolution of 1024x768 pixel.
Other species like those under the Elateroidae and Curculionoidea Family was added Earlier in June shortly after the trip.
Sunday 27/05-2008 Added cooliris to the Site
Flickr, YouTube, Google and Yahoo already has it. So why not give it a try. I think cooliris is a great extension for the most common browsers - it gives you a really nice overview of all the images on this site.
Get the Extension at cooliris.com.
Flickr, YouTube, Google and Yahoo already has it. So why not give it a try. I think cooliris is a great extension for the most common browsers - it gives you a really nice overview of all the images on this site.
Get the Extension at cooliris.com.
Sunday 6/05-2007 Added new pictures
We had a long warm and not at least a dry spring. It hardly rained in eastern Austria in April month. All in all 2007 seems to become a real good insect year. I have looked through many new, but also a lot older pictures to present to you.
By the way, i have added anti-spam codes to the comments. You will have to read a coloured string of letters and type them in the right order to be able to write any comments.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but it's the only way to deal with spammers.
We had a long warm and not at least a dry spring. It hardly rained in eastern Austria in April month. All in all 2007 seems to become a real good insect year. I have looked through many new, but also a lot older pictures to present to you.
By the way, i have added anti-spam codes to the comments. You will have to read a coloured string of letters and type them in the right order to be able to write any comments.
Sorry for the inconvenience, but it's the only way to deal with spammers.
Sunday 6/05-2007 Found some quite good Coleopteras
I found more Coleopteras in the archive. Im not 100% sure about the determination of the Phyllobius argentatus, there are so many species within the genus Cicindela in europe and some of them are quite alike.
I found more Coleopteras in the archive. Im not 100% sure about the determination of the Phyllobius argentatus, there are so many species within the genus Cicindela in europe and some of them are quite alike.
Saturday 20/05-2006 Updated some pictures, and added some new
Added many new photos in the Hymenoptera section. But also as you can see in the Lepidoptera section. I am still refreshing old pictures, better scans and better noise filters, on the site, like the Mantis religiosa (Dictyoptera). So please have look around.
Added many new photos in the Hymenoptera section. But also as you can see in the Lepidoptera section. I am still refreshing old pictures, better scans and better noise filters, on the site, like the Mantis religiosa (Dictyoptera). So please have look around.
Saturday 17/12-2005 More Coleoptera Images
Added 21 Coleoptera images taken this year, which i hopefully have been able to identify correctly. The Spondylis buprestoides was Photographed in Denmark this Sommer 2005.
Added 21 Coleoptera images taken this year, which i hopefully have been able to identify correctly. The Spondylis buprestoides was Photographed in Denmark this Sommer 2005.
Sunday 4/12-2005 Added images of Jumping Spiders
Now that my new equipment and i are able to take better closeups of very small creatures, i followed a tip from a friend of mine - take pictures of jumping spiders. I am still trying to find them (they are everywhere, actually), but they are very small indeed.
In my search for identification help i found these three good websites on jumping spiders. Jumping Spiders by Dr. Metzner (who identified this Macaroeris nidicolens), Jumping Spiders of the World and Jumping spiders - Family Salticidae.
Now that my new equipment and i are able to take better closeups of very small creatures, i followed a tip from a friend of mine - take pictures of jumping spiders. I am still trying to find them (they are everywhere, actually), but they are very small indeed.
In my search for identification help i found these three good websites on jumping spiders. Jumping Spiders by Dr. Metzner (who identified this Macaroeris nidicolens), Jumping Spiders of the World and Jumping spiders - Family Salticidae.
Sunday 4/12-2005 Added images of Jumping Spiders
Now that my new equipment and i are able to take better closeups of very small creatures, i followed a tip from a friend of mine - take pictures of jumping spiders. I am still trying to find them (they are everywhere, actually), but they are very small indeed.
In my search for identification help i found these three good websites on jumping spiders. Jumping Spiders by Dr. Metzner (who identified this Macaroeris nidicolens), Jumping Spiders of the World and Jumping spiders - Family Salticidae.
Now that my new equipment and i are able to take better closeups of very small creatures, i followed a tip from a friend of mine - take pictures of jumping spiders. I am still trying to find them (they are everywhere, actually), but they are very small indeed.
In my search for identification help i found these three good websites on jumping spiders. Jumping Spiders by Dr. Metzner (who identified this Macaroeris nidicolens), Jumping Spiders of the World and Jumping spiders - Family Salticidae.
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