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Zummorr's Insect Emporium

here's a good place for FRIENDLY, ENJOYABLE, and otherwise very GENERAL discussion!
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Zummorr
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Zummorr »

Today I found Diptera, yeah stupid flies.
Some interesting fly not sure of the family yet. gave him a chill treatment to slow him down
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Robber fly Might actually be a muscaidae, fly snacking on another fly.
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This is a Sarcophaga, fleshfly, you've probably seen these everywhere. typically they lay their eggs in rotting meat iirc. I believe they can bite, this one was polite enough to just relax on my net and let me take some pictures. notably their defining features are the striated black and grey colors and the red eyes.
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Cactus for photlos since he said that this threat lacks cacti.
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:3
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by metasomnia? »

That's a cute cactus
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Ivy »

First one kinda looks like a beefly; I think this because I read the wikipedia article for beeflies when cutiefly was revealed
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Ivy wrote:First one kinda looks like a beefly; I think this because I read the wikipedia article for beeflies when cutiefly was revealed
Possibly. But the thing is that coloration is a super minor characteristic when trying to determine taxonomy. Beeflys are characterized by their long conspicuous proboscis and swept back wings. This has the wings for it, no beak typical proboscis, I could look through the "bad" pictures to get a view of the face. One would have to examine the veination.

Butt-erflies!
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Another butterfly!
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Dragonfly!
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A sad broken wing Dragonfly T_T
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The trick to get these insects to rest in the palm in my hand...I stick them in a bottle and then in the fridge for 3-5 mins to daze them. Then try to take pictures of them before they fly away.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Le Neveu de Rameau »

I swear, those proboscides have to be about the doofiest mouthparts anyone has ever come up with.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Telamon »

Wow, one of those butterflies really confused me. It's a gulf fritillary, which I know well from Florida, and it never occurred to me that they aren't actually restricted to the Gulf of Mexico. So, today I learned otherwise. Also, note that both butterflies have only two pairs of legs, meaning they're from the family Nymphalidae.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by HamsterZerg »

Telamon wrote:Wow, one of those butterflies really confused me. It's a gulf fritillary, which I know well from Florida, and it never occurred to me that they aren't actually restricted to the Gulf of Mexico. So, today I learned otherwise. Also, note that both butterflies have only two pairs of legs, meaning they're from the family Nymphalidae.
Why would an insect have four legs as a typical phenotype?
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Telamon »

HamsterZerg wrote:Why would an insect have four legs as a typical phenotype?
For whatever reason that family has the front pair reduced to small brush-like structures (hence the name 'brush-footed butterflies'), but I've never seen any theories for what purpose they serve. Whatever it is, though, it clearly works, as it is a numerous and wide-spread family.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Telamon wrote:
HamsterZerg wrote:Why would an insect have four legs as a typical phenotype?
For whatever reason that family has the front pair reduced to small brush-like structures (hence the name 'brush-footed butterflies'), but I've never seen any theories for what purpose they serve. Whatever it is, though, it clearly works, as it is a numerous and wide-spread family.
I noticed that the red butterfly did only have four legs. but I didn't want to mention it on the off chance that the legs simply broke off, while struggling. interesting to note that it is a family feature though.

To answer the above questions evolution happens in all directions, because it's a function of mutation. Mutations could've simply degenerated the front legs through random chance and since it didn't hinder the insect very much it ended up evolving in the population.

the most typical answer is that because the insect evolved the degenerated legs feature, it conserved more energy than it's six legged ancestor. The insect doesn't have to grow the cells for legs and instead can focus more energy into producing eggs. Alternatively it also weighs slightly less so conserves energy for flying.

I want to point out that one of the most successful insect clades is diptera, the flies. and they lost their back wings, reducing them down to small structures called Halteres. And they also lost those tough chewing mandibles that you see in wasps. And Flies are one of the most diverse families of insect.

Generally if there is no pressure to retain a feature, a species slowly loses it over-time due to mutation. You'll see this happen to organisms that live in dark low energy caves, they lose wings, pigmentation, sight, etc etc. If those features aren't useful in the environment generally the higher fecundity organisms win out.

Incase you want to do some reading on this topic yourself. Heres a scientific article Cited 158 times that talks about the evolution of flightlessness in birds. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Br ... 040430.pdf
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Zummorr »

Enjoy this Hemipteran, Shieldbug about to take flight.
Image ImageImage Image

From another angle the same bug. Image Image


Now for some wasps! First up a strange little wasp.
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This wasp is similar to a Mud dauber, but it has a fantastic metallic color.
Image Image Image It looks a bit...deadish... possibly due to the stress and heat. I have video proof that it was still breathing! but yeah it might have overheated or simply damaged itself struggling in the bottle.


And a couple of dragonflies.
Image I never noticed it until now. but the backside of Dragon-fly heads look really strange. Talk about empty-headed! Image


And a blue dragonfly
Image Image
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Telamon »

Okay, behold what is 100% the weirdest instect I have ever seen:

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Direct links for larger images:
http://imgur.com/5vkeWWi.jpg
http://imgur.com/FpxlN8s.jpg
http://imgur.com/ixo6iaw.jpg

I have no words for how strange this thing was. I found it on the dish towel, and took it outside. It was totally lethargic, and didn't seem interested in flying, if it was at all capable. Those...ear things sure look like they were growing straight out of its head, but maybe they were wings. Again, pity the photos aren't better, but does anyone have any clue what I'm looking at here?
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Telamon wrote:Okay, behold what is 100% the weirdest instect I have ever seen:
Ack, I've seen insects similar to that one but it boggles me. I'd say it's some kind of hymenoptera but I'm pretty unsure :/
but that waist makes me think otherwise though. the bodyshape makes me think Cranefly.

http://imgur.com/a/Cgqn9

anyways lets post bugs that I do know!

Remember this Mallophora Robberfly?
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Well I caught one this time. it's quite fuzzy.
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You might notice that I don't have this guy in my hand. If you look at his face under that fuzz he has a sharp beak that he could bite me with and I don't trust the fly very much.

Up next a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Family Papilionidae has those tassels on the base of their wings as one of their defining characteristics.
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I found another nymphalidae,
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there have been some monarchs, or atleast things that look like monarchs flittering around but they keep eluding my net T_T
Wow those two freckles on my right hand totally look like the eyes to a stupid smiley face
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Ivy »

Speaking of flies, I found this lil guy floating around me. I think it's some sort of hoverfly.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Ivy wrote:Speaking of flies, I found this lil guy floating around me. I think it's some sort of hoverfly.
Yeah I'd say thats a Syrphid fly, Flower fly, Hover fly. You must've been really still or sweaty, it's usually pretty rare that those things land on people.
joking aside, good pictures! You got a picture of it probing it's proboscious on you, gross! :)

They have pretty distinct wing shape and flight patterns. They are important pollinators and typically feed on nectar and pollen.



Last night I found a White lined sphinx moth! also known as a hummingbird moth or Hawkmoth. They are large diurnal moths of the faimily Sphingidae. This is probably the biggest insect i've ever caught actually.
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http://imgur.com/a/tRedf
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Ivy »

omfg those moths are the cutest goddamn things, lucky you

yeah it was super hot that day and coupled with the fact that I can hold very still, I made for an appetizing landing zone
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Telamon »

I saw a hummingbird moth once at Manassas Battlefield Park once, definitely one of the coolest insects I've ever seen.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by HamsterZerg »

One time, at Coney Island, a butterfly landed on the tip of the tail of a stuffed cat that I won while I was holding it. I won it by being the last one standing on the Meltdown thing, which happened by way of me standing in the right spot because nobody could jump over the lower bar.

Anyway, back to the butterfly, why did it get so close to me, and how do you think the toy tasted to it?
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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HamsterZerg wrote: Anyway, back to the butterfly, why did it get so close to me, and how do you think the toy tasted to it?
Well it could've been tired and thought it was a good spot. It might have been attracted to the color. Insects can see some UV light that is outside our vision range, something that some flowers use to help attract insects.

Today we have a Praying mantis!
Praying mantis taking flight. https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/75 ... Asbhgs.mp4
Demonstration of Mantis Pseudopupil. https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/76 ... V8-RCn.mp4

ImageImage Image Image Image Image Image Image Image

Interestingly enough the scythe portion of their limb isn't the tip of it. they actually have a set of tarsals on the end of the leg for walking. Image


And Another species of Dragon-fly It's a saddle-bag kind.
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http://imgur.com/a/ELZFR
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Le Neveu de Rameau »

My, mantises certainly make quite a lot of noise when they lift off.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Le Neveu de Rameau wrote:My, mantises certainly make quite a lot of noise when they lift off.
Errm, my apologies...that background hissing is the nearby air conditioning unit for the house.

Well insect cyrogenics experiences another loss. but here are some pictures of what mantid wings look like when extended.
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And mantis claws.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Telamon »

those wings are super sweet
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

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Oh man delays it's been a while hasn't it. How about a couple videos for a change?

Butterfly faces sure are weird. It's also strange to acknowledge something that is grooming it's tongue. to be honest I think this kinda ruins butterfly a bit. haha. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8dg3dOzMU8

Odonata are named after their strong mandibles, but you never really see them. Here are those mandibles in action. https://youtu.be/6ltWLB_MW8w
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Zummorr »

Hey, this is a forum. It's time for an update.

I organized my collection and this most, of my good bug pictures, I personnally sifted through the photos and tossed the useless blurry images. Now you can go to google drive and view any of the over 400 pictures!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... kE5TTgxSUE

feel free to browse view and ask me about anything you find in there.
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Le Neveu de Rameau »

When can we expect some posts about the winter insects, like the noble snow bee?
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Re: Zummorr's Insect Emporium

Post by Zummorr »

Le Neveu de Rameau wrote:When can we expect some posts about the winter insects, like the noble snow bee?
Not a snow bee per-say. But some Bumble Bee, Pretty sure it's Apidae, that I found on the top of Mount Lassen in California, Which is at an elevation of 10,000 feet.
Image Image
There was ice up there too.

Also snow is like a myth in California.
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