Comments on: A new world next to building 30 http://calevphoto.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/ Photographing the Earth, one millimeter at a time… Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:55:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: myrmecos http://calevphoto.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/comment-page-1/#comment-127 myrmecos Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:04:44 +0000 http://calevphoto.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/#comment-127 Larvae are really, really hard to identify. The only decent resource for them, the Stehr "Guide to Immature Insects" costs hundreds of dollars, and even most entomologists can't do much with them. The one exception, of course, are the colorful larvae of butterflies. On the bright side, you can learn to identify the insect as a larva and not an adult. The eyes of larvae, if they exist at all, tend to be a crude assortment of small individual eyes. Your first photo here illustrates that very well. Adults normally have large compound eyes with many tightly-packed - look at your wasp photo. The antennae of most insect larvae are stubs of a few segments instead of the elongate, 10+ segments seen in adults. Again, your top photo shows this trait in great clarity. (Would that most people who needed ID's take such nice pictures!) Larvae are really, really hard to identify. The only decent resource for them, the Stehr “Guide to Immature Insects” costs hundreds of dollars, and even most entomologists can’t do much with them.

The one exception, of course, are the colorful larvae of butterflies.

On the bright side, you can learn to identify the insect as a larva and not an adult. The eyes of larvae, if they exist at all, tend to be a crude assortment of small individual eyes. Your first photo here illustrates that very well. Adults normally have large compound eyes with many tightly-packed – look at your wasp photo.

The antennae of most insect larvae are stubs of a few segments instead of the elongate, 10+ segments seen in adults. Again, your top photo shows this trait in great clarity. (Would that most people who needed ID’s take such nice pictures!)

]]> By: calevphoto http://calevphoto.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/comment-page-1/#comment-126 calevphoto Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:56:43 +0000 http://calevphoto.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/#comment-126 Thanks for the info! I have found it very challenging identifying what these are. I am improving my reference literature and have found more web sites but it is still tough. Thanks for the info! I have found it very challenging identifying what these are. I am improving my reference literature and have found more web sites but it is still tough.

]]> By: myrmecos http://calevphoto.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/comment-page-1/#comment-128 myrmecos Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:03:06 +0000 http://calevphoto.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/#comment-128 A lovely bug photo safari! The top insect is a beetle larva of some sort, perhaps a ground beetle (Carabidae) or a rove beetle (Staphylinidae). As you can probably tell from their jaws, they are predators. The ant is in the genus Lasius, my guess given your location is L. pallitarsis. Not a carpenter ant in the strict sense, but that species commonly nests in well-rotted wood. Can't say much about the others. A lovely bug photo safari!

The top insect is a beetle larva of some sort, perhaps a ground beetle (Carabidae) or a rove beetle (Staphylinidae). As you can probably tell from their jaws, they are predators.

The ant is in the genus Lasius, my guess given your location is L. pallitarsis. Not a carpenter ant in the strict sense, but that species commonly nests in well-rotted wood.

Can’t say much about the others.

]]> By: Marvin http://calevphoto.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Marvin Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:50:45 +0000 http://calevphoto.wordpress.com/2008/02/29/a-new-world-next-to-building-30/#comment-129 It will be interesting to see more shots from this same location as the seasons progress. It will be interesting to see more shots from this same location as the seasons progress.

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