Another unusual insect: Tenthredo baetica (ssp. dominiquei), with only 118 observations world wide, of which 29 for this particular subspecies. It's a wasp – sort of: a sawfly.
The rear limbs are rather large, and I wonder why. For carrying prey?
Wikipedia points out an interesting reversal: in the Tenthredo genus, the larvae eat plants while the adults prey on other insects. Whereas many typical wasps do the opposite: the adults sip nectar but hunt insects to feed their young. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenthredo One wonders then what is this adult doing on a flower, engaging in motion patterns characteristic of foraging on nectar and pollen.
An unusual fly: red-belted hoverfly, Brachypalpoides lentus – a sawfly mimic. The larva is yet to be described. About 20 observations in the whole UK; 172 globally.
From Hyde Park, London (June 2023). Standing right next to Peter Pan's statue.
Hello little friend! This ladybug investigated my giant swiss chard quite thoroughly before settling in a leaf curl. #gardening#insects#ladybug@gardening
Ich habe mal wieder etwas für den #Insektensamstag. Diesmal zwei Vertreter der Familie der Feuerkäfer. Nummer 1 ist der Rotköpfige Feuerkäfer. Nummer 2 ist der Scharlachrote Feuerkäfer. Beide Aufnahmen sind im Abstand weniger Tage entstanden.
Apologies for the poor pictures, but here's a little bee-mimicking robber fly, after and before catching a tiny bee for dinner. I followed this wily hunter around for quite a while, and he wasn't pleased with my interference so he didn't let me get very close.