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Help needed with bug ID (1 Viewer)

Surreybirder

Ken Noble
I took a couple of photos of bugs in Surrey yesterday. A friend has tentatively IDed them, but I wonder if anyone can confirm them. I'll attach one here and one in a separate post.
Thanks
Ken
 

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  • \'soldier and sailor\' beetle cantharis rustica.jpg
    \'soldier and sailor\' beetle cantharis rustica.jpg
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Above bug was identified as soldier and sailor beetle. This one was ided as
froghopper.
Any views.
Thanks.
 

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  • froghopper cercopis vulnerata.jpg
    froghopper cercopis vulnerata.jpg
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Tried looking these up in my insect book -

#1 comes out as Cantharis rustica

#2 comes out as Cercopis vulnerata

Your friend was right, #1 is a species of soldier beetle, and #2 a species of froghopper.

Michael
 
Have just seen this thread and without looking up in books had the same name as you Michael, well done, as I don't reckon to be a buff on bugs, I was dead chuffed to recognise them, as there are not many I could have!! Ha Ha ! there is still one spider I saw many years ago that I have never been able to identify, blach with light blue blobs and orange crennalated stripes across its back, never seen one since either, probably never will again , as this was in the scorching summer in 1976. Nina.
 
Damn! If I'd seen a blue spotted, orange stripped spider back in 1976, irrespective of the temperature, I wouldn't have expected to see one again either.
 
is it a wasp?

I saw this 'wasp' on a fence but it seemed rather more bulbous than the normal wasp. Anyone any ideas what it is?
Many thanks,
 

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  • wasp or not.jpg
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Hi surreybirder - my first would be that it's a Hornet. Errr, I don't have a second guess.....
 
Thanks, Carlos.

Carlos GY said:
Black spots on the abdomen I think is a German wasp

Looks promising, Carlos. I looked at an internet site which says that German wasp has four yellow spots at the rear of the thorax and that the thoracic stripes bulge in the middle.
Let's see what Michael's expert comes up with.
 
Yet another one

I hope I'm not exploiting Birdforum but could anyone point me in the direction for this metallic-looking fly? It was about the size of a small bluebottle. (Ignore the illuminated yellow caused by the flash!)
Thanks,
Ken
 

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  • bug4.jpg
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Hi Surreybirder,

Here's Bob Jacobson's reply:

"This is Vespula germanica (some European literature might refer to it as Paravespula germanica). This is a widespread species, found from the UK down to northern Africa, then eastward to Kashmir and some areas of northeastern China. It has become established in many other areas of the world, including North America, South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa."

So Carlos was correct, too - well done!

Michael
 
To id Wasps properley you need to look at the face pattern.

Also different wasp species make different nests.

Colin.
 
Is there a basic book that anyone can recommend on British insect identification (not too expensive please), that would at least help me put them in the correct genus?
 
Try Chinery's Insect of Britian & Western Europe. By far the best all round book.ISBn 0-00219137-7

Looks like sloe bug (Dolycorus baccarum)
of the family Heteroptera that is certain.


What is the leaf it is photographed on?
 
sloe on the uptake

Thanks for the book recommendation, Colin! I'll see if I can track it down (not too difficult these days with the Internet).

Thanks for the tentative bug ID also.
The Dolycorus was on a bramble in a thicket of brambles, nettles etc. I don't think there were any sloe bushes (is that the same as quickthorn?) in the immediate vicinity but our whole area is great for sloes ("great" if you like sloes!).
Ken
 
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