X is for x-rated

29 Friday Dec 2023

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Azure damselfly, Gorse weevil, insect copulation, mating Common blue butterflies, mating craneflies, mating weevils, Nephrotoma appendiculata, Tipula vernalis

This is how they do it (*wink*) …

Common blue butterflies (Polyommatus icarus)

Two weevil species: left, Gorse weevils (Exapion ulicis) and, right, a very handsome pair that I haven’t yet identified.

Azure damselflies (Coenagrion puella)

Two species of craneflies: top, Nephrotoma appendiculata, and, below, a new species for me, Tipula vernalis.

Spotted cranefly

29 Friday Apr 2022

Posted by sconzani in insects

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British craneflies, cranefly, Nephrotoma appendiculata, Spotted cranefly

Another day, another species of craneflies, another example of the next generation in the making. These busy beasties have been identified as Nephrotoma appendiculata, and can usually been found in areas of rough grassland.

220429 Nephrotoma appendiculata

Cool craneflies

10 Thursday May 2018

Posted by sconzani in insects, nature

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British insects, crane fly, cranefly, Nephrotoma appendiculata, Tipula oleracea, Tipula species

When I was a kid I always knew these insects as Daddy long legs and thought they were a bit creepy the way they fluttered wildly around. Now I know them as Craneflies and think they’re really cool. Incredibly, there are around 300 species of Cranefly in Britain – yet another insect species to try to learn – sometimes my brain hurts! Luckily, there is a Cranefly Recording Scheme (CRS) and they’re on Twitter so I’ve been able to get expert and very friendly help with my IDs for these recent sightings, and a little bit of information about each as well.

180510 Nephrotoma appendiculata

For this one, CRS said: ‘That will be Nephrotoma appendiculata at this time of the year. A side on photo would definitely confirm it but given it is still April I’m happy with this species, one of rough grassland, verges etc.’ And very soon there will be many more of them!

180510 Tipula oleracea

And this one is ‘Tipula oleracea, the other common Tipula (Tipula) species. [I had wrongly thought it might be Tipula paludosa.] Typically a May species in dampish grassland. Larvae feed on grass roots.’

So, if you’re fascinated by Craneflies, why not give the Cranefly Recording Scheme a follow on Twitter?