NEWS FROM THE MEADOWS - 24. May 2021

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The minuscule insect on the following photograph ...

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... is the Trialeurodes vaporariorum whitefly ...

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... that feeds and reproduces on a wide variety of wild and cultivated plants.

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The wings of this, and most other species from the Aleyrodidae (whiteflies) family are covered with fine wax powder, giving them a floury, dusted appearance.

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These Hemipteran insects, closely related to aphids, feed by sucking the sap of the plant, usually on the undersides of leaves, which makes them hard to notice at first glance ... after I took these shots ...

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... the whitefly crawled to the leaf's underside, and disappeared from sight.

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While sitting on the same spot, I photographed another small creature that feeds by piercing the plant to get the sap ...

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... it was a nymph of some leafhopper (Cicadellidae family) ... I can't tell you the exact species.

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When the nymph jumped on the leaf of the flat plant underneath the grass ...

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... I noticed an adult, considerably smaller than the aforementioned nymph, of another Cicadellidae species ....

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... this is the Hauptidia maroccana leafhopper.

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A few steps further ...

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... high in between two straws of taller grass ...

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... the small, young Neoscona adianta spider has caught a green colored nymph of some leafhopper ...

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... and here again, I can't tell you the exact Cicadellidae species. After taking these shots ...

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... I approached a group of red poppies (Papaver rhoeas) not far from there ...

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... I got pretty close ...

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... because the poppy's interior looks like an interesting, slightly surreal landscape.

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In one of those flowers I photographed the iridescent Psilothrix viridicoerulea beetle eating the pollen.

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Here you can see a bud with petals still folded inside the envelope that holds what will be a showy red flower soon.

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A bit later on my walk ...

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... I came across a cobweb with quite a few aphids caught in it.

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The spider was resting near his web, well camouflaged - practically invisible on the seed pod of some dried out plant.

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At one point, while I was photographing the doomed aphids ...

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... the spider moved ...

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... crawled on the web ...

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... and started to feed on the aphids.
This is the male Agalenatea redii spider. This species already appeared in more than one occasion in this NEWS FROM THE MEADOWS series, but was always represented by females. It was the first time I photographed the long-legged male. When he ate enough ...

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... the spider climbed along the thread parallel with the web ...

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... and continued his rest ... crouched and invisible on the desiccated plant.

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I took a few more shots ...

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... of the aphids on the web ... and then ...

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... continued sniffing around the meadow in search for interesting stuff. The Tropinota squalida beetle was feeding camouflaged on the Plantago lanceolata flowerhead ...

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... the Cryptocephalus aureolus beetle was shining on the yellow flower of the Lathyrus aphaca plant ...

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... and I found the interesting, spiky seed pods of the Datura stramonium plant.

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Among those cool capsules covered with thorns ...

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... I noticed a wasp nest ... didn't see any wasp though ...

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... at first ... on another nest situated on the nearby desiccated Datura plant ...

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... I photographed the Polistes gallicus paper wasp that was guarding it.

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Some time later and about a 50 meters further I came across an interesting, almost rectangular clearing, surrounded by grass and various herbaceous plants.

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This place was shaped by ant activity ...

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... there is a large colony underneath.

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I don't know the name of this ant species.

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A bit further, in the same area ...

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... I photographed the Sphaerophoria scripta hoverfly on the Helminthotheca echioides flower ... and some minutes later ...

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... I took this shot with the same fly on the daisy.

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While passing by another Helminthotheca echioides plant ...

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... I noticed some small gnat, probably from the Sciaridae family ... I mean, I noticed something minuscule that could be an insect, only when I took a better look through the macro lens I saw a gnat.

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I photographed another very small insect on the same plant ...

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... the Longitarsus exoletus flea beetle.

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This happened near my car, parked by the country lane ... and then after taking the following photograph ...

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... with some minuscule wasp or sawfly, I don't know exactly ... I was driving home to transfer the photograph into the PC and prepare this post.

As always in these posts on HIVE, the photographs are my work ... and as always in this NEWS FROM THE MEADOWS series - they were all taken today.



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29 comments
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Amazing photographs. In that first photo, it looks like fresh white angel😄

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:) True, it looks a bit like an angel arthropod.

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Awesome publication, very extensive, varied and detailed. You did a great work, congratulations.

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We appreciate your work and your post has been manually curated on behalf of Insects Of The World Community. It will be added to the weekly curation report. Keep up the good work.

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Hello @borjan!

Great work
We appreciate your work and your post was manually curated by @none! from the DNA team!

Reach us on Discord to learn more about the project!

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Thats a great publication ! .. So much variety and show off of many different specieses ^^ .. Beautifully done and presented 😍

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Thanks. :) Glad you like it ... I enjoy photographing around and putting together this NEWS FOR THE MEADOWS posts. It's a great motivation to explore my surroundings through the macro lens.

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So interesting is the Tropinota squalida beetle (yes, I had to copy the name of it hahaha) pretty hairy :D
And the Polistes gallicus paper wasp (copied this one too.. ;p ) is frightening!
I do not get too often to see your amazing posts @borjan , unfortunately, but opening this one was a blessing to my eyes. 🙌

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Thanks :) yes, there is plenty of interesting stuff being produced on HIVE, which is great ... but I also, with all the things to do during the day and prepare a post, actually read and see just a small fragment.

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Oh, preparing a post apart by being around on the platform... few extra hours hahaha. And @borjan, your posts requires few hours of being outside, searching for all those tiny creatures that you get under your macro lens, go home, select, write a story with will link them... we are talking of how many of hours already? 🙌

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Thank you for the camouflaged spider (oh my heavens how sinister it looks), the leaf-piercing nymph, the industrious ants, and all the wonders of the meadow. It was a memorable walk :)

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Fascinating insects .... When I look at them this close, a wonderful world opens up 🤗

Beautiful photos @borjan 🥰

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Thanks. :) Glad you like this macro world.

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Loved the markings on the Neoscona adianta spider. The red of that poppy! Liked the bud shot too. Love looking thro your posts of the meadow. They are so beautiful and interesting!

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Thanks :) Now in spring I have plenty to photograph not far from home.

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I am really surprised to see your animals photography. Nice work.

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Your photography is awesome and always beautiful 👍

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interesting post, I see the wasp and I remember the pain caused by its sting, in 2018 I traveled with my family and several were bitten by wasps, I tell you that my leg was so swollen that I had to go to the doctor, some of the family were cured with anti-inflammatory pills, but that animal caused me great pain.
A hug

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Yes, sometimes the insect sting can cause strong pain and potentially dangerous complications.

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That datura plant looks like it's from another dimension. The things hanging from it look like old dead durian fruits.

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Didn't know this fruit, saw it now online ... pretty similar. Some shapes in nature are fantastic, I often feel like exploring an alien planet a couple of kilometers from my house.

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