More invertebrates of January

The little blighters keep on coming.  Of course 'little' is a relative term and I would not want to thought to be dissing the "individual-volume-challenged" taxa with which we share this planet.   Sorry: I'll get back on my tablets tomorrow.

Noting that most of what follow are feeding in the brilliant insect attracting plant Bursaria spinosa (Blackthorn) , with which we are well blessed, let us begin with a Tiger Moth (family Arctidae, Genus Amata).  My field guide says they all belong to a 'mimicry ring' at which point I said "Enough already."
 The next two images, if I have got them correct are of a Jewel Beetle possibly Castiarina sexplagiata.  It is described as very variable in colouring!

This is a spiky plant, but rather than being the desirable Bursaria is the disgusting Scotch Thistle.  Despite its appeal to this Flower Scarab the thistle was grubbed PDQ.
 Another moth.  I suspect again a member of the Arctidae but cannot specify which.
 This is a pin-tailed beetle of the family Mordellidae but I have been unable to take it further than that.
 A Spotted Jezabel Delias aganippe.  Even by the standards of this genus a very spiffy butterfly!
This image is of something on a daisy.  It is the larval form of a ladybird (thanks, Boobook, for pointing that out). With that knowledge - and having looked at Brisbane insects - will take a punt on it being a Common Ladybird Harmonia conformis.
The next two images are of a fly with longish legs, but IMHO not a Long-legged Fly.  My best guess allowing for appearance and situation is Senostoma sp.
A couple more mysteries!  The first one I suspect is a Hover Fly, going on the pattern on the abdomen and the arrangement of the veins on the front of the wing ...
 .. but this one has completely defeated me.  It should be easy with the yellow patch and the green abdomen, but I couldn't get a match!
A few more images from 13 January.  I believe the first two are of the Orange Potter Moth Eumenes latreilli.

An unknown fly (I think) protrudes its proboscis.  Again I thought the pointed and striped abdomen would make ID easy but not so.
A ladybird Micrapsis frenata.
Let me not be nombrolegist and include a mate with eight. Primarily because I think it is a very pretty chap (or chapess, I didn't like to probe too much).

Comments

Boobook said…
Your garden is producing some interesting creatures.
#8 is a ladybug of some kind.
12 January 2013 at 22:31:00 GMT+11
Flabmeister said…
Thanks Boobook! I've done an amendment.

Martin
13 January 2013 at 06:13:00 GMT+11
Judi Gray said…
These are great photos - unfortunately I am of no help as we haven't had any of these at our place on the Darling Downs. I love the Spotted Jazabel Butterfly image, its beautiful - I have never seen one. Well done! I also love insects and trying to identify them although it can prove very trying at times!
13 January 2013 at 11:48:00 GMT+11
Flabmeister said…
Thanks JG. I certainly agree with you about the difficulty of identifying insects etc. Fortunately I have a couple of friends who are both (1) expert on the topic and (2) happy to assist a gumby like me!

Martin
13 January 2013 at 14:41:00 GMT+11
Anonymous said…
Hi

The jewel beetled labelled as possibly Castiarina sexplagiata is a specimen of Castiarina crenata.

Cheers!
Allen Sundholm
17 July 2013 at 21:09:00 GMT+10
Flabmeister said…
Many thanks for your comments on both posts Alan. I will fix the posts up in the near future, but in the meantime your comment will inform folk!

Martin
18 July 2013 at 14:54:00 GMT+10
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