Best discovery at this weekend's yard sale day: I saw a bunch of tiny orange midges swarming around certain shrubs in people's yards. Looking closer, I saw they were molting from galls on the undersides of the leaves—often in bundles of three or four, leaving empty exuviae behind. Many were mating, presumably about to start the cycle all over again.

Just got around to looking it up. They are boxwood leaf miners, a kind of gall midge (family Cecidomyiidae). More information: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1291

#bugstodon #insects #flies #midges #parasitism #galls #Diptera #Cecidomyiidae

"I find your lack of bugs ... disturbing."

* squeaky version of the Imperial March starts playing *

(I've no idea what this little beast is - best guess, something in the houseflies?)

#insects #flies #darthVader #macrophotography

Error: Unsupported input type: <class 'werkzeug.datastructures.file_storage.FileStorage'>

Choices: which is better (?)

- Use file.stream as a file-like object if extract_text() accepts binary streams.

Alternatively, save the file temporarily to disk, then read it using extract_text(path).

#python #flask #flies #programming

Bugs? Bugs, from yesterday.

Metallic blue beetle: Agelastica alni?
Fly on old flower: Rhagio tringarius?
Cranefly: Tipula sp.?
Beetle on grass: Cantharis sp.?

(Even these rough identifications are an insight into a hidden world!)

#macrophotography #insects #flies #craneflies #beetles #Derbyshire

@colinpurrington
I don't *think* I have any rot holes in the three trees on my property (though the cherry is a possibility). NYC iNat obs only start in 2023; likely gone unobserved until then.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?order=asc&order_by=observed_on&place_id=674&preferred_place_id=1&taxon_id=361289

Aside from being a new species record for my garden, my observation stands out:
* Earliest. No other May obs. FOY 2025.
* All other obs in green spaces: cemeteries, parks, natural areas.

#iNaturalist #MasterNaturalist #Insects #Bugs #Diptera #Flies #Syrphidae #Brooklyn #NYC

Observations

Elegant Flies from New York City, US, NY

iNaturalist
Ctenophora festiva /maskerkamlangpoot (Dutch common name) or "comb-mask" crane fly. #diptera #flies #biodiversity #bioindicators
The ‘Man-Eater’ Screwworm Is Coming

After a decades-long campaign to beat the parasites down to Panama, they’re speeding back up north.

The Atlantic
Ember
Allcocks Extra Fine Wire 1/0

Freestyle salmonfly.
In February, when I worked at my workplace,I saw fire in a stove, and I thought of it.

#flyfishing #classicsalmonflys #flies #flytying #salmonfly#freestyle
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Ctenophora festiva /maskerkamlangpoot (Dutch common name) or "comb-mask" crane fly. #diptera #flies #biodiversity #bioindicators