Mastodawn

Mark McCaughrean 1d ago

Both warm & sunny on this Easter Monday, & one of our garden's big beasts has emerged, albeit only in miniature form so far 👶

This little fellow, less than a centimetre in size, is a nymph of a Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima; 🇩🇪 Großes Grünes Heupferd), & once it's grown up, it will truly deserve the name – they're massive 😱

#Heidelberg 🏰
#Photography 📷️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
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Mark McCaughrean

These fellows have been fluttering around for weeks, however, but today's the first time I was able to get close, as it was feeding.

It's a common brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni; 🇩🇪 Zitronenfalter). They overwinter in wooded areas like those around us, but then move to wetlands to breed & lay eggs. They live for up to 10-12 months.

#Heidelberg 🏰
#Photography 📷️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
#BugOfTheDay 🐞
#MacroPhotography 🔬
#InsectsOfMastodon 🪰
#BackGardenEntomology 🪲