I glimpsed this small beast & grabbed a few pictures before it flew off.

Must be a syrphid hoverfly, but the white spot pairs on the first two tergites followed by two yellow pairs baffled me at first.

I think it's a female ladder-backed hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare; 🇩🇪 Matte Schwarzkopfschwebfliege).

See:
https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/6183766249

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

A few more from today & yesterday, starting with this rather inconspicuous leafhopper, Penthimia nigra (🇩🇪 Mönchzikade).

I've been seeing the brown larvae in the garden since mid-January, so it's good to know that they've grown into adults.

I hope to get some decent pictures of their red eyes from the front in the coming weeks.

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

Another shieldbug species for you, with a pictures from yesterday & today.

This is Eurydema oleracea, & has many names: the crucifer shieldbug, or the cabbage, rape, or brassica bug, but simply Kohlwanze in 🇩🇪

Although generally metallic green, the spots can be white, red, or yellow. They're easily spooked, unlike some other shieldbugs.

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

Finally for now (because it's sunny & outdoors beckons), another shieldbug species – the garden's full of them today.

I think this is a black-shouldered shieldbug (Carpocoris purpureipennis; 🇩🇪 Purpur-Fruchtwanze).

As the Latin & German names suggest, this is a very variable species, from reds & yellows like this one, to purple.

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

At least today's changing illumination conditions gave me a chance to experiment ⛅️

Two pictures (both macro stacks) of the same weevil in the ivy: one with the sun behind the clouds, the other in full sunlight.

Which do you prefer? 🧐

It's likely a chequered weevil (Liophloeus tessulatus; 🇩🇪 Würfelfleckiger Staubrüssler), BTW.

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

Wind of change 🙂

Colder & blustery today, with intermittent bright sun & dark clouds ⛅️

Still, nice to see a scorpionfly for the first time this year 🦂🪰

From the wing markings & lack of the large male genitals that give these species their name, this is likely a female German scorpionfly (Panorpa germanica; 🇩🇪 Deutsche Skorpionsfliege).

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