Prof Bill Amos of the Department of Zoology continues his insect photo diary with whole range of different hoverflies, alongside a dragonfly, some beautiful beetles, and fascinating moth larvae.
The golf club hoverfly. Isn’t is lovely? Down its back it has a series of markings that look just like little golf clubs. 
A close up of the broad-bodied chaser, Libellula depressa. I just love the intricate patterning at the base of the wing. I’ve posted this species before, but got closer this time. 
Another hoverfly. I’m now trying to assemble a photo library of as many species as I can. I already have over 30. This is one of many species the pretend to be bumble bees. 
I love longhorn beetles. This one is elegant with spectacular antennae (the ‘horns’). 
I think this is a Welsh chafer beetle. I don’t have a proper guide to chafers but of the species I can compare this to, the Welsh chafer seems closest. Chafers are charismatic beetles, being stocky and rather scarab-like but many are pests with their larvae eating the roots of plants. 
A snipe fly. Not everyone likes flies but this one is very elegant, with implausibly long legs. The species is probably Chryopilus cristatus, the dark wing patches apparently being diagnostic. 
Another hoverfly, Scaeva pyrastri. This is one of the largest of the species that carry a series of yellow or white ‘commas’ on their abdomens and it usually looks rather flattened. 
I lovely little hoverfly and one that seemed very common when I was in my early teens, trying to learn how to identify hoverflies. It is one of the smallest species and its back legs look muscular as if it could jump. 
This year seems to be a great year for the little ermine moth. The larvae spin silken webs for protection and appears in such large numbers that they strip the bushes or trees they are on. A few years back they spectacularly stripped a line of trees on Jesus green, leaving the trees coated in a what looked like silver silk that even spread onto the grass below each tree.
You can see more of Bill’s photographs on the blog:
An Insect A Day for bee fly, orange tip buttefly and parasitic wasp.
An Insect A Day continues for scorpion fly, shield bug and click beetle.
An Insect A Day Part 3 for wasp beetle; dragonfly and aphids giving birth.
An Insect A Day Part 4 for metallic beetles and day-flying moths.
An Insect A Day Part 5 for butterflies, beetles and clear-wing moths.
Insect-eye View for sawfly, hoverfly and solitary bees.
Why not have a go at photographing insects yourself? We would love to see your photos of wildlife where you are. Share with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by tagging us or using #OpenYourWindowBingo to feature in our online Community Gallery.
Museum of Zoology Blog 
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