Oldt1mer - Keith's photos with the keyword: Antenna

Yellow Ophion - Ophion scutellaris

08 Dec 2023 64
This is the amazing little Yellow Ophion - Ophion scutellaris - an Ichneumon Wasp which emerges early in the spring to find moth or butterfly caterpillars in which to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will eat the caterpillar from the inside. Adults feed on nectar and pollen. They have no sting but if threatened they will poke with their ovipositor, (which they use to inject eggs), which can cause some discomfort. I have read that this species is nocturnal but I saw this one mid afternoon so it is possibly an early riser ;-) Not the best photo I know but I glimpsed movement, saw the insect, as it landed I grabbed a quick shot and off it went further into the greenery. Seen at Martin Mere Wetlands. This Picture is fully © Copyrighted. None of my images may be copied, reproduced or altered in any form or manner or placed on the internet or any other social media, or in any form of publication either print or otherwise, in any form or manner without my written permission.

Green-Veined White - Pieris napi

05 Nov 2023 49
The Green-Veined White - Pieris napi - is a common butterfly in Britain which can be found in hedgerows, damp meadows, and near ditches, river banks, lakes and ponds, in fact any area which is damp with good vegetation. The 'green veins' (there are great variations in this from green to black) which you can see on the underside of the adults wings are, in fact, an illusion created by a subtle combination of yellow and black scales, this does help us to distinguish it from its cousin the Small White for which it is often mistaken. This one was seen at Pennington Flash, Leigh, Lancashire. This Picture is fully © Copyrighted. None of my images may be copied, reproduced or altered in any form or manner or placed on the internet or any other social media, or in any form of publication either print or otherwise, in any form or manner without my written permission.