[NatureNS] Insect Photos - and a few ID requests

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Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:10:26 -0300
From: David McCorquodale <dbmcc09@gmail.com>
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Index of Subjects

Index of Subjects
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3. Unidentified bee:  As Angus says, a bumble bee, *Bombus impatiens*.
This species is common in urban and suburban areas in  NS.  Prior to 1990
it was not known to occur in NS. Despite what you hear about declining
bumble bee populations, this is one species that appears to be doing very
well where people live in NS.

It can be distinguished from other species in NS by having only the first
segment of the abdomen yellow and the short velvet-like pile (fur/hair) on
the abdomen.



4. unidentified insect:  Another bee, this time a leaf cutter bee
(Hymenoptera; Megachilidae, *Megachile *sp.).  I suspect this is *M. inermi=
s
*, the largest species in the genus in the province.  They nest in hollow
twigs or cavities in trees.  Females line the nests with cut leaves, hence
leaf cutter bees.

There is a recent key to *Megachile * in Canada written by a Nova Scotian,
Cory Sheffield:

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/srpg_18/srpg_18.html



Unidentified insect:  This is syrphid or hover fly (The yellow and dark one
=96 cannot make out the other one).


DBMcC


On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 10:08 AM, Angus MacLean <angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca>w=
rote:

>  Hi Blake:
> 3. This Bumble Bee is Bombus impatiens, the commonest bumble bee in Kings
> Co. but B. bee populations vary quite a bit across the province.
> 4.  This is an interesting bee because of its colouration. Never saw this
> one before. David McC will known.
> 5. This is an hoverfly. It may be Meliscaeva cinctella (see link) but I
> suspect it is a Sphaerophoria sp. There are many species of the latter in
> NS but I understand even the collection in the NS Museum are not
> unidentified.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/250842872/in/set-72157603211246=
196/
>
> Angus
>
>
> At 07:59 AM 8/21/2012, you wrote:
>
> Good morning everyone.
>
> I have posted a few new invertebrate photos on my Flickr site.   I am
> requesting ID help for three of them.
>
> 1) - Salt Marsh Tiger Moth (Estigmene acrea) larva
> http://flic.kr/p/cVVU59
>
> 2) - Definite Tussock Moth (Orgyia definita) larva
> http://flic.kr/p/cVVTQJ
>
> 3) - Unidentifed Bee
> http://flic.kr/p/cVVSWd
>
> 4) - Unidentified Insect
> http://flic.kr/p/cVVT7f
>
> 5) - Unidentified Insect
> http://flic.kr/p/cVWeCb
>
> The moth larva identifications were courtesy of Jim Edsall, who remarked
> that he was unaware that the Definite Tussock Moth occurred in Nova Scoti=
a,
> but =93now it does=94.  There is so much to learn about the province's in=
sect
> life.
>
> I welcome comments and ID suggestions.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Blake
>
> --
> Blake Maybank <bmaybank@gmail.com>
> White's Lake, Nova Scotia
> My Blog:  *CSI: Life* <http://blakemaybank.com>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

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<p class=3D"MsoNormal">3. Unidentified bee: =A0As Angus says, a bumble bee,=
 <i>Bombus impatiens</i>.=A0 This species is common in urban and
suburban areas in=A0 NS.=A0 Prior to 1990 it was not known to occur
in NS. Despite what you hear about declining bumble bee populations, this i=
s
one species that appears to be doing very well where people live in NS.</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">It can be distinguished from other species in NS by =
having
only the first segment of the abdomen yellow and the short velvet-like pile
(fur/hair) on the abdomen.</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">4. unidentified insect:=A0 Another bee, this time a =
leaf cutter bee (Hymenoptera;
Megachilidae, <i>Megachile </i>sp.).=A0 I suspect this is <i>M. inermis</i>=
, the largest species in the genus in the province.=A0 They nest in hollow =
twigs or cavities
in trees.=A0 Females line the nests
with cut leaves, hence leaf cutter bees.</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">There is a recent key to <i>Megachile
</i>=A0in Canada written by a Nova
Scotian, Cory Sheffield:</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><a href=3D"http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejourn=
al/srpg_18/srpg_18.html">http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/srpg_1=
8/srpg_18.html</a></p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">=A0</p>

<p class=3D"MsoNormal">Unidentified insect:=A0
This is syrphid or hover fly (The yellow and dark one =96 cannot make out
the other one).=A0 </p>

<div><br></div><div><br></div>DBMcC<div><br></div><div><br><div class=3D"gm=
ail_quote">On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 10:08 AM, Angus MacLean <span dir=3D"ltr=
">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:angusmcl@ns.sympatico.ca" target=3D"_blank">angusmc=
l@ns.sympatico.ca</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p=
x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<font size=3D"3">Hi Blake:<br>
3. This Bumble Bee is Bombus impatiens, the commonest bumble bee in Kings
Co. but B. bee populations vary quite a bit across the province.<br>
4.=A0 This is an interesting bee because of its colouration. Never saw
this one before. David McC will known.<br>
5. This is an hoverfly. It may be Meliscaeva cinctella (see link) but I
suspect it is a Sphaerophoria sp. There are many species of the latter in
NS but I understand even the collection in the NS Museum are not
unidentified.<br><br>
<a href=3D"http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/250842872/in/set-72157=
603211246196/" target=3D"_blank">
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58321572@N00/250842872/in/set-7215760321124619=
6/<span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888"><br>
<br>
</font></span></a><span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888">Angus</fon=
t></span><div><div class=3D"h5"><br><br>
At 07:59 AM 8/21/2012, you wrote:<br>
</div></div></font><div><div class=3D"h5"><blockquote type=3D"cite">
<font face=3D"tahoma" size=3D"4">Good morning everyone.<br><br>
I have posted a few new invertebrate photos on my Flickr
site.=A0=A0 I am requesting ID help for three of them.=A0
<br><br>
1) - Salt Marsh Tiger Moth (Estigmene acrea) larva<br>
<a href=3D"http://flic.kr/p/cVVU59" target=3D"_blank">http://flic.kr/p/cVVU=
59</a><br><br>
2) - Definite Tussock Moth (Orgyia definita) larva<br>
<a href=3D"http://flic.kr/p/cVVTQJ" target=3D"_blank">http://flic.kr/p/cVVT=
QJ</a><br>&