The Insect Arena

An insect assortment frequenting the water flora of the small pond at this park. 1- A Long Legged Fly (Dolichopodidae), possibly some type of Condylostylus. 2- male Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis). 3- mating pair of Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii). 4- A wasp-mimicking Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera). 5- Probably the Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), but not 100% on that one. There are many that look very similar. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

Only after I strung these four photos of this Spotted Pink Lady Beetle (Coleomegilla maculata) together did I notice the other two creatures in the photo. The small fish below would probably love it if the beetle were to fall in, and something else moving around o bit higher up on the leaf that I can't quite figure out. Nice to spot one of the native Lady Beetles (Coccinellidae) every once in a while. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

At first I thought this was a teneral Clubtail (Gomphidae) due to the kind of bland coloration of this one's body. It's tough to make out the markings on the thorax, but from what is visible, this quite resembles a Gray-green Clubtail (Arigomphus pallidus). It fits for habitat and range also. The intensity of green in the eyes are what made me realize this is not a teneral, it's just not as boldly patterned of an adult as some others. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

Like a miniature harrier jet coming in for a landing, this Paper Wasp (Polistes) alit on the relative safety of a lily pad to get a bit of a drink. This looks like a Horse Paper Wasp (P. major) to me as she was on the larger end of the size spectrum and coloration (all variability aside) seems to point here as well. The only explanation I could find on the common name was that "avispa de caballo" is translated from Spanish, which is what it is called in the Dominican Republic. Whether they thought it was as big as a horse compared to other wasps or for some other reason affiliated with horses, I could find no information. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

Despite this guys being on some Goldenrod (Solidago), it's almost certainly not the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus). The almost identical Margined Leatherwing (C. marginatus) can be differentiated by the dark spot on the dorsal plate of the thorax (pronotum), visible in the fourth photo. In this specimen it is elongated from front to back instead of from side to side, which would have indicated the other guy. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

I can never remember if these are the stinging kind or not. I have to look it up every single time. The orange spots on the sides should make this the Fir Tussock Moth (Orgyia detrita), which while still having urticating hairs, they are not attached to venom glands as they are in the White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma). They can still cause irritation in more sensitive people, but not as ouchy. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

This Paper Wasp (Polistes) had built a nest under the metal spiral staircase of our Airbnb this vacation. We had used it several times and only realized they were there about halfway through the week. We were a little more respectful of their presence after that, but they really didn't seem to give a crap that we were even in the vicinity. Southern Paper Wasp (P. bellicosus), I think. March 2023. St Petersburg, Florida, USA.

These attractively colored Damselflies were a pretty common sight around the water's edge. I'm pretty sure these are a Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii). They've got a fairly short wing to abdomen length ratio and the way their color trnsitions from the black and green to fiery orange and yellow to a bright, powdery blue is especially eye catching. March 2023. Tampa, Florida, USA.

Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis) aren't an uncommon sight in most of the United States. I was so focused on the dragonfly that I didn't see the spider's web it pretty much landed right on or the spider (lower right hand corner) that thought better of trying to take down the comparative giant. The way it was holding its front legs made me think Long Jawed Orb Weaver (Tetragnathidae), but I don't think there's enough info there to really tell for sure. March 2023. Tampa, Florida, USA.

Not being super familiar with the habits of most flies, I can't say how this little island of death ended up. The dead fish was only a couple of feet off shore, and the rotting flesh of course attracted some opportunistic dipterans to deposit some babies with assurance of a good meal before pupating. From what I understand, the larvae that are ready to pupate will normally drop off into the soil to do so, and herein lies the problem. They try it, end up in the water and drown or become fish food themselves or endlessly search for an appropriate place to transform into adulthood (which in this scenario is non existent). Maybe this is even a super specialized species built for this kind of thing and they're going to bore into that co**se, pupate inside it and we'll soon have adult flies pouring out of that hollowed out eye socket (straight out of a horror movie). March 2023. Tampa, Florida, USA.