More possibilities than certainties

This selection of close-up photo’s of insects and arachnids are from 4 locations over the last few weeks, Ramsdown Wood, High Wood, Blashford Lakes nature reserve, and Pamber Forest. The last being a 1st, my first visit to Pamber Forest which is situated just outside Basingstoke. This reserve is managed by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and is a mixture of woodland and gorse heathland.

You may be wondering on the meaning behind the title of the post. Its simply based on the fact that I struggle a lot of time to be precise on the ID of a particular insect or spider, hence more possibilites than certainities.

I will start off with the certainities.

This first lot are definitely spiders though I am not sure the exact type!

This pair of mating spiders were found at Ramsdown Wood, possibly mating wolf spiders.

whereas this much smaller spider was discovered at Pamber Forest.

These are certainly male St Mark’s Flies (Bibio marci). The 1st is sitting on a leaf at Blashford Lakes nature reserve, and the second is sitting on yellow gorse flower at Pamber Forest.

This is definitley a Dark-Edged Bee-Fly (Bombylius major), High Wood.

and this is without a doubt a Red Ant (Myrmica)

The last of the certainites is this Platystomos albinus weevil, a member of the Anthribidae family of weevils. High Wood.

Now on to the possibilities ….

A possible Philonthus decorus member of the Rove Beetles family (Staphylinidae). High Wood.

This could be a specie of Snail-Killing Fly Sciomyzidae. High Wood.

Maybe this next fly is one of the Muscidae Allie flies.

This blue beetle might be a Chrysolina oricalcia leaf beetle

No real idea what this final one is so a stab in a dark at possible Froghopper larvae. Pamber Forest.

This 5x mag. shot gives you a better view of this strange little fellow.

Blashford Lakes

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Ramsdown

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Pamber Forest

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