top of page

GARDEN INSECTS

Here is a gallery of photographs I've taken of insects in the garden of my house in south Norwich, Norfolk, UK, from 2008 onwards.  Macrophotography of garden insects is rewarding because it helps one appreciate the rich variety of insects found in one's own backyard; for example, the garden attracts a surprising diversity of dragonflies and damselflies, and this was the case even before it had a small pond (from spring 2020).  To me, garden insect photography has the further advantage that the only strange looks I get while stalking insects, camera in hand, are from my family.

All images are © Andrew Bourke.  If you would like to use one, please contact me (see e-mail address on Contact page). If you think I've made a mistake in any of the identifications, please also let me know.

To enlarge any images (and see the scientific name), and/or to click through them, click on any one.

Libellula depressa

Broad-bodied Chaser, mature male

Libellula depressa

Broad-bodied Chaser, immature male

Aeshna cyanea

Southern Hawker, female

Aeshna grandis

Brown Hawker, female

Aeshna mixta

Migrant Hawker, female

Aeshna mixta

Migrant Hawker, male

Anax imperator

Emperor Dragonfly, female

Sympetrum striolatum

Common Darter, female

Sympetrum sanguineum

Ruddy Darter, female

Coenagrion puella

Azure Damselfly, female

Coenagrion puella

Azure Damselfly, male

Enallagma cyathigerum

Common Blue Damselfly, male

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly, female

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly, male

Leptophyes punctatissima

Speckled Bush-cricket, early-instar nymph (missing a hind leg)

Leptophyes punctatissima

Speckled Bush-cricket, late-instar nymph, female

Leptophyes punctatissima

Speckled Bush-cricket, adult male

Meconema thalassinum

Oak Bush-cricket, female

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, female nymph

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, adult female

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, adult male

Chorthippus brunneus

Field Grasshopper

Chorthippus albomarginatus

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Coreus marginatus

Dock Bug

Corizus hyoscyami

Rhopalid bug

Capsus ater

Mirid bug

Heterotoma planicornis

Mirid bug

Miris striatus

Mirid bug

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

Hawthorn Shieldbug

Dolycoris baccarum

Hairy Shieldbug

Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbug

Pentatoma rufipes

Forest Shieldbug, dark form

Tritomegas bicolor

Pied Shieldbug

Macrosiphum albifrons

Lupin Aphid

Thymelicus sylvestris

Small Skipper

Thymelicus lineola

Essex Skipper

Ochlodes venatus

Large Skipper, male

Anthocharis cardamines

Orange Tip, male

Pieris brassicae

Large White

Pieris napi

Green-veined White

Aricia agestis

Brown Argus, male

Celastrina argiolus

Holly Blue, female

Polyommatus icarus

Common Blue, male

Lycaena phlaeas

Small Copper

Aglais urticae

Small Tortoiseshell

Inachis io

Peacock

Polygonia c-album

Comma

Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral

Vanessa cardui

Painted Lady

Pararge aegeria

Speckled Wood

Aphantopus hyperantus

Ringlet

Maniola jurtina

Meadow Brown

Pyronia tithonus

Hedge Brown, male

Autographa gamma

Silver Y

Synanthedon tipuliformis

Currant Clearwing, female

Nemophora degeerella

Longhorn micromoth, male

Adela reaumurella

Green Longhorn Moth

Pyrausta aurata

Micromoth

Volucella pellucens

Hoverfly

Volucella inanis

Hoverfly (hornet/wasp mimic)

Volucella zonaria

Hoverfly (hornet mimic)

Volucella bombylans

Hoverfly (bumble bee mimic, white-tailed form)

Volucella bombylans

Hoverfly (bumble bee mimic, red-tailed form)

Merodon equestris

Narcissus Fly (bumble bee mimic, brown form)

Merodon equestris

Narcissus Fly (bumble bee mimic, banded and buff-tailed form)

Merodon equestris

Narcissus Fly (bumble bee mimic, banded and red-tailed form)

Merodon equestris

Narcissus Fly (bumble bee mimic, black and red-tailed form)

Chrysotoxum bicinctum

Hoverfly

Chrysotoxum cautum

Hoverfly

Chrysotoxum festivum

Hoverfly

Epistrophe eligans

Hoverfly

Episyrphus balteatus

Hoverfly

Eristalis pertinax

Hoverfly

Eristalis tenax

Drone Fly

Helophilus pendulus

Hoverfly

Myathropa florea

Hoverfly

Scaeva pyrasti

Hoverfly

Sphaerophoria scripta

Hoverfly

Syritta pipiens

Hoverfly

Xanthogramma pedissequum

Hoverfly

Anthomyia procellaris

Anthomyiid fly

Bombylius major

Bee-fly (bumble bee mimic)

Chloromyia formosa

Soldierfly

Chrysopilus asiliformis

Snipe fly

Euleia heraclei

Celery Fly

Goniglossum wiedemanni

White Bryony Berry-fly

Lucilia sp.

Greenbottle

Dioctria baumhaueri

Robber-fly

Eutolmus rufibarbis

Robber-fly, female

Neoitamus cyanurus

Common Awl Robber-fly, female

Neoitamus cyanurus

Common Awl Robber-fly, male

Nephrotoma flavescens

Crane fly

Nowickia ferox

Tachinid fly

Sarcophaga sp.

Flesh Fly

Scathophaga stercoraria

Yellow Dung Fly

Sicus ferrugineus

Conopid fly

Tachina fera

Tachinid fly

Thereva nobilitata

Common Stiletto Fly

Abia fasciata

Sawfly

Lasius flavus

Yellow Lawn Ant, workers and larvae

Lasius niger

Black Garden Ant, swarming males

Myrmica sp.

Red Ant, worker

Lissonota sp.

Parasitoid wasp

Chrysididae

Ruby-tail Wasp

Cerceris arenaria

Hunting wasp

Philanthus triangulum

Bee-wolf (hunting wasp)

Vespula vulgaris

Common Wasp, worker

Andrena fulva

Tawny Mining Bee, female

Anthophora plumipes

Flower bee, female

Anthophora plumipes

Flower bee, male

Colletes hederae

Ivy Bee, female

Dasypoda hirtipes

Pantaloon Bee, female

Dasypoda hirtipes

Pantaloon Bee, male

Megachile willughbiella

Leaf-cutter bee, female

Megachile willughbiella

Leaf-cutter bee, male

Osmia bicornis

Red Mason Bee, female

Bombus hortorum

Garden Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus hypnorum

Tree Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus lapidarius

Red-tailed Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus lapidarius

Red-tailed Bumble Bee, male

Bombus pascuorum

Common Carder (Bumble) Bee, worker

Bombus pratorum

Early Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus terrestris

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus terrestris

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, queen

Bombus bohemicus or B. vestalis

Cuckoo Bumble Bee, female

Bombus vestalis

Cuckoo Bumble Bee, male

Apis mellifera

Honey Bee, worker

Phyllopertha horticola

Garden Chafer

Calvia quattuordecimguttata

Cream-spot Ladybird

Coccinella septempunctata

Seven-spot Ladybird

Harmonia axyridis

Harlequin Ladybird

Exochomus quadripustulatus

Pine Ladybird

Propylea quattuordecimpunctata

Fourteen-spot Ladybird

Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata

Twenty-two-spot Ladybird

Chrysolina americana

Rosemary Leaf Beetle

Neocoenorrhinus (Rhynchites) aequatus

Apple Fruit Weevil

Phyllobius sp.

Weevil

Lilioceris lilii

Lily Beetle

Malachius bipustulatus

Common Malachite

Oedemera nobilis

Thick-legged Flower Beetle

Rhagonycha fulva

Black-tipped Soldier Beetle

Clytus arietis

Wasp Beetle

Rutpela maculata

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle

Stenurella melanura

Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, female

bottom of page