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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 (even a spectacular male Banded Demoiselle, presumably a stray from the River Yare, and the regional specialities, Willow Emerald and Norfolk Hawker), 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.

The insects featured are ordered following the sequence in Brock's excellent field guide (Brock PD. 2019. A Comprehensive Guide to Insects of Britain and Ireland. Revised and expanded edition. Pisces Publications, Newbury).  All images in the gallery 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.

Calopteryx splendens

Banded Demoiselle, adult male

Chalcolestes viridis

Willow Emerald, female

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly, female

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly, male

Coenagrion puella

Azure Damselfly, female

Coenagrion puella

Azure Damselfly, male

Enallagma cyathigerum

Common Blue Damselfly, male

Ischnura elegans

Blue-tailed Damselfly, immature male

Aeshna cyanea

Southern Hawker, female

Aeshna cyanea

Southern Hawker, male

Aeshna grandis

Brown Hawker, female

Aeshna grandis

Brown Hawker, male

Aeshna isosceles

Norfolk Hawker, male

Aeshna mixta

Migrant Hawker, female

Aeshna mixta

Migrant Hawker, male

Anax imperator

Emperor Dragonfly, female

Libellula depressa

Broad-bodied Chaser, adult female

Libellula depressa

Broad-bodied Chaser, immature male

Libellula depressa

Broad-bodied Chaser, adult male

Sympetrum sanguineum

Ruddy Darter, female

Sympetrum striolatum

Common Darter, female

Sympetrum striolatum

Common Darter, immature male

Meconema thalassinum

Oak Bush-cricket, female

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, adult female

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, female nymph

Conocephalus discolor

Long-winged Conehead, adult male

Leptophyes punctatissima

Speckled Bush-cricket, late-instar nymph, female

Leptophyes punctatissima

Speckled Bush-cricket, adult male

Leptophyes punctatissima

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

Chorthippus brunneus

Field Grasshopper, female

Chorthippus brunneus

Field Grasshopper, male

Chorthippus albomarginatus

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

Hawthorn Shieldbug

Tritomegas bicolor

Pied Shieldbug

Sehirus luctuosus

Forget-me-Not Shieldbug (on Green Alkanet)

Eysarcoris venustissimus

Woundwort Shieldbug

Peribalus strictus

Vernal Shieldbug

Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbug, adult (winter form)

Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbug, adult

Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbug, nymph

Dolycoris baccarum

Hairy Shieldbug

Piezodorus lituratus

Gorse Shieldbug, spring form

Pentatoma rufipes

Forest Shieldbug

Eurydema oleracea

Crucifer Shieldbug

Gonocerus acuteangulatus

Box Bug, adult

Gonocerus acuteangulatus

Box Bug, nymph

Coreus marginatus

Dock Bug, adult

Coreus marginatus

Dock Bug, nymph

Corizus hyoscyami

Rhopalid bug

Himacerus mirmicoides

Ant Damsel Bug, nymph

Deraeocoris olivaceus

Mirid bug

Deraeocoris ruber (brown-and-red form)

Mirid bug

Deraeocoris ruber (black-and-red form)

Mirid bug

Heterotoma planicornis

Mirid bug

Miris striatus

Mirid bug

Capsus ater

Mirid bug

Closterotomus trivialis

Mirid bug

Ledra aurita

Eared Leafhopper

Issus coleoptratus

Issid planthopper

Macrosiphum albifrons

Lupin Aphid

Ablattaria laevigata

Carrion beetle

Hoplia philanthus

Welsh Chafer

Phyllopertha horticola

Garden Chafer

Rhagonycha fulva

Black-tipped Soldier Beetle

Cantharis rustica

Soldier beetle

Malachius bipustulatus

Common Malachite

Anthocomus fasciatus

Soft-winged flower beetle

Exochomus quadripustulatus

Pine Ladybird

Propylea quattuordecimpunctata

Fourteen-spot Ladybird

Calvia quattuordecimguttata

Cream-spot Ladybird

Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata

Twenty-two-spot Ladybird

Coccinella septempunctata

Seven-spot Ladybird

Coccinella septempunctata

Seven-spot Ladybird, larva

Adalia decempunctata

Ten-spot Ladybird

Harmonia axyridis

Harlequin Ladybird

Harmonia axyridis

Harlequin Ladybird, larva

Oedemera nobilis

Thick-legged Flower Beetle, male

Pyrochroa serraticornis

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle

Stenocorus meridianus

Longhorn beetle

Grammoptera ruficornis

Longhorn beetle

Rutpela maculata

Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetle

Stenurella melanura

Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, female

Clytus arietis

Wasp Beetle

Lilioceris lilii

Lily Beetle

Chrysolina americana

Rosemary Leaf Beetle

Tatianaerhynchites aequatus

Apple Fruit Weevil

Otiorhynchus sp.

Weevil

Phyllobius sp.

Weevil

Nephrotoma flavescens

Crane fly

Chrysopilus asiliformis

Little Snipe-fly, male

Chrysopilus cristatus

Black Snipe-fly, female

Chrysopilus cristatus

Black Snipe-fly, male

Chloromyia formosa

Soldier-fly

Sargus bipunctatus

Soldier-fly, female

Bombylius major

Bee-fly

Thereva nobilitata

Common Stiletto Fly

Neoitamus cyanurus

Common Awl Robber-fly, female

Neoitamus cyanurus

Common Awl Robber-fly, male

Dioctria atricapilla

Robber-fly

Dioctria baumhaueri

Robber-fly

Eutolmus rufibarbis

Robber-fly, female

Empis tessellata

Empidid fly

Chrysotoxum bicinctum

Hoverfly, male

Chrysotoxum cautum

Hoverfly, female

Chrysotoxum cautum

Hoverfly, male

Chrysotoxum festivum

Hoverfly, female

Xanthogramma pedissequum

Hoverfly, female

Sphaerophoria scripta

Hoverfly, male

Scaeva pyrastri

Hoverfly, female

Episyrphus balteatus

Hoverfly

Epistrophe eligans

Hoverfly, male

Eristalis arbustorum

Hoverfly, female

Eristalis nemorum

Hoverfly, male

Eristalis pertinax

Hoverfly, male

Eristalis tenax

Drone Fly, female

Myathropa florea

Hoverfly, female

Helophilus pendulus

Hoverfly

Merodon equestris

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

Merodon equestris

Narcissus Fly (bumble bee mimic, brown 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)

Volucella bombylans

Hoverfly (bumble bee mimic, white-tailed form), male

Volucella bombylans

Hoverfly (bumble bee mimic, red-tailed form), female

Volucella inanis

Hoverfly (hornet/wasp mimic), male

Volucella pellucens

Hoverfly, female

Volucella zonaria

Hoverfly (hornet mimic), female

Syritta pipiens

Hoverfly, female

Micropeza corrigiolata

Stilt-legged fly

Sicus ferrugineus

Conopid fly

Anomoia purmunda

Tephritid fly

Terellia tussilaginis

Tephritid fly, male

Euleia heraclei

Celery Fly

Goniglossum wiedemanni

White Bryony Berry-fly

Tephritis formosa

Tephritid fly

Tephritis vespertina

Tephritid fly

Scathophaga stercoraria

Yellow Dung Fly

Anthomyia sp.

Anthomyiid fly

Graphomya maculata

Muscid fly, female

Graphomya maculata

Muscid fly, male

Lispe tentaculata

Muscid fly

Lucilia sp.

Greenbottle

Sarcophaga sp.

Flesh Fly

Metopia sp.

Miltogrammine fly, male

Dexia rustica

Tachinid fly

Nowickia ferox

Tachinid fly

Tachina fera

Tachinid fly

Thymelicus sylvestris

Small Skipper

Thymelicus lineola

Essex Skipper

Ochlodes venatus

Large Skipper, male

Gonepteryx rhamni

Brimstone, female

Pieris brassicae

Large White

Pieris napi

Green-veined White

Anthocharis cardamines

Orange Tip, male

Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral

Vanessa cardui

Painted Lady

Aglais urticae

Small Tortoiseshell

Inachis io

Peacock

Polygonia c-album

Comma

Pararge aegeria

Speckled Wood

Pyronia tithonus

Hedge Brown, male

Maniola jurtina

Meadow Brown

Aphantopus hyperantus

Ringlet

Lycaena phlaeas

Small Copper

Aricia agestis

Brown Argus, male

Polyommatus icarus

Common Blue, male

Celastrina argiolus

Holly Blue, female

Synanthedon tipuliformis

Currant Clearwing, female

Synanthedon formicaeformis

Red-tipped Clearwing

Deilephila elpenor

Elephant Hawk-moth, caterpillar

Tyria jacobaeae

Cinnabar moth, caterpillar

Autographa gamma

Silver Y

Adela reaumurella

Green Longhorn Moth, male

Nemophora degeerella

Longhorn micromoth, male

Pyrausta aurata

Micromoth

Cydalima perspectalis

Box Tree Moth

Abia fasciata

Sawfly

Arge cyanocrocea

Sawfly

Arge pagana

Sawfly, female egg-laying

Arge ochropus

Rose Sawfly, larva

Nematus septentrionalis

Sawfly, larvae

Amblyteles sp.

Parasitoid wasp

Lissonota sp.

Parasitoid wasp, female

Chrysididae sp.

Ruby-tail Wasp

Tiphia femorata

Tiphiid wasp, female

Lasius flavus

Yellow Lawn Ant, workers and larvae

Lasius niger

Black Garden Ant, swarming males

Myrmica sp.

Red Ant, worker

Dolichovespula media

Median Wasp

Vespula vulgaris

Common Wasp, worker

Ectemnius sp.

Digger wasp

Oxybelus uniglumis

Digger wasp

Cerceris arenaria

Digger wasp, female

Cerceris rybyensis

Digger wasp, female

Philanthus triangulum

Bee-wolf (hunting wasp), female

Colletes hederae

Ivy Bee, female

Andrena fulva

Tawny Mining Bee, female

Dasypoda hirtipes

Pantaloon Bee, female

Dasypoda hirtipes

Pantaloon Bee, male

Osmia bicornis

Red Mason Bee, female

Megachile willughbiella

Leaf-cutter bee, female

Megachile willughbiella

Leaf-cutter bee, male

Heriades truncorum

Large-headed Resin Bee, female sealing nest

Nomada panzeri

Cleptoparasitic bee, female

Anthophora plumipes

Flower bee, female

Anthophora plumipes

Flower bee, male

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 pratorum

Early Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus terrestris

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, queen

Bombus terrestris

Buff-tailed Bumble Bee, worker

Bombus pascuorum

Common Carder (Bumble) Bee, worker

Bombus bohemicus or B. vestalis

Cuckoo Bumble Bee, female

Bombus vestalis

Cuckoo Bumble Bee, male

Apis mellifera

Honey Bee, worker

© 2025 Andrew Bourke. Created with Wix.com

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