A fairly rare female hoverfly gathering nectar of a giant scabious flower in a wasteland near marls. The adult is floricole, the larvae develop in the rotted wood. It serves as a taxi (phoresy) to a tiny arachnid that look like a scorpion (pseudoscorpion). He uses his pedipalpes to cling to the insects that transport him to places where he will find food. They feed on litter of small arthropods, often acarines and springtails.
A fairly rare female hoverfly gathering nectar of a giant scabious flower in a wasteland near marls. The adult is floricole, the larvae develop in the rotted wood. It serves as a taxi (phoresy) to a tiny arachnid that look like a scorpion (pseudoscorpion). He uses his pedipalpes to cling to the insects that transport him to places where he will find food. They feed on litter of small arthropods, often acarines and springtails.
Praying mantis juvenile resting on a giant scabious in a wasteland near marls. Diois, France.
Nymph of Conehead mantis female found in a small wasteland near the marls in the Diois. It has been several years that I regularly frequent the small valley of Chapias and it is nevertheless my first encounter with this species.
Nymph of Conehead mantis female found in a small wasteland near the marls in the Diois. It has been several years that I regularly frequent the small valley of Chapias and it is nevertheless my first encounter with this species.
Garden Tiger moth found in front of my door and I moved to place it high on a coneflower.