insects

Small tortoiseshell Aglais urticae butterfly at rest with wings only slightly open.

Broken-belted bumble bee Bombus soroeensis, showing the bumble bee in flight, male bee

Broken-belted male bumblebee in flight.  Illustration for Swedish packaging company

Anopheles gambiae African Malaria mosquito unfed female, posing in typical diagonal position

Larva of Anopheles gambiae Malaria mosquito showing typical position, parallel to the water surface

Pupa of Anopheles mosquito based on Anopheles gambiae at water surface

Feeding African Malaria Mosquito Anopheles gambiae showing stylets as she feeds, and swollen belly with tergites forced apart and excess liquid excreted during feeding

African Malaria Mosquito Life cycle Anopheles gambiae

Green woodpecker Picus viridis anting for parasite removal

Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines butterfly with Cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis.  Illustration shows male butterfly with wigs open, and another with wings folder closed on the host plant Cuckoo-flower (or Ladies’ smock)

White Admiral butterfly Limenitis camilla with outstretched wings.  This butterfly is a velvety brown with distinctive white markings, crossed with deep brown-black veins.

Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia with detail.  Carnivorous plant growing in upland and boggy habitats.  

Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus & Queen butterfly Danaus gilippus life cycle on Mexican milkweed Asclepias curassavica.  Illustration includes pupa and caterpillar for both species.

Wood ant nest.  This nest belongs to the Southern red wood ant, Formica rufa.  Wood ant nests do differ between species, although it can be hard to tell them apart.

Nest and budded smaller nest of wood ant.  This budding often happens with wood ant species.

Mating during nuptial flight Formica rufa Southern Red wood ant queen and male

Worker caste of the Narrow headed ant Formica exsecta.  This species have curved backs to their heads.

Slender ant Leptothorax acervorum worker.  This ant is only 3mm, and although similar to the Shining Guest ant, has a darker and less smooth head.

Scottish wood ant Formica aquilonia worker. These ants are only modestly hairy.

Southern Red wood ant Formica rufa.  One of the most common species of European wood ant.

Shining Guest ant Formicoxenus nitidulus worker.  This tiny species is extremely shiny, and only 2.75mm long.

Hairy wood ant Formica lugubris, showing species-specific long hairs.  These reach up to and beyond the eyes.

Slave making or Blood red wood ant Formica sanguinea.  These wood ants are far redder than the other wood ant species.

Thorax and hairs detail of Hairy wood ant Formica lugubris.  Hairs are longer and more numerous than other wood ant species, and extend beyond the eyes.