Post by Moths in a human suit (they/them) / Redsky

Moths in a human suit (they/them) • Feed

2. Shield bugs, AKA stink bugs (which is rude, but I think it's because some of them can exude a noxious liquid in defense.) Specifically green, red-legged, and hawthorn shield bugs. I love these critters, which is good given quite a lot of them drop by. #InverteFest

A chonky shield-shaped green bug, with sturdy little legs, tiny eyes, and thin antennas. It's sitting on a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap being delightful.

Another different species of shield bug, this time brown with a little yellow spot on its back, and long red legs. It's marching across a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap.

Another different species of shield bug from my moth trap, this time it's much more slender, with longer antennas, mostly green with a light brown cross on its back, and thin green legs.

aug 31, 2025, 10:21 am • 58 1

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3. We get a range of spiders in the egg trays. They seem very optimistic, given the size difference between them and most moths. Maybe there's small gnats visiting for them to eat that I don't see, though. #InverteFest

A small brown spider with pale markings on its very round bum. It's sitting in a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap.

A zoomed out view of the spider to show a moth in a neighbouring cell of the egg tray. The point here is that the moth is a lot larger than the spider. I think the spider may be a tad optimistic moving in here.

A small light brown spider, with it's 8 legs all bunched up near its body and very neat ovoid bum. It looks like it doesn't wanna get out of bed, which is fair to be honest. I did get it out of the moth trap early.

A little green spider with tegs and everything else that looks impossible thin and wispy compared to it's big ovoid abdomen. Next to it is a big fluffy nest ball. It's apparently moving into my moth trap trays long term.

aug 31, 2025, 10:31 am • 41 0 • view

4. Cockchafers, summer chafers, and the like. These beetles generally loll around in the trap like they're half asleep, honestly. Adorable. #InverteFest

A big chonky beetle, with an oval shape and sturdy brown elytra. It has long thin spiny legs, a small black head and adorable fan shaped antennas. It's sitting on my hand.

Another similar beetle, peeking over the edge of a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap, with it's fan shaped antennas extended. Adorable.

Top down view of a similar beetle on my hand. This beetles a lighter shade of brown overall and seems a little chonkier. But still has a chafer shape.

Two beetles similar to the last one, rolling around on my hand.

aug 31, 2025, 11:41 am • 76 11 • view

5. Speaking of beetles, look at this utterfuckingly delightful acorn weevil! What a perfect little bud, no notes. #InverteFest

A teeny tiny weevil, with a seed-shaped body, chunky wee legs, and a super-long nose. Well, it's not a nose I don't think, but I don't know the technical name for this protrusion. Anyway, the nose has two delightful jointed antennas sticking out from half way along it. It's mottled brown, viewed side on, standing on my had. So cute.

The same weevil, face on this time. It has big black eyes, that look very puppy dog. As if it's saying please don't squish mee-ee-ee. Don't worry little beet, I would never.

aug 31, 2025, 12:34 pm • 50 8 • view

6. Non-biting midges. I didn't know these existed until I got a moth trap. But we welcome our new non-bitey flapping friends. #InverteFest

Bear with me cos I'm not quite sure how to describe this. It's a long thin insect with the shape of a mosquito about it. But I'm sure it's a midge, not a mozzy. Long thin bum, short wider body, teeny head, short fuzzy things that I'm not if they're antennas or some kinda palps? Anyway. It's two front legs seem a lot longer and finer than the other four, and it has long slender transparent wings. It's sitting on a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap.

aug 31, 2025, 12:43 pm • 28 0 • view

Huh. I didn’t know those existed either.

aug 31, 2025, 12:57 pm • 1 0 • view

7. Not sure what this red mite is? But it snuck in on a moth. #InverteFest

Close up on the top half of a fluffy brown moth, with a tiny red mite latched onto it's shoulder. The moth has round black eyes, and wirey antennas with short comb-like teeth. It's sitting on a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap.

aug 31, 2025, 2:58 pm • 19 0 • view

phoretic mites are so cool...

aug 31, 2025, 3:01 pm • 0 0 • view

8. Green lacewings. Very lovely visitors. Not sure what else to say about them TBH, they're super pretty tho. #InverteFest

A lacewing with a long slender green body, large delicate lace-like wings, thin legs, round brown eyes, and long wirey antennas. It's sitting in a jar lid on my hand.

Another lacewing with a long slender green body, large delicate lace-like wings, thin legs, round brown eyes, and long wirey antennas. It's perched on the edge of a jar in my hand.

Another lacewing with a long slender green body, large delicate lace-like wings, thin legs, round brown eyes, and long wirey antennas. It's sitting on a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap.

aug 31, 2025, 3:03 pm • 35 2 • view

9. Eared leafhopper. Amazing bark camo, I love it. Crypsis and mimicry are my favourite things when it comes to both spotting and drawing bugs. #Invertefest

Top down view of a small ovoid leafhopper insect, with a bark-like colour and texture. It's wings have a lacey pattern, and it has 2 protrusions from it's shoulders that seem a bit like ears. They are not ears. But that are where it gets the name eared leafhopper.

Side view of the same bark-mimicking leafhopper, in which okay yes the two protrusions do look a bit like Mickey mouse cartoon ears if I squint right. Whatever you can then it is a splendid tiny beast.

aug 31, 2025, 3:24 pm • 25 3 • view

10. Sometimes the lolling chafers give the optimistic spiders a treat... #InverteFest

Two brown chafer beetles like the ones up-thread have wandered into a cell of a moth trap tray that is occupied by a small green spider. The spider is poised to try and web them I guess? Two giant beetles must be a pretty exciting catch if you're a spider.

aug 31, 2025, 8:28 pm • 16 0 • view

11. Brown lipped snail. Probably the most unexpected visitor to the moth trap yet. 🙃🤷 #InverteFest

A little snail with a golden stripey shell, asleep in a cell of one of the grey cardboard egg trays from my moth trap. I'm not sure how or why, but I'm impressed it got in there.

aug 31, 2025, 8:32 pm • 16 1 • view

12. Assorted wasps. As well as the classic jasper, a range of other things that I guess are wasps (?) drop by. #InverteFest

The classic common wasp, AKA jasper with pointy stripey bum, somewhat fuzzy head and body, chonky antennas, and long slightly spiny legs. Best stripey girl on the dead fruit clean up crew, A+.

An unidentified insect that I'm guessing is some kind of wasp. It has a long thin abdomen, a teeny tiny waist, a boxy body, small head and long antennas. It has long transparent wings and thin legs. It's black all over apart from the wings.

A long gangly orange wasp on the fabric shelter above my moth trap. It has a really long body and very long thin legs and antennas. Its wings are transparent.

Another unidentified presumed wasp. Sorry, I'm very bad at Hymenoptera ID. It has a long abdomen, tiny waist, chonky body, small head, and long antennas. It's wings are long and slightly tinted brown. It's long legs are orange and its body is black.

aug 31, 2025, 10:19 pm • 10 0 • view

Gorgeous color, wow! And some of the best eggs in the business.🤩

aug 31, 2025, 8:34 pm • 2 0 • view

Their wings are just so perfect!

aug 31, 2025, 8:50 pm • 2 0 • view

I've been assuming any I spot with no bitey parts are males. Went off to wiki for some reading and er... wow. Starting to debate if intelligent design is in fact real and the designer is just an asshole.

Screenshot of a portion of a Wikipedia page. Text reads; People infected by malaria produce relatively large amounts of Plasmodium-induced aldehydes in the skin, creating large cues for mosquitoes as it increases the attractiveness of an odour blend, imitating a

aug 31, 2025, 9:22 pm • 0 0 • view

Heh! This isn't a mosquito though.

aug 31, 2025, 9:34 pm • 0 0 • view

Oh, sorry, you did say midge. I always thought midges looked entirely different to mozzies. Back off to wiki!

aug 31, 2025, 10:47 pm • 0 0 • view

Was there just the one weavil?

aug 31, 2025, 1:55 pm • 0 0 • view

Yep. Only ever see them one at a time. Why?

aug 31, 2025, 2:43 pm • 0 0 • view

I don't know why, perhaps they fight. Good thing is that you didn't have to choose between the lesser of two weevels.

aug 31, 2025, 6:55 pm • 1 0 • view

Those snoot antennae slay me. 😆

aug 31, 2025, 2:30 pm • 2 0 • view

I love the snoots so much 😻

sep 1, 2025, 12:40 am • 1 0 • view

N°2 ! this little guy 😍

aug 31, 2025, 12:16 pm • 10 0 • view

Mate, why'd you take the alt text off??

aug 31, 2025, 12:28 pm • 3 0 • view

Oh, I thought that with the number people could find the alt text in your post. I will complete this no pb

aug 31, 2025, 12:38 pm • 2 0 • view

Alt text and my apologies : "Another similar beetle, peeking over the edge of a grey cardboard egg tray from my moth trap, with it's fan shaped antennas extended. Adorable."

aug 31, 2025, 12:40 pm • 3 0 • view

They are top notch beetles! They have such excellent faces 🫶

aug 31, 2025, 11:52 am • 1 0 • view

Cock chafers are so cute. They have such fuzzy faces and I like their little antlers.

aug 31, 2025, 12:24 pm • 2 0 • view

The antennas are so cool! I wonder why some beetles have these fan-like antenna... Maybe a bigger surface area for detecting things or summat?

aug 31, 2025, 12:49 pm • 1 0 • view

Probably something like that.

aug 31, 2025, 1:08 pm • 0 0 • view

beetle puppy! 🥹

A head-on view of a fuzzy beetle with golden brown legs, elaborate antennae like folding fans, and big puppy dog eyes.

aug 31, 2025, 3:14 pm • 3 0 • view

They really are.

aug 31, 2025, 3:15 pm • 1 0 • view

aw... spider mama!🥹

aug 31, 2025, 8:32 pm • 0 0 • view

I loveeeeee shield bugs! They have cute little leggies and cute litle antennae and big round stupid looking eyes and they are always very chill and polite when they visit. 10/10 bug.

aug 31, 2025, 1:35 pm • 1 0 • view