Insects in France

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Insects France The Ardèche, July 2010

In 2010 we were on holidays in France. We were on the camping at Joyeuse.
The pictures of the insects I made I've put on this page.
A river runs along the campsite where many insects could be found.
I also photographed insects near the forest and vineyards.

Naast de camping loopt een riviertje, waar je ook kan zwemmen.

Na 10 minuten lopen, kom je bij de wijngaarden en bos.

Bugs

Rhaphigaster nebulosa nymph. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).

I saw this nymph walking in the caravan. Unfortunately I haven't seen an adult bug. In the Netherlands it is found in the south. Because of the white rings on the antennas they are well recognized.
Several deciduous trees.

Palearctic, Europe, northeastern United States.

Stink bugs became even more prevalent in homes and offices across the United States in 2017. While the insects may be fascinating, homeowners and business owners do not want to deal with an infestation inside their buildings. Even large companies like TitleMax need to stay on top of building maintenance issues to prevent stink bugs from getting inside.

Zicrona caerulea nymph. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).
A nymph. The adult bug is completely metallic dark like the dark part of the the nymph.
It is a predatory species, but they also suck juices. Length 5 to 7 mm. The adult bug overwinters. From July the new adults appear. From Africa to northern Europe. It is also found in the Netherlands.

Carpocoris fuscispinus. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).

Carpocoris pudicus. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).

Carpocoris spec. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).

Carpocoris. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).
There are a some species, which are very much alike and all occur in the Ardèche. Namely Carpocoris purpureipennis, Carpocoris mediterraneus nose, Carpocoris fuscispinus and Carpocoris pudicus. The names are of the bugs on the photos are not certain!!! Photo 1 en 2 maybe Carpocoris fuscispinus, photo 3 maybe Carpocoris pudicus

Staria lunata. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).
Length 7 - 8 mm. Especially in the Mediterranean regio.

Eurydema ornata. Family Stink bugs (Pentatomidae).
Like family members, the color varies from yellow to red. There are similar species E. oleracea and E. dominulus.
It hibernates as an adult bug and is often found on crucifers such as cabbage and cress. Especially in Southern Europe, but there are also bugs found in the Netherlands and England. Length 7 to 9 mm.

Odontotarsus. Family Jewel bugs (Scutelleridae).
There are different species. Odontotarsus purpureolineatus, Odontotarsus robustus are possible.

Nysius cf graminicola. Subfamily Orsillinae. Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae). cf means: very probably. It is very similar to the Nysius senecionis.

Lygaeus equestris, Lygaeus simulans. Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae).
Characteristics: Black legs and shield. A white round spot and a white border on the wing membrane
L. equestris occurs especially on Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Seseli hippomarathrum and dandelion.
The adult bug overwinters. From North Africa to Northern Europe. Length 10 - 12 mm

Spilostethus pandurus (formerly also called Lygaeus). Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae).s)

Spilostethus pandurus (formerly also called Lygaeus). Nymph. Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae).

(A nymph of the Lygaeus pandurus) Spilostethus pandurus (formerly also called Lygaeus). Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae).
Characteristics: A white spot on the light brown wing membrane. Length 10 - 14 mm.

Spilostethus saxatilis. Family: Seed Bugs or Ground Bugs (Lygaeidae).
Another ground bug with red and black warning colors. The wing membrane is also black.
On herbaceous plants like umbellifers and the composite family. In autumn you see this bug often sunbathe on logs and stones. Saxatilis: Latin for between the rocks.
The adult bug overwinters. South Central Europe, Southern Europe, Asia Minor. Length: 10 - 11 cm.

Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus). Family Pyrrhocoridae.
Pyrrho-coris = red insect. a-pterus = without wings. But they have brachypterous wings. Brachyptery means, that the wings are very reduced and non-functional. The can't fly. Occasionally there are long winged firebugs (macropteer).
They are strikingly red with a black head. Also striking are the black triangle and the two large black round spots.
This bug also lives in the Netherlands. You often see them in dense groups near lime trees. They feed on the fallen leaves and seeds. They live also on other plants, but don't cause much damage. They also eat dead insects and sometimes even living insects.
The firebug is a plant eater, but it causes little damage. Sometimes there hundreds of firebugs on the same spot. Especially after a mild winter.
Augustus - May. They overwinter in colonies. Palaearctic. Length 10 - 12 mm.

Corizus hyoscyami. Family: Scentless Plant Bugs (Rhopalidae).
A difference with the Firebug is that the Corizus hyoscyami is black on its head. It is hairy and the wing membrane has much veins.
You can find them on a range plants (like Verbascum). It prefers sandy areas with lots of sun. It lives also in the Netherlands.
For predators it doesn't taste good. The adult bug overwinters. In May there are nymphs, which mature in September. So you see them all year. Length 9 - 11 mm.

Stictopleurus cf punctatonervosus. Family: Scentless Plant Bugs (Rhopalidae).
This bug is very similar to Stictopleurus Abutilon. They live in the southern Netherlands. They start to be less rare.
Charistic: The the tip of the scutellum of both species is round. The tip of the scutellum of Stictopleurus crassicornis (in Belgium) is pointed.
The pronotum of S punctatonervosus is more and regularly punctuated. On the neck shield are marks like reading glasses. (Two semi-circles) with S. Abutilon are full circles. The marks are not always clear. Length 6 - 8 mm. The adult bug overwinters.

Rhynocoris. Familie Reduviidae.
A predatory bug. I think a Rhynocoris iracundus. But there are more species in France.
Bees should also beware of this bug. Their bite is said to be painful for us. Length 14 - 18 mm.

Coranus griseus. Familie Reduviidae.
This predatory bug lives mainly on the ground and attacks various prey. I could not close. Unfortunately, it flew away.

Deraeocoris ruber. Family Miridae.
This predatory bug feeds on small insects. Quite broad and variable in color. From red to black. The cuneus is always red. The last antennal segment is thinner.
It lives also in the Netherlands. July - September. Length 6 - 8 mm.

Lygus gemellatus. Family Miridae.
They are variable in colour. From yellowish to reddish brown. Also in the Netherlands. Length about 5 mm.

Adelphocoris vandalicus. Genus Adelphocoris. Family Miridae.

Cicadas

A treehopper Stictocephala bisonia, Stictocephalus bisonia. Family Membracidae.
Native to North America. Spread in Europa early 20th century most likely via the fruit. It is now in Southern and Central Europe, Central Asia and North Africa.
Bisonia refers to the resemblance of its profile to that of a bison. It has a the triangular shape and the sides of the front develop into small points. It has transparent wings.
This bright-green treehopper feeds upon sap from leaves of trees and plants as willow, elm, goldenrod, clover. But also fruit trees and vines.
The eggs overwinter in the branches. The female bores with its ovipositor a hole for the eggs. The nymphs appear in May, June. They crawl down and feed on grasses and weeds. Length: 6 - 8 mm

Maybe Cicada orni. Family Cicadidae.
About 25 mm. One of the known singing cicada. In the Mediterranean, you always hear them. You see them much less. If they sit against a tree, they are very well camouflaged. Closer up, they stop making noise. This cicada was sitting on a beautiful spot.
The larva of a singing cicada lives underground for several years feeding on juices of plant roots. The adult cicadas don't live long. (Several weeks to several month

Dragonflies, damselflies

Orange-spotted Emerald Dragonfly (Oxygastra curtisii). Family Cordulliidae.
This dragonfly is no longer in the Netherlands. Usually around not too fast-flowing streams and rivers with shrubs and trees along the shore. The colour of the thorax and abdomen is bronzy-green . Along the length of the dorsal surface of the abdomen it has yellow, orange, elongated spots. The eyes are bright green.
Length: 47 - 54 mm. May - August.

Small Pincertail (Onychogomphus forcipatus). Family Libellulidae.
You usually see it near fast-flowing streams and rivers and lakes with gravel and sand. I saw them a lot on a path between the vineyards. Sometimes I had to avoid them.
Recognizable by the yellow thorax with wavy black stripes. Green eyes with two black horizontal stripes. A black abdomen with yellow spots.
In the Netherlands the Small Pincertail is very rare. Europe, North Africa, the Near East. Length 50 -53 mm. June - September.

Orange Featherleg (Platycnemis acutipennis). Family Platycnemididae.
This species is found in France and Spain. In the Netherlands and Belgium, we only have the White-legged damselfly or Blue Featherleg. The hind tibia of Featherlegs have a conspicuous featherlike expansion. Often near running water. The eggs are laid in water plants.

Wespen

Megascolia maculata flavifrons Familie: Scoliidae

Megascolia maculata flavifrons. Family: Scoliidae.
The largest wasp in Europe. An impressive wasp, which is not dangerous to humans. The female has a yellow head and is 45 mm long. The second picture shows the Megascolia maculata flavifrons with a hornet wasp. Also a large wasp, but much smaller than the other one. Megascolia maculata is similar, but has brownish red hair. The male is smaller and has longer antennae.
The females sting the large larvae of rhinoceros beetles (Oryctes nasicornis) stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) and July beetle (Polyphylla fullo) to paralize it. Then it lays her egg on the outer skin. The larva will eat into its host. When it has killed its host, it creates a cocoon near its host. It overwinters in its cocon.
On this page are some large beetles. But I do not know their larvae are are host of this Mammoth wasp.

Colpa sexmaculata. Family: Scoliidae.
Not as large as the Megascolia maculata flavifrons. You can see it is family. Length about 20 mm

Hornet (Vespa) Genus Vespa. Subfamily Vespinae. Family Vespidae.
There are three species in Euroasia. Namely Vespa germanica, Vespa media en Vespa crabro. Vespa crabro is the largest, about 30 mm. That's much larger than an ordinary wasp. They don't sting so fast, but it is more painful. They are also social wasps with a nest. Usually no more than 1000 wasps. In Autumn they are not attracted to human food. There is less aggressive contact between hornets and humans. They catch many other insects.
The Vespa crabo lives in the Netherlands. Especially in the south and east of the Netherlands and on sandy soils. But it is also found in the west.

Batozonellus lacerticida. Family spiderwasps (Pompilidae).
This beautiful spiderwasp hunts large orb weaver spiders (Araneidae), for example, the wasp spider (Argiope bruennichii) Argiope lobata, Araneus
angulatus and Araneus ventricosus. The spider is paralyzed with a poisonous sting and then dragged into a hole. In the abdomen an egg is laid.
They have orange wings with dark tips.

Wolbij

Wool Carder bee (Anthidium spec.) Family Megachilidae

Wool Carder bee (Anthidium spec.). Family Megachilidae.
There are many similar species. In the Netherlands there are also some some species. This bee looks like an Anthidium florentinum. But another species is also possible. They have white hairs on the underside of the abdomen. (a kind of hairy brush) On these hairs they carry pollen. They are large, solitary, stocky bees. The female builds her nest in holes with plant hairs rather like carding wool.
The males defend their territory against conspecifics and other bees. For this they use the sharp spines on their abdomen.

Flies

Ectophasia crassipennis Subfamily Phasiinae. Tribe Phasiini. Family: Tachinidae.

This fly lives in southern Europe and in the warm parts of Central Europe. Not in the Netherlands like some other members of the subfamily. Those are on my page "Tachinidae".
Males and females are different. The brownish yellow abdomen of the male has a wide black stripe.
The female lays the eggs directly into the host the shield bug (Pentatomidae)
Length 5 - 9 mm. May - September.

Peleteria spec. Heel misschien Peleteria varia.

Peleteria spec. Maybe Peleteria varia. Subfamily Tachininae. Tribe Tachinini Family Tachinidae.
Another Tachinid. Two members of the subfamily are on the page "Tachinidae".
From Southern Europe to Slovakia. Not in the Netherlands. June - September.

Miltogramminae Familie vleesvliegen (Sarcophagidae)

Miltogramminae. Family flesh flies (Sarcophagidae).
Most of these flies are kleptoparasites of solitary bees and wasps. They lay an egg in the nest of these bees and wasps. The larvae eat the food intended for the bee and wasp larvae . They are not to identify from a photograph .

Dasypogon diadema female. Genus Dasypogon. Family robber flies (Asilidae).
In Southern Europe this is a common robber fly. Males have a black abdomen. The females have red markings on the black abdomen. The color of the wings is also different. The wings of the males are blackish. The wings of the females are brown. The eggs (1-6) are laid in sand balls with a diameter of about 4, 5 mm.

Chrysogaster solstitialis. Genus Chrysogaster. Family Hoverflies, Flower Flies (Syrphidae).
It lives also in the Netherlands. But I haven't seen it in our garden. (in 2013 also in our garden!!)
It has red eyes and dark wings. The thorax has a purple sheen. The larvae live in muddy banks with rotting wood. May - September. North Africa, Europe Length 6 - 9 mm.

Paragus spec. Genus Paragus. Family Hoverflies, Flower Flies (Syrphidae).
These hoverflies are tiny flies from 4 to 7 mm. Sometimes they are completely black. Sometimes the abdomen is for a part red (or yellow). The paragus in this picture has the length of about 4 mm. The species I don't know. (in 2012 also found in the dunes in the netherladns!!) The larvae feed on aphids.

Villa spec. Bee-fly family (Bombyliidae)

Villa spec. Bee-fly family (Bombyliidae).
A large family with many genera. The species of this family are difficult to identify. They look like bees. They can also be found on flowers. The larvae are parasites of beetle larvae and the larvae of solitary bees and wasps. There are species throughout the world.

Cyllenia rustica Also of the Bee-fly family (Bombyliidae)

Butterflies

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae). Family Hesperiidae.
The eggs are laid on species of Mallow like common mallow. I have these plants in the garden. But I live far from Limburg. And that's the only part of the Netherlands with Mallow Skippers.
Light brown wings with dark brown spots. Forewing length about 14 mm. Flight: April - October. Southern and Central Europe. Rare in the Netherlands (Limburg).

Scarce Swallowtail, Sail Swallowtail, Pear-tree Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Scarce Swallowtail, Sail Swallowtail, Pear-tree Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius). Familie Pages (Papilionidae).
In the Netherlands as very rare migrant butterfly. This holiday I saw them every day. It's a beautiful large butterfly. The wing length is 32 to 39 mm.
The caterpillar has several food plants. Like blackthorn, peach and hawthorn. March - October.
It looks like the Netherlands in less common yellow swallowtail (Papilio machaon) Throughout Europe, not in the northern parts, Asia Minor, China and India.

Small Copper, American Copper, Common Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

Small Copper, American Copper, Common Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). Family Lycaenidae.
It is widespread throughout the Palearctic region. Also in the Netherlands. It has dark hind wings with an orange boarder.
March - October. Two or three generations. Host: Different species of sorrel.

Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia). Family Nymphalidae.
It lives in Central and Eastern Europe. In the Netherlands it is an endangered species. It only found in southern Limburg.
Forewing length 16 to 21 mm. As host, it has mostly narrowleaf plantain. The caterpillar overwinters. Flight time: May - September. One generation.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) subspecies Pararge aegeria aegeria

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) subspecies Pararge aegeria aegeria. Subfamily Satyrinae. Family Nymphalidae.
The other subspecies is Pararge tircis aegeria. It has pale yellow spots. I have written about this species on the page "butterflies".
Pararge aegeria aegeria has orange spots and lives in southern Europe and northern Africa. Host plants are various grasses. Wingspan 32-42 mm. February - October. Two to three generations.

Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe). Subfamily Satyrinae. Family Nymphalidae.
Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor. In the Netherlands, this butterfly has diappeared.
We were visiting a cave. There she saw them flying from tree to tree. They stayed mainly in the shade with folded wings. There they were very well camouflaged. Unfortunately I haven't made good shots. A large butterfly with a wingspan of 68 to 82 mm. Host plants are various grasses. June to September. One generation.

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) Family Nymphalidae

Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia). Family Nymphalidae.
A large beautiful butterfly with a wing length of 27 to 35 mm. Europe. In the Netherlands only a migrant butterfly.
Host: Different species of violets. The young caterpillars hibernate. Eggs are deposited on trees near violets. May - September.

Blauwe IJsvogelvlinder (Limenitis reducta) Familie Nymphalidae

Southern White Admiral (Limenitis reducta). Familie Nymphalidae.
Wingspan 22 - 27 mm. The upperside of the wings has a beautiful blue sheen.
Flight time: May to August. A generation. It is found in Northern Spain, Southern and Eastern France, Italy, the Alps. In the Netherlands it is a very rare migrant butterfly.

Eastern bathwhite (Pontia edusa) or bathwhite (Pontia daplidice). Family Pieridae.
Both butterflies are nearly identical. But the eastern bathwhite lives in the South East of France and Central Europe. The bathwhite (Pontia daplidice) lives in western Europe. The bathwhite (Pontia daplidice) is very rare in the Netherlands. Host plants: Mainly resedaceae. The butterflies you see often in cruciferae. March - October. Several generations.

Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris fuciformis). Family Sphingidae. A day-flying moth.
I have described this moth on my page "butterfly". Because I see it sometimes in our garden. In France I saw it more often. But I still have not a good photograph. They so very active.

Dysauxes punctata. Family Arctiidae.
A moth. The last butterfly that morning we saw just before we left the Ardèche. It is found in Central Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa.
The hosts are Prunus subcontractor and Genista. But also lichens. June - September. One or two generations.

Beetles

Rose chafer (Cetonia aurata). Family: Scarabaeidae (Scarab beetles)
There is also the Rose chafer (Protaetia cuprea), which is very similar. Up to about 2 cm. By the metallic green color is a beautiful beetle. Another feature is the bright stripes on the shields.
It feeds on pollen, petals and wound fluids of trees. You can find it when it's sunny on different flowers like the elder and hawthorn. Here they sat on a umbellifer. The larvae live and hibernate in decayed wood. Except in the North they are common species in Europe. In the Netherlands they are rare (mostly in the south and east.)

White-spotted rose beetle (Oxythyrea funesta)

White-spotted rose beetle (Oxythyrea funesta). Family Scaraeidae (Scarab beetless).
This is also a beautiful shiny beetle. But it is black instead of green. On the shields are white spots.
Central and South Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor, Middle East. The Oxythyrea funesta is found in the southern Netherlands, but it is rare. Length 8 - 12 mm. In the Netherlands: May-July.

Musk beetle (Aromia moschata). Family longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae). The musk beetle is also in the Netherlands, but is quite rare. Especially in my neighborhood. It is a large beetle with a length of 3 to 4 cm. (compare it with the Striped Shield bug (Graphosoma lineatum) It is black with a blue green black metallic sheen. It lives on willow. A larva can be there two to three years in life. Occasionally you will find the larvae of the poplar and alder. If it feels disturbed, it spreads a musky odor. Hence its name

Chlorophorus trifasciatus. Family longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae).
Typical are the three broad white bands on the elytron. Central Europe, Southern Europe, Turkey.
The larvae develop in two years in stems and roots of various plants, especially herb stall (Ononis), but also in other family members. May-July. I saw a lot of these longhorn beetles. Length 6 to 12 mm.

Chlorophorus varius. Family longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae).
A yellow green beetle with black bands. On the neck shield is also a black transverse stripe. The upper band on the elytron is shaped like a horseshoe. I have seen a lot of these longhorn beetles, hut I do not have many pictures. When I put photos on the computer, I noticed that a part of the antennas was missing. The beetle had no problems with it.
It lives in Europe but not in the Netherlands. The larva is found in woody plants in the stems of herbaceous plants. There it stays two to three years. May - September.

Acmaeodera Maybe Acmaeodera taeniata. Subfamily Acmaeoderinae. Family jewel beetles (Buprestidae).
The larvae develop in the wood. There are several species in the area near the Mediterranean See, Middle and Eastern Europe.
They have shape of the jewel beetles in our garden, but they don't have shiny elytra. On the elytra of these species are short thick hairs.. June-August.

Mordella Maybe Mordella aculeata. Subfamily Mordellinae. Family tumbling flower beetles (Mordellidae).
I saw many of these species on umbellifers. The adomen has a characteristic thorny end.
There are different species in Central Europe. The larvae of Mordella are found in wood and herbaceous plants. Length 5 - 7 mm.

Bee beetle,Trichodes apiarius, male. Family checkered beetles Cleridae

Bee beetle,Trichodes apiarius, male. Family checkered beetles Cleridae.
Trichodes alvearius is very similar, but this species has red around the last black spot.
The beetles feed on pollen but also on small insects. The larvae live in the nests of honey bees and solitary bees and feed on the pollen and the larvae of the bees.
Central Southern Europe. Rare in the Netherlands. Length 9 - 13 mm. May to August.

Variegated Lady beetle (Hippodamia variegata). Subfamilie typical ladybirds (Coccinellinae). Family ladybirds / ladybugs (Coccinellidae).
The edge around the neck shield is white. Usually there is white next to the black dot in the middle of the elytra.
It is also found in the Netherlands, but I haven't seen it. Native in Europe. Introduced into North America. Length 3-6 mm.

5-spot ladybird (Coccinella quinquepunctata) Subfamilie typical ladybirds (Coccinellinae). Family ladybirds / ladybugs (Coccinellidae).
They feed on aphids and larvae of leaf beetles. This ladybird also lives in the Netherlands. But unfortunately not in our garden. The spots at the rear and of the elytra can be small. Then they are more difficult to recognize. Length 3.5 - 5 mm.

Poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) old name Melosoma populi

Poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) old name Melosoma populi. Family leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae).A black rounded beetle with red elytra. Like ladybirds, they release a bitter, smelly liquid, when they feel threatened.
It lives on poplar and willow. In Europe and the Netherlands is a general bug. I miss both trees around the garden. Therefore, I had no photo of this leaf beetle.
The adult beetle overwinters. Length to 13 mm.

Cryptocephalus. Maybe Cryptocephalus sulphureus, Cryptocephalus fulvus, Cryptocephalus luridicollis

Other insects

European mantis, Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa). Family praying mantises (Mantidea).
European mantis can be recognized by the dark spot near its armpit, the line over the eye. The neck shield about half as long as wings / abdomen. Usually they are greener than the European mantis in the picture.
Native to Southern Europe. But now also in the U.S. and Canada. They are more akin to cockroaches than to grasshoppers. I haven't photographed grasshoppers. Another time perhaps. This praying mantis was in the sun on a place with much shadow.

Cockroache. Family Blattellidae Orde (Blattodea).
Perhaps Ectobius pallidus, but Ectobius vittiventris is also possible. If you know the name, you can mail me. I do not know much about cockroaches.
Usually, you read, that they are household pest insects and that they are difficult to control. But it is a beautiful insect.

I want to thank everyone, who has helped me (waarneming.nl) to identify.

Nederlands / Dutch

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