Black on White and Yellow. Chironomid Midge, Chironomidae sp., on Prunus spinosa, Sloe, Gaasperplaspark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The glum, chilly and wet weather at about 6 C took me out anyway to the Gaasperplaspark to see what I could see. I first made my way to the Beehive Station; only a couple of lethargically cold workers in and out.
Nearby there's a small copse of Sloes just coming into blossom now. Olymp looked carefully and saw this Chironomid Midge; I think it may be Chironomus plumosus but since there are about 5000 specific ones, I'm only hazarding a guess. Here it is on a Sloe blossom stamen. I had no idea these wee creatures might eat pollen...
Black on White and Yellow. Chironomid Midge, Chironomidae sp., on Prunus spinosa, Sloe, Gaasperplaspark, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The glum, chilly and wet weather at about 6 C took me out anyway to the Gaasperplaspark to see what I could see. I first made my way to the Beehive Station; only a couple of lethargically cold workers in and out.
Nearby there's a small copse of Sloes just coming into blossom now. Olymp looked carefully and saw this Chironomid Midge; I think it may be Chironomus plumosus but since there are about 5000 specific ones, I'm only hazarding a guess. Here it is on a Sloe blossom stamen. I had no idea these wee creatures might eat pollen...