Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Thought we could post pictures of insects to help one-another identify them and list their usefulness or how they will harm your plants etc...

Here are some pics of insects in my system this morning... Perhaps somebody can help put a name to some of them...


To date this fly has been identified as the 'Long Legged Fly ', or Dolichopodid Flies. They are small to minute in size with bright metallic colours, mostly green or bronze. Their legs are long . Adult Dolichopodid Flies feed on smaller soft body insects such as aphids. This makes this species of fly a definite friend of ours in an AP system
Larvae are usually found in moist soil and under tree bark. They are either scavengers or predators of other insects larvae.

more insect pics
These bugs attack the first leaves of seedlings and the edges of young, soft leaves

This worm is always around! It suddenly appears in large amounts and can decimate the leaves of certain plants - it wont touch nasturtiums but loves the leaves of cucumber and pumpkin vines as well as the leaves of the mint plant (which it quickly strips down to stalks! )

And finally, 2 pictures of the bees which now seem to be frequenting out AP system - not quite like the honey bees we had in South Africa, but the same size all the same.

nice idea aquamad.

it will be interesting to see the insect diversity around different parts of oz.

seems like your creating quite an ecosystem there am.

okay, I think Fly 1 (1 and 1.1) is a Doliochopodid Fly (often lands on upper surfaces of leaves, quickly flies off again. Preys on small, soft bodied insects)

Fly 2 is possibly a flesh fly - likes carrion or dung

Bug 1 is an Orchid Beetle - feeds on flowers and soft leaves of orchids.

Bee, is... a bee! sorry, no good pictures here of them

Great Idea AM. Once they are positively ID could they be moved to some reference place? Possibly sorted by location or pest/friend or some other category?

Fly 1/2: Dolichopodidae - longlegged fly
-Most likely harmless... no information on crop damage. Could be parasitic (orde diptera).
www.cirrusimage.com/flies_longlegged.htm

Fly 2: Tachinid fly?
-Parasitic
http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_flies/TACHINIDAE.htm

Bug 1.1 : black-spotted orange beetle - Badister
-Harmless, predatory.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/20241

Bug 1 : Spotted Cucumber Beetle
-Adults eat foliage and flowers
-Lavae (rootworms) can damage plant roots and plant base.
http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_spotted_cucumber.htm

Catapillar : Common cabbage moth larvae:
- Kill It! Both the larvae and adult cabbage moth can cause extensive plant damage.
http://www.yates.com.au/ProblemSolver/C ... terfly.asp

Bee: Is a native bee of some sort. I thought it was a wasp because of the extended antennae but the legs have hair which means it must collect pollen. Wasps do not collect pollen. - Beneficial...

Paper and European wasps.

The paper wasps here in Kalgoorlie look nearly Identical to the euro's, the only way I could tell them apart was by the antenna and the hive.

Good Lady Bugs.

great pics

Looks like you disturbed those lady bugs...

I looked for the lady bugs but they seem to have moved on... but they will be back as the aphids seem to be popping up again

After a few weeks we can look at this thread and reorganise all data and pics in it into an easier to use reference source... I imagine it would be something like:
*a picture
* known distribution
* facts (good and/or bad attributes regarding its affect on your system)
* possible ways to rid your system of them or encourage them in your system

But that is something we will nut out later, once we have enough to work with
We can start another thread like this one for America and the rest of the world if need be...

by knowing what will help our systems and what will harm them, we will also know what to knock out of the air and use as fish food or what to leave in peace

some more pics taken this morning