I am firmly of the opinion that there is nothing on the planet that someone on Singletrack that someone can’t identify. With this in mind, here is a photo I took as the first challenge, not super difficult but hopefully a good start. Ideally I’d like an ID without using google, and then another picture taken yourself as the next challenge…etc…
Just in case you can see the label, it’s not actually what the label says it is…
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A weathered wooden pub bench
The word bee is actually in the name but it’s not a bee (or Eric the half a bee before anyone says it…).
Bee-fly or Bee-mimic?
I was going to do a weak Scritti Politti -Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) pun, to drag it out. Coincidentally Aretha Franklin on 6 Music right now, but anyways...
Hightensionline - you are incredibly close although not correct…
It's hard to tell from the picture what the scale is.
That could be a bench, or it could be part of a fallen giant redwood.
If the latter, I'm going with alien invasion shock assault squadron leader, about 3m long and 1m high.
If it *is* aliens, all I can say is it's about time.
Ok scale - it is fricking massive - easily the biggest fly I ever saw - about 4cm long with legs like a tarantula.
Some kind of wood wasp then?
As in what I posted (briefly) before editing? I was going to go with what I posted, then realised I don't have a photo to carry on the thread!
Yea before you removed it you were incredibly close…
Let’s just say anyone can carry it on once it’s identified!
Ah, is it a moth? Some kind of hawk moth.
Ok scale – it is fricking massive – easily the biggest fly I ever saw – about 4cm long with legs like a tarantula.
Ok, guessing here, I'm going to go literal on it's ass...
Elephant fly
Giant fly
Hippo fly
Dinosaur fly
Are any of those a thing? 😆
I take it 'evil looking bastard' isn't correct?? 🤔
It doesn't look like a bee beetle but based on your clue and the fact that I only have half an idea what a bee beetle looks like...
...Is it a bee beetle?
Carpenter bee 🐝
The Big Hitters are all busy on the politics threads.
This one is where the B Listers hang out.
It ain’t a Carpenter Bee but those are the first two words of its’ name…
This is proving more challenging than I expected!
It ain’t a Carpenter Bee but those are the first two words of its’ name…
I was going from some of the hints above but missed where you said it wasn't a bee 🤣
The Big Hitters are all busy on the politics threads.
This one is where the B Listers hang out.
👏👏👏
It ain’t a Carpenter Bee but those are the first two words of its’ name…
It's a carpenter bee eater?
Carpenters - We've only just Bee gun
I think it's a spider. Carpenter Bee spider
Really it’s two things. The one on top is trying to eat the one on the bottom… And the top dude has some pretty cool shades on!
Surely I haven’t just beaten Singletrack?? Maybe I should allow Google, since we are living in an online world…
It’s almost cheating in that it’s such a crap, low-res photo about the only thing you can say is it’s an insect, possibly two. Not bothered anyway, I can’t be arsed to try and find another photo.
Cardinal beetle?
If you click on the image you'll get a better picture.
My attempt at identifying it earlier was Laphria flava AKA a bumblebee robberfly or the yellow assassin fly, just in case it helps anyone.
I can't even see an image ... browser seems to block a lot of STW images.
So, i'll guess anyway, based on the 'clues' above.
It's a bean.
Er... well, if you click on the photo up comes a tab saying "Hippo Fly copy", so I'm guessing it must be a hippo fly! 😂
It's not a Bee or Wasp, as it only has the one pair of wings. So it's some sort of Bee mimic. I've never seen anything like it up here in Stirlingshire though. Is it native to the Uk?
Elephant fly
Giant fly
Hippo fly
Dinosaur fly
Bee-hee Moth
It's a baby robin going to a fancy dress party as Bono.
Carpenter bee fly
I did say it’s not what the label says it is - ie it’s not a hippo fly. Native to Africa, pic taken on the edge of Lake Malawi.
Its a Carpenter Bee Robber Fly (Hyperechia marshalli) I think. What a cool name.
It is a Carpenter Bee Robber Fly - top marks! A more badass looking insect I have never seen, he even has separate toes on each foot. Picture of them eating wasps, which they seem quite partial to, show how huge they really are. Although this one’s a cheat because I didn’t take it.
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On the subject of badass insects here is another - a wasp so huge it made a massive spider look small! Taken in Kruger National Park if anyone fancies another ID test…! The spider is a baboon spider. A little easier to identify as the name is very much ‘does what it says on the tin’
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Baboon-spider Eating Wasp?
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Another one...