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Thanks, Africat, your input is much appreciated

Here's a similar bee / wasp that I saw at Strandfontein (Cape Town) on 21 June 2012.

Hi,

I'm hoping someone here can help me ID these insects I photographed in the Kruger in November. I have the excellent Field Guide to Insects by Picker, Griffiths and Weaving but I haven't been able to find them in there.

No 1 and 2, shot at Pafuri Picnic Spot :-



No 3. Shingwedzi camp site :-


No 4. Timbavati Picnic Spot :-


No 5. Nkuhlu Picnic Spot :

I've managed to ID two of the above

I think No 1 is a False Stink Bug of some sort and No 2 is Rainbow Shield Bug.

Anyone got any ideas about the others?

Can someone help me to add this grashopper shown here, seen in Masorini Heritage Site at January 2011?

viewtopic.php?style=2&f=68&t=68099


Cheers
Charbel

Charbel, I think it is an "Elegant Grasshopper" Zonocerus elegans.

BluTuna

Your #4 Timbavati bug looks like a Rainbow Shield Bug Calidea dregii
I am not sure about your #3 from Shingwedzi, he is quite handsome. How large was he?

Wonderful pics, and a keen eye for the little denizens for sure, Blu Tuna. Sorry I cannot help at this stage.

BluTuna,
Perhaps you can look into the Holoptilus genus ( Holoptilinae is a subfamily of the assassin bugs) for #1's ID. They are also known as feather-legged bugs and ant wolves. Cool critters you captured, thanks for sharing!

Hi Normana,
Thank you very much!

All the best
Charbel

Hi, It was good meeting you in November. I'm currently reading your TT and enjoying it thoroughly

I managed to find the Rainbow Shield Bug a while ago after paging through the insect book for the umpteenth time

I suspect that #3 is an Assassin Bug of some kind, If I remember rightly, its body length was about 1cm or a little bigger.

Identifying insects reminds me of the trauma I went through when I started birding except more so. It doesn't help that it's only possible to show a very few of the species in the book - I think a tome somewhere around the size of the Encyclopaedia Britannica would be required to show all of the known species in the region.

Can someone help with an ID of this beetle? Seen in Mokala in late October 2012.

Hi Arks.
This is a type of Oogpister beatle (translation for oogpister: eye-shooter) . The name derives from its defense mechanism of spraying a burning liquid in the eyes of its attacker.

WoW, that was quick! Thanks Ifubesi

Another two. Can anyone help with IDs for the two insects on this flower? (Well, actually there are three , but I think the two on the left are the same sort? ) See at Mokala in late October 2012.

Anyone???