Insect Activity at the Beach

If it is true that you can 'always be birding' then it is doubly true for observing insects, they are everywhere. Reptile-enthusiasts have 'herping', birders go 'birding'. I still haven't settled on what verb to use for when one goes out looking for insects. I've seen 'bugging' suggested as well as 'enting' (from entomology, not those loveable tree-people). Let me know if you have a preferred name for this activity.

Here are some insects I found on the beach one day. It is a popular beach near a metro station, fairly urbanized but with delineated spaces for breeding birds and seaside plants to grow untrampled. The Least Terns had a few crying young that the adults were busy delivering fresh fish from the ocean. I left them alone to their fulfill their parental duties in peace.

Unlike birding, I am still finding 'lifer insects' nearly every trip. All these insects were new to me at the time.

There were many of these small wasps (Microbembex monodonta) flying around.

Came across a Common Lagoon Fly (Eristalinus aeneus). Great eye spotting. The common name makes sense given I found it on the coast.

I thought these were the common Asian Lady Beetles but upon further inspection I think they are actually Variegated Lady Beetle (Hippodamia variegata). Open to suggestions on the ID.

Finally, I was able to catch this wasp digging out its burrow. There were many of these holes pock-marking the beach. Initially I thought they were created by crabs and I wish I grabbed a photo to show you the scene. But they seem to be the nests of these Sand-Loving Wasps (Genus Tachytes) actually. Perfect name for them given their nesting preference of sandy soils. This individual quickly adapted to my lens being so close and began excavating again.

All photos taken by @funferall and submitted to iNaturalist.