Last night I photographed this small leafhopper (Jassargus sp.). Looking for tiny animals is fun, but in the darkness even more!

Very interesting and cute animals! Do you have any questions?

Firebugs have different regional names. What do you call them?

Houseflies mating,
Musca domestica
(08/2015 in Oberursel, Germany)

Insects have a different nervous system than vertebrates like us. 🎉🎊 Not everything is controlled by the brain. 🙃🌳 The nerve cords are similar to a rope ladder. ☝🐝 In each body segment are two interconnected ganglia. ✌🐜 In the head several ganglia are fused together and form the brain. 👈🤓 The brain isn't really needed for survival, because the vital functions 💕 take place in other body segments. 💪😃 However, the fly can take without head no liquid or food. 💀🌈

Tachinid fly,
Tachina fera
(04/2019 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

The German name of this fly is Igelfliege, which means hedgehog fly. ❤ These loveable creatures lay their eggs on leaves. 🌿 When the maggots hatch, they crawl into caterpillars.👍🐛 One maggot per caterpillar. ☝🐛The caterpillar then plagues a lifelong feeling of internal erosion until it finally finds its well deserved death. 💀🐛 Take a look at this cute fly! 😍 It's very useful in pest control. They are cruel but very effective!

Red paper wasp,
Polistes canadensis
(10/2018 in Santa Teresa, Peru)

I've often encountered them in the Cusco region. With a wingspan of about 5 cm, they belong to the larger wasp species. The species name refers to Canada, but it doesn't occur there. The first describer, zoologist Carl von Linné, was misinformed. The red paper wasp lives in neotropical regions from Argentina to USA. Unfortunately, I couldn't photograph any of them alive. But a dead insect can also be quite interesting! I think it would fit well in a Star Wars movie, right?

Dagger flies,
Empis tessellata
(04/2016 in Oberursel, Germany)

Only adult males are predatory on other insects. Before mating, the male catches a prey to present as a gift to the female. In this case, a robber fly. Only then the mating takes place.

Dubia roach,
Blaptica dubia

I breed this species since 2004. It is nutritious, easy to care for and easy to reproduce. I've created different breeding environments to gain insights. Unfortunately, I've developed an allergy to these animals, so for the most part I've to house them separately in the basement. But a few I still let live with me so I can watch them.

Common yellowjacket,
Vespula vulgaris
(09/2007 in Oberursel, Germany)

Hummingbird hawk-moth,
Macroglossum stellaratum
(06/2017 in Oberursel, Germany)

Although we don't have hummingbirds in Europe, some are spotted sometimes. Due to their fast wing movements this diurnal moth looks very big in flight. The moth performs hummingbird-like flight maneuvers and makes an impressive sound. They are migratory butterflies and spend the summer in northern Eurasia. In winter, they fly to southern Eurasia and North Africa. There are also transition areas with permanent habitat. However, the borders are shifting due to global warming.