Aron Bellersheim
@coleomaniac.bsky.social
24 & totally obsessed with the tiniest insects :)
Photographing hidden biodiversity from leaf litter, deadwood & soil alive @ up to 10x
+other habitats & museum specimens
Preparator of beetles @smnstuttgart.bsky.social
inaturalist.org/people/coleomaniac
Photographing hidden biodiversity from leaf litter, deadwood & soil alive @ up to 10x
+other habitats & museum specimens
Preparator of beetles @smnstuttgart.bsky.social
inaturalist.org/people/coleomaniac
Pinned
Aron Bellersheim
@coleomaniac.bsky.social
· Feb 21
Hello, Bluesky!
I'm an insect person and choose to spend my time searching, collecting, photographing and identifying mostly tiny beetles.
I will share pictures of obscure little critters like this blind, soil dwelling ground beetle and wingless parasitoid wasp.
#macrophoto #macro #insects #beetle
I'm an insect person and choose to spend my time searching, collecting, photographing and identifying mostly tiny beetles.
I will share pictures of obscure little critters like this blind, soil dwelling ground beetle and wingless parasitoid wasp.
#macrophoto #macro #insects #beetle
Do you like my Leg Day Bae Display Chalcididae? 🧡
(conura sp wasp)
7/8/23. N. Florida 🧪
(conura sp wasp)
7/8/23. N. Florida 🧪
August 9, 2025 at 9:16 AM
But yes, while there are other groups with such legs, Chalcididae wasps, being 1460 know species, are probably the biggest group of wasps with buff hind legs and it would be a difference between them and the 74 species of yellow jackets and hornets in case you were thinking of those
August 9, 2025 at 8:59 AM
But yes, while there are other groups with such legs, Chalcididae wasps, being 1460 know species, are probably the biggest group of wasps with buff hind legs and it would be a difference between them and the 74 species of yellow jackets and hornets in case you were thinking of those
Which other species do you mean?
There are huge differences among the over 150.000 different Hymenoptera species known so far. Most of them are wasps in the broader sence, such as this one.
As an example for their huge diversity here is a great overview of African Hymenoptera: waspweb.org/index.htm
There are huge differences among the over 150.000 different Hymenoptera species known so far. Most of them are wasps in the broader sence, such as this one.
As an example for their huge diversity here is a great overview of African Hymenoptera: waspweb.org/index.htm
WaspWeb - World wasps, bees & ants
waspweb.org
August 9, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Which other species do you mean?
There are huge differences among the over 150.000 different Hymenoptera species known so far. Most of them are wasps in the broader sence, such as this one.
As an example for their huge diversity here is a great overview of African Hymenoptera: waspweb.org/index.htm
There are huge differences among the over 150.000 different Hymenoptera species known so far. Most of them are wasps in the broader sence, such as this one.
As an example for their huge diversity here is a great overview of African Hymenoptera: waspweb.org/index.htm
Neat little wasp with muscular hind legs :)
Although I see Chalcidoidea almost daily, this was only my second Chalcididae. IV.2024
Haltichella rufipes, 4mm, a larval parasite of a diverse set of hosts: Tortricidae-moths, death-watch and darkling beetles
#hymenoptera #parasitoidwasp #macrophotography
Although I see Chalcidoidea almost daily, this was only my second Chalcididae. IV.2024
Haltichella rufipes, 4mm, a larval parasite of a diverse set of hosts: Tortricidae-moths, death-watch and darkling beetles
#hymenoptera #parasitoidwasp #macrophotography
August 9, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Neat little wasp with muscular hind legs :)
Although I see Chalcidoidea almost daily, this was only my second Chalcididae. IV.2024
Haltichella rufipes, 4mm, a larval parasite of a diverse set of hosts: Tortricidae-moths, death-watch and darkling beetles
#hymenoptera #parasitoidwasp #macrophotography
Although I see Chalcidoidea almost daily, this was only my second Chalcididae. IV.2024
Haltichella rufipes, 4mm, a larval parasite of a diverse set of hosts: Tortricidae-moths, death-watch and darkling beetles
#hymenoptera #parasitoidwasp #macrophotography
Gorgeous Drypta dentata 🤩
One of the coolest and most unique German ground beetles.
It lives in a huge variety of different habitats but is not too common overall.
I was happy to find it on the amazing insect-friendly area of IG: @artenschutz_salzmann
#coleoptera #carabidae #macrophotography
One of the coolest and most unique German ground beetles.
It lives in a huge variety of different habitats but is not too common overall.
I was happy to find it on the amazing insect-friendly area of IG: @artenschutz_salzmann
#coleoptera #carabidae #macrophotography
August 5, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Gorgeous Drypta dentata 🤩
One of the coolest and most unique German ground beetles.
It lives in a huge variety of different habitats but is not too common overall.
I was happy to find it on the amazing insect-friendly area of IG: @artenschutz_salzmann
#coleoptera #carabidae #macrophotography
One of the coolest and most unique German ground beetles.
It lives in a huge variety of different habitats but is not too common overall.
I was happy to find it on the amazing insect-friendly area of IG: @artenschutz_salzmann
#coleoptera #carabidae #macrophotography
Thanks for this amazing taxonomy 😂👍
March 27, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Thanks for this amazing taxonomy 😂👍
Thanks, you too!
March 15, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Thanks, you too!
Thanks, Bernard!
The light is diffused by a Guage diffusor shining onto half a white plastic cup above and white paper below
The light is diffused by a Guage diffusor shining onto half a white plastic cup above and white paper below
March 14, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Thanks, Bernard!
The light is diffused by a Guage diffusor shining onto half a white plastic cup above and white paper below
The light is diffused by a Guage diffusor shining onto half a white plastic cup above and white paper below
These crystals are almost as soft as wax and usually easy to break off without damaging the specimen.
The greater problem is that they form mostly inside the specimen and can break it apart
The greater problem is that they form mostly inside the specimen and can break it apart
March 6, 2025 at 12:37 AM
These crystals are almost as soft as wax and usually easy to break off without damaging the specimen.
The greater problem is that they form mostly inside the specimen and can break it apart
The greater problem is that they form mostly inside the specimen and can break it apart
It's #weevilwedneday again :)
So here is a pretty little fungus weevil: Dissoleucas niveirostris
Sitting on some grass near deadwood in a mixed (mainly beech) forest. It sat still enough for me to combine two pictures handheld for extra DOF
Wetzlar May 2023
#coleoptera #anthribidae #macrophotography
So here is a pretty little fungus weevil: Dissoleucas niveirostris
Sitting on some grass near deadwood in a mixed (mainly beech) forest. It sat still enough for me to combine two pictures handheld for extra DOF
Wetzlar May 2023
#coleoptera #anthribidae #macrophotography
March 5, 2025 at 10:47 PM
It's #weevilwedneday again :)
So here is a pretty little fungus weevil: Dissoleucas niveirostris
Sitting on some grass near deadwood in a mixed (mainly beech) forest. It sat still enough for me to combine two pictures handheld for extra DOF
Wetzlar May 2023
#coleoptera #anthribidae #macrophotography
So here is a pretty little fungus weevil: Dissoleucas niveirostris
Sitting on some grass near deadwood in a mixed (mainly beech) forest. It sat still enough for me to combine two pictures handheld for extra DOF
Wetzlar May 2023
#coleoptera #anthribidae #macrophotography
Wow! That's already a lot of new people seeing my pictures now :)
Thanks a lot for the shoutout!
Thanks a lot for the shoutout!
March 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Wow! That's already a lot of new people seeing my pictures now :)
Thanks a lot for the shoutout!
Thanks a lot for the shoutout!
yes, it's incredibly tiny but it gets even crazier, as the tiniest wasp is only about one eight her length: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicopom... (also the smallest known insect)
Dicopomorpha echmepterygis - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
March 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
yes, it's incredibly tiny but it gets even crazier, as the tiniest wasp is only about one eight her length: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicopom... (also the smallest known insect)
Thanks! It's even downscaled by bluesky from ~8000 pixels to only 2000 pixels wide. I had to combine two images sideways since it was too big for my lens with a minimum magnification of 2.5x 🤣
March 4, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Thanks! It's even downscaled by bluesky from ~8000 pixels to only 2000 pixels wide. I had to combine two images sideways since it was too big for my lens with a minimum magnification of 2.5x 🤣
One of the great finds while we were hosting a masters module (phylogeny of insects) for students from the University of Hohenheim and doing a field trip near Stuttgart in July 2023. Petr Janšta was with us and able to identify it while it was still busy ovipositing I believe 🤯
February 27, 2025 at 11:59 PM
One of the great finds while we were hosting a masters module (phylogeny of insects) for students from the University of Hohenheim and doing a field trip near Stuttgart in July 2023. Petr Janšta was with us and able to identify it while it was still busy ovipositing I believe 🤯
This beautiful metallic #chalcidoidea wasp Torymus varians is drilling her super long ovipositor into a hawthorn berry
(protective sheaths stay in place)
It's one of the species, which are actually phytophagous and her larvae will feed on seeds inside
#hymenoptera #torymidae #macro #macrophotography
(protective sheaths stay in place)
It's one of the species, which are actually phytophagous and her larvae will feed on seeds inside
#hymenoptera #torymidae #macro #macrophotography
February 27, 2025 at 11:59 PM
This beautiful metallic #chalcidoidea wasp Torymus varians is drilling her super long ovipositor into a hawthorn berry
(protective sheaths stay in place)
It's one of the species, which are actually phytophagous and her larvae will feed on seeds inside
#hymenoptera #torymidae #macro #macrophotography
(protective sheaths stay in place)
It's one of the species, which are actually phytophagous and her larvae will feed on seeds inside
#hymenoptera #torymidae #macro #macrophotography
I think Exomella, probably Exomella merickeli.
There was a key linked for north American Bhyrrids on Bugguide:
web.archive.org/web/20151017...
Very cool! Would be the first images of this species easily visible online if I'm correct
There was a key linked for north American Bhyrrids on Bugguide:
web.archive.org/web/20151017...
Very cool! Would be the first images of this species easily visible online if I'm correct
web.archive.org
February 27, 2025 at 7:48 PM
I think Exomella, probably Exomella merickeli.
There was a key linked for north American Bhyrrids on Bugguide:
web.archive.org/web/20151017...
Very cool! Would be the first images of this species easily visible online if I'm correct
There was a key linked for north American Bhyrrids on Bugguide:
web.archive.org/web/20151017...
Very cool! Would be the first images of this species easily visible online if I'm correct
how about a Bhyrridae? The face gave me a hint here.
Exomella seems to be similar and has hairs like that but I can't find any good images of the north american species
Exomella seems to be similar and has hairs like that but I can't find any good images of the north american species
February 27, 2025 at 7:07 PM
how about a Bhyrridae? The face gave me a hint here.
Exomella seems to be similar and has hairs like that but I can't find any good images of the north american species
Exomella seems to be similar and has hairs like that but I can't find any good images of the north american species
really cool for sure!
February 27, 2025 at 7:02 PM
really cool for sure!
Very pretty weevil Tapinotus sellatus :)
Found it on yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) next to an abandoned fish pond in the woods.
Wetzlar, May 2023
#weevilwednesday #weevil #insect #coleoptera #curculionidae #ceutorhynchinae #macrohoto #macrophotography
Found it on yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) next to an abandoned fish pond in the woods.
Wetzlar, May 2023
#weevilwednesday #weevil #insect #coleoptera #curculionidae #ceutorhynchinae #macrohoto #macrophotography
February 27, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Very pretty weevil Tapinotus sellatus :)
Found it on yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) next to an abandoned fish pond in the woods.
Wetzlar, May 2023
#weevilwednesday #weevil #insect #coleoptera #curculionidae #ceutorhynchinae #macrohoto #macrophotography
Found it on yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) next to an abandoned fish pond in the woods.
Wetzlar, May 2023
#weevilwednesday #weevil #insect #coleoptera #curculionidae #ceutorhynchinae #macrohoto #macrophotography
*subterranean beetle detected*
Ptomaphagus? (top right)
Ptomaphagus? (top right)
February 26, 2025 at 10:36 PM
*subterranean beetle detected*
Ptomaphagus? (top right)
Ptomaphagus? (top right)
Living in Europe I found out that Inopeplinae and Metaxyphloeus existed at about the same time working on those parts of the collection and was delighted by their existence.
It's still funny to me that you call salpingids narrow-waisted bark beetles and we call them false weevils in Germany
It's still funny to me that you call salpingids narrow-waisted bark beetles and we call them false weevils in Germany
February 24, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Living in Europe I found out that Inopeplinae and Metaxyphloeus existed at about the same time working on those parts of the collection and was delighted by their existence.
It's still funny to me that you call salpingids narrow-waisted bark beetles and we call them false weevils in Germany
It's still funny to me that you call salpingids narrow-waisted bark beetles and we call them false weevils in Germany
0.8mm tiny Aphelinidae wasp (Centrodora sp.?) I found in some hay last autumn
Single shot using Mitutoyo MPlan APO10X on a tube lens with variable aperture on a mirrorless aps-c camera.
#hymenoptera #Aphelinidae #insects #insect #macrophotography #macrophoto #ultramacro #parasitoid #parasitoidwasp
Single shot using Mitutoyo MPlan APO10X on a tube lens with variable aperture on a mirrorless aps-c camera.
#hymenoptera #Aphelinidae #insects #insect #macrophotography #macrophoto #ultramacro #parasitoid #parasitoidwasp
February 24, 2025 at 8:56 PM
0.8mm tiny Aphelinidae wasp (Centrodora sp.?) I found in some hay last autumn
Single shot using Mitutoyo MPlan APO10X on a tube lens with variable aperture on a mirrorless aps-c camera.
#hymenoptera #Aphelinidae #insects #insect #macrophotography #macrophoto #ultramacro #parasitoid #parasitoidwasp
Single shot using Mitutoyo MPlan APO10X on a tube lens with variable aperture on a mirrorless aps-c camera.
#hymenoptera #Aphelinidae #insects #insect #macrophotography #macrophoto #ultramacro #parasitoid #parasitoidwasp
whoops, don't mind that extra foot...
February 24, 2025 at 2:01 AM
whoops, don't mind that extra foot...