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Spoonwing; Duende

Nemoptera bipennis

Description:

It is not a damselfly nor a butterfly. Belongs to Neuroptera order (or net-winged insects) and it is related to ant lions, lacewings and owlflies (Ascalaphidae). It belongs to the family Nemopteridae or spoonwings. Larvae need two years feeding on small insects to become adults. Adults feed only on pollen. Their flight is slow and delicate and they have a circling flight to avoid walls when they are trapped indoors.

Habitat:

It is found in Spain, Portugal and France. Spotted at a pine tree forest. Parque Nacional de Sierra de Guadarrama.

Notes:

Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.; f/11; ISO Speed Rating: 200. Exposure Bias: 0 EV. Focal Length: 300.0 mm. No Flash fired

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36 Comments (1–25)

JamesPriest2
JamesPriest2 4 years ago

Beautiful looking insect.

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Obrigado, António!

Congrats Arlanda on the second place,super series,thanks for sharing

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks Mark and sunnyjosef

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thank you very much, AshleyT, it is a great honor. We call it Duende in Spain that means "magical creature" or "elf" and it is really magical to see one of this floating in the wing like if it were a paper flying creature!!

sunnyjosef
sunnyjosef 8 years ago

Congrats Arlanda..

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 8 years ago

Congratulations.

AshleyT
AshleyT 8 years ago

Congrats Arlanda, your beautiful Spoonwing placed 2nd in the arthropod category for the Best of 2015! Here is the link for the '2016 Best Wildlife Photo' mission so you can add more fantastic spottings for this year! www.projectnoah.org/missions/2004046002

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/pho...

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks a lot for the nomination. It is a great honor

AshleyT
AshleyT 8 years ago

Congrats Arlanda, your amazing Spoonwing has made the top 10 arthropod spottings in the '2015 Best Wildlife Photo' mission! Rangers are voting on the top 10 arthropod spottings, and the top 3 will be announced on February 9th. The top 3 spottings will be commented on here on the site, but make sure you keep a look out on our Facebook app page for the announcement as well! Congratulations on making the top 10! https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks Luis!

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

De nada, Jose Miguel. Es bastante desconocido porque solo dura un par de semanas en su fase imago.

LuisStevens
LuisStevens 8 years ago

Congrats Arlanda for the Spotting of the Week!

Diaz José Miguel
Diaz José Miguel 8 years ago

Ni siquiera sabía que un insecto así existía! muchas gracias es hermoso!

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks LaurenZarate

LaurenZarate
LaurenZarate 8 years ago

Congratulations Arlanda!

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks LisaPowers

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks Ashley, it is a honor to be chosen Spotting of the Week, specially after being chosen by my "camaradas" rangers.

Thanks a lot!!!!

LisaPowers
LisaPowers 8 years ago

Congrats Arlanda! Such a beauty!

AshleyT
AshleyT 8 years ago

Congratulations Arlanda, this beautiful insect has been chosen as the ranger-selected Spotting of the Week!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/pho...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/6...

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks pamsai and Kranti Dhiman

Kranti Dhiman
Kranti Dhiman 8 years ago

very beautiful !!

pamsai
pamsai 8 years ago

well deserved Arlanda...

Fyn Kynd
Fyn Kynd 8 years ago

Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!

arlanda
arlanda 8 years ago

Thanks pamsai. They are difficult to see because the adult only survives a few weeks. I have only seen them twice!

arlanda
Spotted by
arlanda

Cercedilla, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain

Spotted on Jun 5, 2015
Submitted on Jul 14, 2015

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