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Anthemis



Anthemis
Still in Montmartre cemetery, an Anthemis group...
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Picture for Anthemis
This plant was visited by a great number of ladybeetles (Coccinella septempunctata)...
Picture for Anthemis
But also by other insects. For instance this Nomada sp., a cuckoo bee.
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Or this Megachile sp..
Picture for Anthemis
And even an ant.
Picture for Anthemis
With lady beetles and ants, I naturally looked also for aphids. But they were well hidden and I didn't find any one. Others seemed to have luck.
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Then I discovered larvae of Coccinella septempunctata and Adalia bipunctata...
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Those larvae are extremely quick and move fastly from flower to flower.
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Looking more closely, I could finally find aphids, some of them almost transparent.
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
Picture for Anthemis
It seems that they stay in the rift between the petals and the heart of the flower. This explains the attitude of this lady beetle and the presence of honeydew on the flower.
Picture for Anthemis
I could even observe the larva of a Chrysopida or Hemeroba, huntig for aphids, too.
Picture for Anthemis
The most curious aspect of this plant is that the aphids don't feed on leafs, but on the flower.
All pictures taken in May 2005.
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Last update: February 2023
Questions and comments are welcome.
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