Russian Vine

In Montmartre cemetery, a Russian Vine stand, also often named Bukhara fleeceflower (Fallopia baldschuanica, sometimes still called Polygonum, in particular in English texts) sprays its wonderful drooping panicles of whitish flowers over tombs, and attracts many insects feeding on pollen and nectar...

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At the start of the alimentary chain, some aphids. Those are probably Aphis craccivora (cowpea aphid), with their clear legs and feeding on a Polygonaceae...

Their presence attracts naturally one of their frequent predator, the ladybeetle. One endemic species like the seven-spotted ladybeetle.

And also the two-spotted one (black form).

Below the asian multicolored ladybeetle (Harmonia axiridis), but surely not the wingless form...

Other pollen amateurs come to feed, but the flower panicles are not able to support their weight. Bumble bees...

Other Hymenoptera, like this Megachile and this Andrena.

And now, some Cerceris, firstly three trying to test their sense of balance...

Other show a more classic and more serious behavior.

Nature seems to be less serious itself, sometimes, like with those Gasteruption sp.

Yet another Gasteruption sp., this time with a white segment on the ovipositor, whose presence tells us that this is a female.

And a pretty Chrysis sp., with its splendid green and red dress with metallic reflects.

Here comes the beewolf (Philanthus triangulum), so called because it catches and paralyzes bees to feed its larvae.

Allow me to introduce a beautiful guest star, the Isodontia mexicana, a wasp coming from Central America which spreads rapidly in Europe.

To end this little walk, we should not forget some Diptera. First a Sphaerophoria scripta.

Then an Eristalis sp., followed by another hoverfly (Myathropa florea).

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