Natural History Photographs


Saka (Bitlis), Turkey
5 June 2010


A short stop for coffee, near a dry bedding of a small stream between agricultural fields. The soil was very volcanic, not surprising as we were on the foothils of the Nemrut volcano. Walking on the stream bedding made a very hollow sound, as if below the bedding there was just a void...

Dry stream bed


Blitopertha spec. Chalcochiton spec.


Chalcochiton cf. pallassi


Oxythyrea cinctella Therividae


Ichneumonidae


Chrysotoxum cf. festivum
Although this hoverfly looks much like C. festivum, the jizz is different. Experts expect that careful study of the genus will reveal many yet undiscovered species - and this may well be one of them!