December Moth larvae hatch

These eggs were laid by a female December Moth back on 16 Nov 2004 and have just hatched. The larvae are 4mm long and this is currently the scene in their pot.

December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)

Nikon CP995

Andrena cineraria

This is a great-looking black and white bee. Many thanks to Stuart Roberts confirming the identification. It was in Stonepit Quarry at Old Sulehay, Northants.

Andrena cineraria?

Nikon CP995

Garden Tick

358th species recorded in the garden so far. An attractive geometrid, whose larvae feed on Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) and have two broods a year with adults flying in May/June and again in August.

Scorched Carpet Ligia adustata


Nikon CP995

Of Cuckoo Bumblebees and other things

A rare outing to the Brecks of Norfolk to see the late neolithic flint mines of Grimes Graves and some old woodland haunts. We also dropped into Weeting Castle, which, while not much of a castle, was home to several interesting insects.

Having newly acquired an excellent Bumblebee ID guide I was keen to try it out and soon came across this, my first Cuckoo Bumblebee. It is a cuckoo (or "obligate social inquiline" as one paper put it!) in the nests of Bombus pratorum.

Bombus sylvestris



Alex was doing a good job of finding things. This caterpillar was hidden under a small piece of stone. It feeds on lichen, which was plentiful on the ruins.

Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica)



This larva proved tricky to pin down, but thanks to Nick Greatorex-Davies and Colin Welch we have narrowed it down to a Soldier beetle (Cantharidae), probably in the genus Cantharis.

Soldier beetle (Cantharidae)


Another of Alex's finds was this small shieldbug, which is apparently quite hard to locate.

Pied Shieldbug (Sehirus bicolor)


Finally here is a rather poor shot of a Fox Moth larva. These are easy to find at this time of year as the fully fed caterpillars, that have hibernated through the winter emerge and set off to find somewhere to pupate.

Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi)


Nikon CP995

Common Tern

Dropping in on Ferry Meadows on the way home from work is becoming a habit. An Arctic Tern seen earier in the day was nowhere to be seen but this Common Tern was among many there.

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

Digiscoped with Nikon CP995 and Leica APO77 + 20x eyepiece

Brindled Beauty, etc.

Some recent moths.

Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria


Eudonia angustea


Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata


Nikon CP995

Little Gulls

On impulse I dropped in to quickly scan Gunwade Lake at Ferry Meadows on the way home from work this evening. This has sometimes proved worthwhile (e.g. Brent Goose and Otter) and this time it was the delightful sight of eight Little Gulls dancing over the water. All but one (a third year) were in their second calendar year.

They were on the go all the time so photography wasn't really an option but I tried a few digiscoped flight shots anyway.

Little Gull (Larus minutus), 2nd calendar year

Digiscoped with Nikon CP995 and Leica APO 77 + 20x eyepiece

Common Seal

I always take a look for the long-staying Seal at the Dog in a Doublet when I pass but haven't seen it for quite a while. Perhaps that is because it has been for a trip up the Nene. This morning it was hauled out on the banks of the non-tidal section of the river about halfway along the north bank road opposite Holly Tree. I once saw a Common Seal right up at Orton Lock so this one could turn up anywhere along the river.

Common Seal (Phoca vitulina)



Digiscoped with Nikon CP995 and Leica APO 77 + 20x eyepiece

Bee-fly

Coming back from a weekend in Suffolk it was nice to spend a couple of hours in the garden in the warm sunshine. A House Martin zipped overhead at one point and there were plenty of bees at large. The west wall of the house was particularly warm and several insects used it to bask including this handsome Bee-fly.

Bee-fly (Bombylius major)

Nikon CP995

Hebrew Character and Early Grey

Some recent moths.

Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica


Early Grey Xylocampa areola


Nikon CP995

Square-spotted Clay

I've only just started making a concerted effort to locate the breeding signs and non-adult stages of lepidoptera in my garden, so it is encouraging to come across a significant find like this so soon.

This is a very locally distributed species with a stronghold in parts of East Anglia and is designated "Notable B". A recent study has found it in suitable habitat in several parts of East Anglia including the Peterborough area.

These two were feeding on Primula, although it has been recorded feeding on other low plants as well as this. The next challenge is to record the adult. They are scarce at light and come more readily to sugar or flowers.

Square-spotted Clay (Xestia rhomboidea)


Nikon CP995

Make like a stick

This is a common moth in the garden as an adult but its nice to confirm it breeding. It feeds on Ivy (Hedera).

This camouflaged defensive pose is typical of many of the geometers or measuring worms (Geometridae).

Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata)

Nikon CP995

Garden Spider

Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirablis)

Nikon CP995

Brimstone in Garden

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

Nikon CP995

Wood Anemones

Old Sulehay is worth a visit at any time of the year but the activity now is great. Three species of woodpecker and Nuthatch all very vocal and the display of Wood Anemones is spectacular.

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)


This is formed by a small gall wasp on the broken stems of bramble. Each galls contains many larvae. They were abundant in just one patch of the wood.

Blackberry Gall (Diastrophus rubi) on Bramble (Rubus fruticosus)


Fungi


Nikon CP995

Spring signs

The Sallow blossom was smelling strongly and carpets of Violets brightened up Stonepit Quarry at Old Sulehay.

Sallow (Salix)


Violet (Viola)

Nikon CP995

Robin failure

The Robins that nested so quickly in the new PBC nestbox in our garden proved to be rather unsuccessful on this attempt. The adults were noticed spending long periods off the nest and sure enough it was abandoned a couple of days ago. The clutch of eggs were cold. They will no doubt make another attempt.

Robin eggs (Erithacus rubecula)

Nikon CP995

Early Thorn Study

A montage of macro images of the Early Thorn moth.

Early Thorn Selenia dentaria, male





Female


Nikon CP995

Two Shoulders

Grey Shoulder-knot Lithophane ornitopus


Shoulder-stripe Anticlea badiata


Diurnea fagella


Nikon CP995

Oak Beauty and Twin-spotted Quaker

A couple more

Twin-spotted Quaker Orthosia munda ab. immaculata


Oak Beauty Biston strataria



Nikon CP995

Grey Wagtails, Maxey Cut

Maxey GP was back on the radar today following a Rock Pipit there in the morning. No sign of that at lunchtime but a singing Chiffchaff, 5 Green Sandpipers, 1 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 3 Shelduck among others and this pair of Grey Wagtails feeding photogenically on the Maxey Cut

Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea), male




female

Digiscoped with Nikon CP995 and Leica APO 77.

More mothing

A good night's mothing in the garden with another two Lead-coloured Drabs and the first Oak Nycteoline (another scarce VC31 species) for the garden.

33 moths, 8 species

15W Actinic Skinner
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda), 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi), 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta), 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 2
**2423 Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana f.undulana), 1

125W MV homemade Robinson type
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria), 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda), 4
2185 Lead-coloured Drab (Orthosia populeti), 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi), 8
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta), 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 7
Black Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus humator), 1

**=garden first

Lead-coloured Drab (Orthosia populeti)


Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana f.undulana)


Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria)


Nikon CP995.