MVCP Odonata 18th May 2008

The exuvia (casing) left by an emerged dragonfly (maybe a Four-spot Chaser judging by its size/shape..?) on a reed-stem. Also Hairy Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly all near the boardwalk between the visitor's centre and Stewartby Lake, photos by Martin Green.

Longhorns and Hairstreaks

In King's Wood, Heath & Reach a Rhagium mordax longhorn beetle...

and a Clytus arietis longhorn...

About 1km away was a female Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi, here taking a break from egg-laying...

Pictures by Keith Balmer

Orchids and Skippers

While looking for Grizzled Skippers in the Thurleigh area (and finding none) I did stumble across a few Early Purple Orchids in a road verge...

In late afternoon, after searching many known and possible sites, finally found several Grizzled Skippers on a small brown-field site in the Marston Vale...

Pictures by Keith Balmer

Liftoff

My first soldier beetle of the season, Cantharis rustica I think, seen near Knocking Hoe, Pegsdon, 5th May 2008...

Picture by Keith Balmer

MVCP - Chinese Water Deer and Insect

A couple of photos from my two week break back in Bedfordshire, Martin Green

Chinese Water Deer - 2nd May 2008.
Devil's Coach-horse.. (?) 22nd April 2008. The insect was about an inch long. Any comments on the identification would be welcome.

MVCP Weasel 26th April 2008

This Weasel was between Wetland 9 and the Pillinge, photo by Martin Green.

Lowlife on Cooper's Hill

Green Tiger Beetles are currently abundant on the heath, this one snacking on a myrmica sp. of ant...


I watched this Anoplius viaticus drag her spider victim backwards to hang on a low birch twig while searching for a place to dig a burrow. She returned several times to check on it, but then disappeared for twenty mintues. I lost patience, but when checked an hour later the spider had gone!

A hoverfly (Sryphus sp. I think)...

Pictures by Keith Balmer.

Adders

Some excellent Adder watching weather today. Eight seen, including three 'pairs'. Beds, 13th April 2008 by Steve Blain

Weasel

This Weasel was by my car at Brogborough lake. 5th April 2008, by Steve Blain.

Recent moths in Lower Stondon

A couple of recent moths from Lower Stondon are illustrated below.
first is an Oak Beauty caught in our garden trap on 30th March.
Secondly I found a female of the micro moth Diurnea fagella on a gatepost in the village this afternoon. Interestingly, the female of this species has very short stunted wings - a photo of a male for comparison is underneath. Photos by Andy Banthorpe

Muddy knees in Chicksands Wood

The most interesting things today were to be found at ground level.

A fly blowing bubbles...

A Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata)...

A Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata)...

One of many similar-looking ground beetles...

All pictures by Keith Balmer

A sunny Sunday on Cooper's Hill. (30th March)

This spider-hunting wasp (probably Anoplius viaticus) was searching through the heather...

A Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on sap oozing from the stump of a silver birch felled last Tuesday during a work-party...


No Green Tiger beetles were seen on Tuesday, but there were plenty there today...



A Common Lizard was basking beneath heather. Stealth allowed a close approach...



This tiny spider (only a few mms log) was crawling on a conifer trunk...


Pictures posted by Keith Balmer

Comma at Stewartby Lake 1st March 2008

This Comma was sunning itself out of the wind by the Marston corner of Stewartby Lake, photo by Martin Green.

MVCP Photos 10th - 11th February 2008

A few shots taken around the MVCP over the last weekend, photos by Martin Green.

Hellebore

Taken at Swiss Gardens in lieu of Firecrest

Spiders webs

The fields have been carpeted in these spiders webs during the last few days. They are made by one of the money spiders, but virtually every field in the area has many thousands of webs layden over them. There must be litterally millions of spiders making them all?

Dancing insects

These insects were caught nicely in a streak of sunlight at Swiss Gardens this morning.

Grey Squirrel

Grey Squirrel, Stockgrove CP, 2nd Feb 2008 by Steve Blain.

Stonechat

Different bird, but I couldn't resist the setting!

Stonechat - Wood Lane

Repeat from last year??

Juvenile GSW June 2007

Exercise in handheld X10 zoom at ISO1600

Garden Reptile July 2007

One of several sightings

Harlequins looking for warmth

Stabbing on Maulden Heath

There were three of these 6cm long wasps, which I presume to be some type of Ichneumon, working over a pile of conifer logs on Maulden Heath on Sunday afternoon (4th Nov 07). Once a larva was detected within the timber they would raise their abdomen, unsheath the ovipositor (occuring in this picture) and push it into the victim. Two were contending over one location so there clearly must have been something beneath the surface there, obvious to them with their antennae, but not to me with my eyes.

Picture by Keith Balmer

Vapourer moth male (Orgyia antiqua) at The Lodge 11/10/07.

Mallow moth (Larentia clavaria) at The Lodge 8/10/07.

Elephant Hawk Moth

This beast found by John Pope on 26th September. John asks is this is particularly late to find one?