Nearly stepped on this striking caterpillar outside the back door - any suggestions on identification please?
30-35 mm in length. Not quite right for Lime Hawk-moth?
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Monday 30 August 2010
Common Lizard - Stewartby Lake
Red-legged Shieldbug
New to VC30 - Stigmella tiliae & Enteucha acetosae
Leafmining micro-moths added to the Bedfordshire (VC30) list in the last week were Stigmella tiliae and Enteucha acetosae.
Stigmella tiliae was found mining the leaves of a Lime tree in Lower Stondon on 23th August by Melissa Banthorpe and subsequently at Woburn Park, The Lodge RSPB Sandy and Ampthill Park by Melissa and Andy. All scans by Andy Banthorpe
Enteucha acetosae was found mining the leaves of Sheep's Sorrel at Ampthill Park on 29th August by Melissa and Andy.
Stigmella tiliae was found mining the leaves of a Lime tree in Lower Stondon on 23th August by Melissa Banthorpe and subsequently at Woburn Park, The Lodge RSPB Sandy and Ampthill Park by Melissa and Andy. All scans by Andy Banthorpe
Stigmella tiliae mine from Lower Stondon 23/08/10
Stigmella tiliae mine + larva from Ampthill Park 29/08/10
Enteucha acetosae was found mining the leaves of Sheep's Sorrel at Ampthill Park on 29th August by Melissa and Andy.
Sunday 29 August 2010
Schizophrenic bramble
Saturday 28 August 2010
Stewartby Lake - sunrise
Sunday 22 August 2010
Flying Wolf
I spotted this female Philanthus triangulum, the Bee Wolf, coming towards me at Sandy Smith NR and grabbed a few shots, but only this one was vaguely in focus:
Then she turned sideways towards her burrow and I was able to grab a few as she went past:
The honey bee she was carrying was then buried as food for her young. Here the burrow is being re-opened on her return, having concealed it with sand when she left:
Photos by Keith Balmer
Then she turned sideways towards her burrow and I was able to grab a few as she went past:
The honey bee she was carrying was then buried as food for her young. Here the burrow is being re-opened on her return, having concealed it with sand when she left:
Photos by Keith Balmer
Hunting flies
There was an abundance of flies feeding on mint at Sandy Smith NR, making it an ideal hunting ground for Mellinus arvensis wasps. It was interesting to watch them stalk their prey. This one got away:
but this one wasn't so lucky!
Here's a sequence of stalking,
stinging to paralyse
wrestling
shaking violently
and finally hugging
before eventually flying off with it to her nest.
Photos by Keith Balmer
but this one wasn't so lucky!
Here's a sequence of stalking,
stinging to paralyse
wrestling
shaking violently
and finally hugging
before eventually flying off with it to her nest.
Photos by Keith Balmer
Saturday 14 August 2010
Small Ranunculus larvae
Tuesday 10 August 2010
A female Common Emerald damselfly, at the 'Wall Brown' bridge at Rookery.
A (presumably Common?) Lizard at Rookery.
A (presumably Common?) Lizard at Rookery.
...and a (again presumably Common?) Toad at College Wood
A good day for reptiles and amphibians, not so good for butterflies, though I did see, but not photograph, a Wall Brown at Rookery, and I did manage to get some pics of the final resident Bedfordshire butterfly I hadn't photographed with my digital camera. I won't reveal the species, as it's too embarrassing.
Monday 9 August 2010
Red-tipped Clearwing
Sunday 8 August 2010
Blunham Lizard
Saturday 7 August 2010
Chicksands Wood
I first thought this was a bishop's mitre but it didn't seem right so took a few pics which enabled confirmation as Eurygaster testudinaria the Tortoise Shieldbug. Bernard Nau and Sheila Brooke confirmed the ID, adding that they had recently found nymphs but this was the first adult record for the county.
Nearby was this stunning fly which deserved photographing. Many thanks to Stephen Plummer and John O'Sullivan for identifying as a male Phasia hemiptera tachinid fly.
Photos by Keith Balmer
Nearby was this stunning fly which deserved photographing. Many thanks to Stephen Plummer and John O'Sullivan for identifying as a male Phasia hemiptera tachinid fly.
Photos by Keith Balmer
Humming-bird Hawk-moth larva
Friday 6 August 2010
Sunday 1 August 2010
Renhold Hedge
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