Mayfly emergence

On 15th July at Broom GP I found millions of tiny Mayfly exuviae on the plastic protectors surrounding the seedling trees. The trees were a metre or more from the waters edge and one side of the plastic was completely covered by them. There were also Common Blue damselfly exuviae on the protectors up to five metres from the water. The sheer numbers indicate that these pools are alive with invertebrates. Photos by Steve Cham

Butterflies - Chicksands Wood and Sharpenhoe, 14th July 2007

A visit to Chicksands Wood on Saturday found cloud cover every time I got to a likely area for Silver-washed Fritillary, preceded and followed by bright sun walking to and from the car. Grrr. Just a few shots of common species from here - male and female Large Skipper and a Meadow Brown.



Then a quick dash to Sharpenhoe Clappers where there was a little more sun and the second target big Fritillary performed, despite being rather mobile in windy conditions. One Dark Green settled to feed on Greater Knapweed long enough for a series of shots - one distant but nicely spread, then a series in close-up.



I love the spotty eyes.


...and finally the diagnostic dark green underwing pattern

Sand Wasp at The Lodge

This is a Sand Wasp, Ammophila sabulosa, carrying a Pine Beauty moth caterpillar (thanks to Ian Dawson for ID)

Small Red-eyed Damselfly at The Lodge

Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Erythromma viridulum, on the swimming pool

New to Bedfordshire?

Unless anyone knows of any recent records, this is Theridion familiare and is a new species of spider for Bedfordshire. The most recent distribution map can be found here (the closest three dots to Beds are all Ian Dawsons records from Cambs; Waresley, Little Paxton and Coton):
http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/html/bas.php?page=ukmap&taxon_key=NBNSYS0000008893

Many thanks (again) to Ian Dawson for the identification of the spiders found in my Broom home. Looks like this time I found a good one!

Insects from Aspley Heath

An ichneumon Wasp?

Longhorn Beetle Strangalia quadrifasciata
Aspley Heath, 8th July 2007 by Steve Blain.

College Wood, Sunday 8th July 2007
Popped in here with MJG on the way back from Broom. No Silver-washeds or Hairstreaks, but an obliging Southern Hawker and Comma allowed shots of a couple more common species

Southern Hawker at College Wood, 08/07/07

Comma a College Wood, 08/07/07

Dragonflies at Broom, Sunday 8th July 2007
While waiting for the Lesser Emperor to show again (it didn't), I decided to practice flight shots on this male Emperor, which (frustratingly), I got a much better shot of than the Lesser Emp
Female Emperor ovipositing and being buzzed by Common Blue Damselfly, Broom, 08/07/07

A female Black-tailed Skimmer, Broom, 08/07/07

Black-tailed Skimmer at MVCP

This female Black-tailed Skimmer was on the brick "mini-tower" near the MVCP Pillinge on Saturday afternoon, photo by Martin Green.

Lesser Emperor

Lesser Emperor Anax parthenope, Broom GP, 7th July 2007 by Steve Blain. Found by Dave Ball mid-afternoon this second for Bedfordshire (after one at Willington GP in August 2005) frequented the pool beside the entrance track to the pits, often doing large circuits of the favoured pool.

Other odonata at Broom

Ruddy Darter

Common Blue Damselflies
Broom GP, 7th July 2007 by Steve Blain.

Comma

Comma, Chicksands Wood, 7th July 2007 by Steve Blain

Assorted Chicksands insects

Ringlets

Large Skipper

Dark Bush Crickets

Sheildbug?

A Sheildbug? At Broom GP, 7th July 2007 by Steve Blain

Very blurry Lesser Emperor, Broom, Saturday 7th July 2007

While not as good as Steve's, this was the best I could do in 3 hours. At least it would have been identifiable if no one else had seen it.

White-letter Hairstreak

In blustery conditions I was delighted to find this White-letter Hairstreak sitting on its larval foodplant, Elm, in Northill 0n 1st July 2007, my first WLH of the year. Photo by Keith Balmer.

Wasp attack

This afternoon I watched a wasp hunting emerging dragonflies at my garden pond. It attacked a recently emerged Southern Hawker severing its head with a series of bites. It took chunks off to its nest repeatedly returning to eat the thorax as well. The lower images shows the butchery taking place. The top image shows the wasp in flight as it leaves the crime scene. Photos by Steve Cham

Hummingbird Hawkmoth at The Lodge

Wierd Fungus

I came across this wierd looking fungus growing amongst the pebbles at the margins of the main lake at Willington. It was quite abundant. Does anyone know what species it is as I cannot find it in my field guides.
Photo by Steve Cham

Yellow Flag Sawfly

I spent a very wet afternoon at Willington. The Yellow Flag around the margins of some of the pools was covered in the larvae of Yellow Flag Sawfly. Some plants were almost completely eaten. Photos by Steve Cham

Common Darter

Plenty of Common Darters emerging today. These were at Rookery ClP, 23rd June 2007 by Steve Blain.

Marbled White

At least 20 Marbled Whites were at Coronation ClP today. 23rd June 2007 by Steve Blain.

Clouded Yellow

Just after photographing the orchid this floated past me - a Clouded Yellow! Rookery ClP, 23rd June 2007 by Steve Blain.

Pyramidal Orchid

I found a lone spike of Pyramidal Orchid at Rookery South ClP today. 23rd June 2007 by Steve Blain.