Minotaur Beetle and Peacock

A peacock taken today at Maulden woods (a fantastic place for a walk on a spring day) and a female minotaur beetle at the Lodge on Friday. Unlike the male of Will's previous post, the female is clearly without the 3 horns.

The Moon and Venus

The Moon and Venus photographed from my parents garden near Stewrtby Lake. Photograph by Martin Green

A rather worn Orange Underwing at the Lodge today, but showing its underwings well.

Platyrhinus resinosus

This nationally notable B weevil was sitting on the office window today at The Lodge.
Also a rather fine minotaur beetle on the path up by the hill fort

Hovering Bee-Flies

I'm used to seeing bee-flies taking nectar or settling on grasses, but I hadn't noticed before that they (presumably males) also hold station above woodland rides like true hoverflies, chasing anything that comes near. They are really quite agile. Here's a poor picture of one doing this in Chicksands Wood today.


Photo by Keith Balmer

Emperor Moth at Marston Moretaine

This female Emperor Moth was photographed this morning in Marston Moretaine by Phil Candlish. (Grid Ref SP 998 412)

A sunny day on Cooper's Hill

Welcome signs of spring...

Heather beetles were checking out each other - all males I suspect from the behaviour:

A couple of Heather Shieldbugs were sunning themselves:

A patch of bright-red Cladonia lichens caught the eye:

Nice to see the Green Tiger Beetles out again - always a challenge to photograph:

Photos by Keith Balmer

Chilly bees

They're no two-barred crossbill, but the Andrena clarkella nesting aggregation finally came to life last week. The females were pretty active but the cold air and lack of sunshine left the males thermically stranded and probably wondering why they'd bothered coming out of their burrows.

Lead-coloured Drab vs Clouded Drab

These two photos show males of both Lead-coloured Drab and Clouded Drab trapped in Chicksands Wood overnight 21/22 March 2010. On these you can clearly see the partially feathered (bipectinated) antennae of the male Lead-coloured Drab. The females of both species have toothed (bidentate) antennae like the male Clouded Drab. Photos by Melissa Banthorpe.

Lead-coloured Drab

Clouded Drab

Mini mushers

I thought these two were quite sweet.

Spring at last

A fantastic afternoon this Sunday at The Lodge - bees everywhere and a smattering of butterflies. At least 6 species of bumblebees out and about (lucorum, terrestris, lapidarius, pratorum, hypnorum and one type of cuckoo). A small tortoiseshell and red admiral were a welcome sight too.

Flying Spiders

The great thing about wildlife is not knowing what is going to catch the eye each time I go out. Today it was these little spiders on fencing at Strawberry Hill.


It was only when one "flew away" that I realised what many of them were up to. They climbed to the top of the fence posts, stood on tip-toe, raised their abdomen into the air:


and sprayed a loose bundle of silk (gossamer) into the light breeze:


then, when the tension was sufficient, launched backwards into the air. With limited depth of field and the rapid departure, unfortunately the only launch I managed to capture was out-of-focus. (Maybe next time?)


These two weren't interested in flying though:


Once finished, they tapped each other on the back with their forelegs and rapidly backed apart.

Photos by Keith Balmer

The Kiss

A tender moment during the orgy at Tom's Pond on Thursday 18th March. Neither turned into a prince...

Photo by Keith Balmer.

Common Wasp Queen

A splendid Vespula vulgaris queen was skulking around in leaf litter on Maulden Heath on Thursday 18th March, preening and chewing a leg...



Photos by Keith Balmer

Orange Underwing

Several Orange Underwings were seen on the wing along the ridge trail at the Lodge today.

Unidentified moth 17th March 2010

This small (c. 12mm , 1/2 inch) long moth was in my parent's kitchen this evening near Stewartby Lake this afternoon. If anyone knows what it is please let me know... I've altered the colour balance as I used the camera's flash to take this photo, the colours look about right to me now. If anything the moth appeared a little lighter than it does in this photo. Thanks Martin G.

Green spider

Seems appropriate for St Paddy's day, Diaea dorsata male hanging out on some logs at The Lodge yesterday

Oak Beauty

Oak Beauty at The Lodge 10/3/10

MVCP Pillinge

A couple of shots of assorted gulls and ducks on the partially frozen pillinge. Photographs by Martin Green.

Mink

This creature was watched at DSTW on Tuesday, it showed no fear at all. It was in a water outlet pipe sheltering from the snow, only about 5mtrs from me when I first spotted it.

Stewartby Lake

Sunrise at Stewartby Lake Gullwatch, and a shot of the ice that stopped me getting any further round the lake... :-( Photographs by Martin Green

MVCP & Stewartby Lake

Things to do at the Stewartby Lake gullwatch when there are no birds about No. 1: Pretend you are artistic...

The MVCP's Visitors Centre - Widely recognised, well by Mr Ball and myself, as the MVCP's premier birding location. Quite coincidentally also the only MVCP location serving fried breakfasts and cappuccinos... :-) Photos by Martin Green

Northern Winter moth

Northern Winter moth at the Lodge today, obligingly showing its pale underwing.

Plume

This came to the window tonight - 16/11. Andy B tells me this is Emmelina monodactyla. Cheers Andy.

Brimstone & Common Darter - MVCP

The Brimstone was near the Stewartby Lake gullwatch and the Common Darter was one of about 10 around the MVCP Pillinge this afternoon. Photos by Martin Green.

Very Hungry Rodent

Feeder is 2m above ground, well screened from below by magnolia leaves, and suspended 15cm below branch. I wondered where the fat balls were going!

UFO - Unidentified Fungal Object

This fungus is about 40-60cm across and is growing on a log (Poplar I think) near the MVCP Sewage works. I believe that it may be some sort of Oyster Fungus - I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who knows what species it is. Photo taken on 7th November 2009 by Martin Green.

Polecat or Ferret

This creature was found on the road-side near Potton by a colleague at the Lodge today. Is it a polecat, a polecat-ferret or a ferret?