Paxton's New Generation of Grebes, Herons and Cormorants

 Beautiful autumn day for a visit to Paxton though the strong morning sunlight proved a challenge for photographing across the reflective water. It is good to record the activity of our new generation of Grebes, Cormorants and Grey Herons and that there is plenty of fish to support them at the moment. 

More on Jet Ants

Over the last week or two, I have spent a long while watching ants running along a local metal fence and noting that the ants are all quite slender when travelling away from the nest and return with swollen abdomens. Last year, I identified these as Jet ants but I didn't follow the full story. To quote: The Jet Ant, Lasius fuliginosus, is a semi-social parasite of a semi-social parasite; that is, the species establishes its colonies in Lasius umbratus nests which are in turn founded in colonies of the Lasius niger/flavus species. The workers often forage on trails leading some distance from the nest to trees where they tend Homoptera for honeydew. Most of their diet appears to come from this source and they rarely seem to take insect prey; however, dead aphids are occasionally seen being carried back in workers' mandibles and they will take dead insects if offered. The nests themselves are made from a type of carton (wood fragments cemented together with saliva), usually in the hollow of a partially rotted tree, log or stump, or within a hedge bank or wall.

New Shieldbug Species in the Garden

My first record in the garden (and smell!) of an instar of the Southern Green Stink Bug, Nezara viridula - a recent arrival in the UK, which is similar to the Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina (3-5 white spots along the front edge of the scutellum and by the two dark marks at its corners). Native to Africa, but frequently imported to the UK in food produce, it is widespread in southern Europe and has been recorded annually from sites in southern England since 2003. I last photographed it in Sardinia in 2016.

 (https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3378979292310100596/6841836044332420155?hl=en)

Gall Hunt Grantchester Meadows.

 Each year Cambridge Natural History Society focusses on a particular area for its monthly field studies. In 2026 it is Grantchester Meadows between Newnham and Grantchester, last fully documented in 2006. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon recording all the Gall species that we could find. As expected with the low insect numbers this year, Galls were also a lot less frequent than previous visits. They were identified as we found them and entered on i-record. I have identified from my photos as far as possible! The Coleophora moth was a late find and is fascinating. The larvae initially feed on the seeds, flowers or leaves of the host plant by tunelling into the structures, but when larger, they feed externally and construct distinctive protective silken cases, often incorporating plant material. Many species have specific host plants; discarded larval cases are often scattered thickly on affected plants.

Life on the Ivy

Not perfect in focus etc but I was very pleased to capture this Ant collecting excreted sugar droplets from Blackfly feeding on Ivy Flowers. It is definitely one of the best years that I remember for Ivy flowers with Ivy bees, Wasps, Bumble bees, Flies, Late Butterflies like this Painted Lady and Holly Blues and Shieldbugs  are enjoying.

Paxton Miscellany

A warm sunny day for a walk at Paxton Pits hoping for lots of interesting subjects to watch, identify and photograph but wildlife was in very short supply, we are presuming as a result of the long drought conditions. There are still Common Darters on the wing, a very few butterflies all looking rather tatty (single Common Blue, Small White, Small Copper, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral), abundant Ivy Bees wherever the Ivy is in flower and a Kite-tailed Robberfly. From one of the Hides, the young Great Crested grebes are catching fish for themselves now.

RSPB Sandy Insect Activity

As forecast, the sun came out and temperatures rose yesterday so there was plenty of activity around the banks to some of the paths at RSPB Sandy yesterday. This colony of Ivy bees were very active. I think they were mainly males but I did catch a female laden with pollen (wider abdominal stripes). Also recorded a Sphecodes bee (Blood Bee) - these are cleptoparasites (lay their eggs in another species' nest) - Ivy bees not recorded as hosts but there were presumably other mining bee species nesting in the bank  The small ponds on the walk were very active with lots of Ruddy Darters paired and laying eggs plus Migrant Hawkers and Southern Hawkers. The Gardens behind the house were quiet - just a handful of butterflies, a Firebug and a few Carder bees.