Toft Bees and Other Insects

 A selection of insects from Toft Churchyard taken on a warm sunny 4th April 2026 (IDs on final image)

Toft 30th March Flies

 The Bee Fly is a parasite of mining bees dropping its eggs into the open burrows where the grubs feed on the bee's young. A sunny afternoon brought out a large number of bees and flies onto the daisies and dandelions in the village. Here are a few of the Diptera species - not the most attractive collection unless you like hairs and bristles but certainly demonstrates the large variety even semirural (gardens, verges, churchyards) environments support. Bees etc to follow!!

Toft Spiders and Insects etc

Cold wind but plenty of sunshine to warm the Toft daffodil petals and encourage the insects and spiders to show themselves. ID sheet at end - Andrena trimmerai not confirmed but seems nearest. The birch catkin bug and the very small green gall wasp were respite from the very large number of Anthomyiidae flies while the meadow is full of these very vibrant fungi on the sheep droppings.

Life in the Compost Bin

The wet and warm weather recently has encouraged a mass of slime moulds in my compost bin. I brought in a Ground Ivy plant and a few Silver Birch leaves that are coated in fruiting bodies. I think the two species evident in the third shot are Lamproderma scintillans and Didymium squamulosum which are Barry Webb says are often found in the same habitat at the same time (to be checked).

My Village in Infrared

Some infrared images of my village, Toft in Cambridgeshire, on a changeable day this week. Managed the entire walk without getting wet which was an achievement - as you see from the very large puddles everywhere, we have had a lot of rain.