Hot Weather Increases the Garden Insect List

The garden insects were very active yesterday as it was very warm and humid. Good to see returning Currant Clearwing and Bryony Bee (both earlier than last year), Wasp Beetle, Resin Bee, Tree Bumblebee, Shieldbug eggs etc and a new species - Denticulate Leatherbug with its white fringed pronotum etc. 

Very Low Butterfly Numbers

 Today we were doing the monthly Butterfly and Dragonfly counts at Paxton Pits and I only saw single Speckled Wood and single Red Admiral. Damselflies and Demoiselles were more abundant and there were several Scarce Chasers, one Hairy, several Norfolk Hawkers and one Emperor on the wing. The weather was warm but strong breeze and mostly overcast. Smaller insects didn't mind the conditions - in fact it looked like it was very conducive to start the next generation for Leaf Weevils, Marsh Hoverflies, Scarlet Tigers and Harlequin Ladybirds!

New and Returning Garden Species

The cooler but still sunny weather yesterday was ideal for insect spotting in the garden. Here are photos of some of the more interesting species (plus ID sheets with rest). The Figwort Weevil is about 4mm and just looked like an insect dropping. Good to ID another bee species that is using the Hotels - the Orange-vented Mason Bee, and always happy when the first Speckled Bush Crickets appear with their striped socks. The spider has a very metallic sheen which appeared green or bluish depending on its position. Only small patches of Spindle Ermine caterpillar webs at the moment.

Cribbs Meadow Flowers and Weevil

Previous years, Cribbs Meadows have been full of Green-winged Orchids but this year, with the dry spring, there were very few to be seen and the previous swamp areas are dry and cracked. We did find a lot of Adders Tongue and the Water Avens appears not to have suffered. The insects were enjoying the warm conditions and most of the flowers seemed to have visitors including this great little Weevil.

Macro Practice at Paxton Pits

 Photographers are never satisfied with the weather - today was a bit to hot and breezy for our macrophotography session at Paxton Pits as the insects were sheltering from the sun or waving around on leaves. All the Damselfly species other than the Emeralds are now on the wing and we managed to find most species and also an obliging Hairy Dragonfly perched plus quite a few views in the air together with the occasional Green-eyed Hawker etc. Right at the end we came across a couple of unusual Shieldbugs - Eurydema ornata only appeared in the south of England in 1997 and seems to have abandoned its usual coastal preference.