Madingley Hall

We had a walk round the grounds of Madingley Hall with Meredith and Sadie, having set ourselves some topics to all take photos off. These were something beginning with same letter as our name, for me A, so Acorn and Arch, then Triangle, Reflection, Interesting Window, Yellow and Stonework.

Sawflies, Ichneumons and Others from the Garden

Another batch from the garden last Friday when the wet conditions gave way to a really hot humid day that the insects found to their liking. Lots of different Sawflies and Ichneumons - most not able to identify from photo but will go in the garden database as photos with suggested family etc. The one with the very long ovipositor was very impressive - about 1 cm total size. The rain had brought out slugs and snails

Extraordinary Garden Flies

Physiphora is a small metallic fly with very impressive eyes. The larvae develop in decaying plant material. This is followed by Urophora which produces Thistle Galls, Volucella zonaria a type of Hornet Hoverfly, two Tachnid fly species etc etc.

Bumper Day for Insects

The conditions were obviously ideal for insects today. Here a batch before the rain came. The Chalcid wasp was ovipositing into a knapweed head presumably finding a larva to inject its egg into. There are 1,717 at the last count of this family of minute wasps so chances of ID probably small!! Similarly not much luck with the tiny spider and its fly prey.

Sand Wasp Versus Caterpillar

 The Sand Wasp, Ammophila sabulosa, preys on caterpillars (here Silver Y caterpillar) which it paralyses, takes to a pre-dug hole and places in the burrow laying an egg on it. The egg hatches and the larva feeds on the caterpillar. Carrying such a large prey is no mean feat especially over rough vegetation. When it reached the hole an amusing sequence occurred as it attempted to push the larva into the hole (like threading a needle with a floppy piece of cotton) but eventually worked out it is better to go down the hole and drag it in.