New Wasp Species for the Garden

Although  there are a lot of black and yellow wasp species, I am pretty sure this is Ancistrocerus gazella, commonest species in our part of England but new to the garden list. Lots of nymphal Shieldbugs - here the Woundwort Shieldbug and dozens of Flower spiders around the garden - they seem to like the pink flowers or, perhaps, they are more visible there. The Yellow Rod takes over from Knapweed as the most visited flowers in the garden.

Insect Photography at Stanwick Lakes

Although there was less insect activity than we were expecting at Stanwick Lakes, our group found enough to keep our cameras busy and some very interesting new species for me including the Ichneumon and the red beetle (ID sheet at end). 

 

Garden Species 28th July

Great to see a second Silver-washed Fritillary in the garden this year though near the end of its flying time (their breeding area is over a mile away. Other favourites are the one-legged Dark Bush Cricket, the two Speckled Bush Crickets and the Spiders with their prey (ID sheet at end)

Unexpected Find in the Garden

Photographed this ladybird during my morning patrol of the garden presuming it was a rather small 7-spot but when I downloaded the photo, it is clearly a different species, which I had no idea existed! - the Adonis' Ladybird, Hippodamia variegata - much smaller than the 7-spot and with different thorax markings.  Also surprised to find that two of the leaf bugs were new species for the garden - genus Nysius with species names using their host plants (see ID sheet at end).

Further Wet Insects etc from RSPB Sandy

Second selection from our visit to a very wet RSPB Sandy including a Red Ant, Marsh Damselfly, Ichneumon Wasp  and two different Wasp Spiders in their water droplet-laden webs.