Lichen
I got myself into a Slough of Despond this morning about the state of our politics, the state of the country generally, and the state of the pandemic. Then I looked out of the window, saw that it was raining, … Continued
Nymphomania
This is a final instar Hawthorn Shieldbug nymph – a rather unexpected find in the garden today, given the date. I was a little worried when I spotted him, because he doesn’t have much time to complete his transformation to … Continued
Marsh flies
I’ve been seeing single specimens of these orange-eyed flies hanging around the wildlife pond for a few months now, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen a pair of them getting jiggy. And as I know you like … Continued
Accessorised
I was lucky to spot this small, dark hoverfly on a dark ivy leaf in a shady part of the lane today. She’s Cheilosia pagana, the most common species out of the largest genus of hoverflies in the UK, but … Continued
Late to the party
The dragonfly walk at Croome: so poor today, I did it twice. Two and a half times, if you add in a third circuit of the lake. Still, at least all the steps justified me making a chicken and pesto … Continued
The Oviposition Champion
AOG Day 10 The crowd heard her before they saw her: the unmistakeable rustling sound of the wings of a large dragonfly. Already on the edges of their seats in anticipation of the Dragonfly Oviposition (Hawkers) final, they gasped and … Continued
Going for gold
AOG Day 9 The Hoverfly Copulation Competition concluded this afternoon, with what was surely an inevitable win for H. Hybridus, the hoverfly affectionately known to his team-mates in Team Eristalini as Alpha Male. Here you can see the unparalleled poise … Continued
Turned out wet again
“OMG,” I said to R, half way through the day. “I’m going to have to go out in this.” This being a soft but wetting rain, coupled with the kind of thick mist you see around the edges of a … Continued
Old boy
posted in: Damselflies, Grasshoppers, Invertebrates, My garden, Odonata, Orthoptera, Worcestershire |
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It feels as though the Large Red Damselflies have largely deserted our garden now: I haven’t seen a female at either of the ponds for several weeks. For a while we had regular visits by two males, but now this … Continued