Calendar 2023

Click here for the calendar index, year by year.

Each week I will show what work is being done (if any). My husband takes photos of insects, and has agreed to contribute some, with comments.

Click on photos for large version.

- January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - Temperatures for year -

January

February

Jan 1 2023: Winter digging! I dig over the vegetable bed, patch by patch, in rows, to remove the weed roots and old potatoes, and aerate the soil where it's been troden down. Then I spread the compost over the top. I don't bother to dig it in. It doesn't matter if it isn't rotted down. I have a tradition, to dig each day over the Christmas period. This is good exercise after too much food! And it gets the digging done. Still a bit to do. Last year was not good for compost, either too hot and dry, or too wet. So the compost is either dried out, or slimey. Never mind. The slimey stuff will dry out, and worms seem to like almost anything.

7-spot ladybirds overwinter as adults, and may emerge from their hiding places on any mild day. What they do then isn't clear, as they aren't going to find any aphids to eat (where do aphids go in winter?) This one was out on New Year's Day!

The only veg left are the brassicas. We like to have a few Brussle spouts for Christmas dinner. I don't think there are anything else worth harvesting in this lot. The rhubarb grew well in a very warm autumn. Then we were hit by a week of snow on the ground and cold temperatures, which upset it a little. Still, it's thinking of regrowing.

Jan 6 2023: I've managed to finish the winter digging. I usually start after Bonfire Night. Any digging before then risks being overgrown by new weeds. However, last autumn was very warm, so winter digging was late starting. Then we had one weekend of hard frost (frozen ground can't be dug) and one of snow. The Christmas digging did well this year, so I got ahead, and now have finished. You can see a compost heap in the first photo. This is the new heap for this year. Today's work included spreading the old heap. I move my heaps around the normal veg beds. It is close to the path, so it's easy to put kitchen veg refuse on it (even at night!) It's close to the rest of the veg, so putting (and spreading) compost is easier. Worms get into it from the normal ground underneath, and no doubt return compost to the soil underneat, which will be growing veg next year. The sides are slats of wood with slots in, so they fit together. The bits sticking up are old metal fence posts. They are to stop the whole heap sliding onto the path! I am careful to make the bottom of the heap as level as I can as well. Even so, last year's heap started collapsing, so we did an overflow heap at the end of the garden (as the erst of the veg bed was full of vegetables at the time). When putting stuff on the heap, it's important to keep it level, by spreading stuff right across the surface, and ramming stuff down the sides. Otherwise you get a smaller heap in the centre, and it doesn't rot well. It also gets quite tall, and more likely to collapse or slide forwards. As the heap gets higher, I'll add more slats.

I spread the compost all over the veg beds, round the roses, and round the fruit trees and plants. This is the cordon apple tree. These are all plants that give produce, and need some "oomph", plus roses, which are greedy plants! (And I like roses). You make compost by piling up vegetable matter (weeds, dead or dying-back plants, kitchen veg refuse) in a big enough heap. It dies, and rots down, helped by worms and no doubt other things. Theoretically, you end up with rich soil - compost. Actually, you get some compost in the middle, but round the edges, semi-composted stuff, sticks, weed roots still happily growing (such as bindweed), bulbs, potatoes... Anything still growing is NOT spread. It may go on next year's heap. I stamp on bulbs and potatoes first (othewrwise they happily go on growing!) Serious weed roots like bindweed may go into the green dustbin. I use well-rotted compost to go round fruit trees etc, as it looks neater. The rest of the compost, whether well-rotted or not, including sticks and stems, goes on the veg beds. You can see it in the photos of the veg beds above. The worms seem to deal with a certain amount, the birds are invited to use it for nests, and what's left is quite useful to put on seed beds, to stop the local cats from digging them up! They love freshly dug soil as a toilet.

Jan 12 2023: The seed potatoes have arrived. I ordered them last autumn, and they tend to arrive after Christmas. They come in string bags, which have to be cut open, and the potatoes spread out. This is to let them "chit" or form small sprouts. They form these sprouts anyway at this time of year, and if they are kept in the dark, the sprouts grow long, and then snap off when you handle the potatoes. Spread out, the sprouts are shorter and sturdy, and after you plant them out, the potatoes will grow strongly. Also, take them out of the bag, or the sprouts grow through the holes, and a lot of boring work with scissors is required! It's a good idea to leave the labels by the potatoes, so you know what the different groups are. These include "Earlies" (which make new potatoes) and "Maincrop", and you need to know which is which, so you know which to harvest first.

		Jan 13 2023: First buds of Spring appear! Cyclamen and crocus.
		Sometimes you need to get rid of a plant! This iris (I think) has boring flowers, and far too much leaf growth. The berries are pretty, but not worth it. Here is the before and after.
		Having dug it (or rather, them) up, You need to get rid of them. The biggest clump got transplanted to the bottom of the garden, where I don't mind it growing. It may take, it may not. The rest gets put on the compost heap. I chopped the roots off to discourage it from continuing to grow.

Jan 17 2023: A frosty morning. The pond has to be cleared of ice, for wildlife use. Bids can drink from it, and frogs or newts may be in the water. Our pond is actually just a plastic box.

Jan 20 2023: Still cold. The pile of ice removed from the pond is starting to look impressive! The sunlight shows off the silver birch trunk. No real gardening this week. The ground's frozen, which makes even weeding difficult, and anyway, it's COLD! I tidied up some missed pruning on the family apple tree.

Jan 25 2023: Finally the end of the cold snap! This is the ice we've cleared off the "pond" (from two angles).

Jan 27 2023: One crocus is showing its stamen, so nearly out.

Jan 28 2023: The cold snap has finished (and all the ice disappeared!) Weeding the herb garden - before and after photo.

Where do flies go in winter? Some of them are only hiding, and can emerge on mild days. Larger than a housefly, I believe this is a genuine Bluebottle (Calliphoria vomitoria).

Jan 31 2023: Crocuses fully out. Cyclamen flowering as well. This is the Spring cyclamen.

Pea-leaf weevil (Sitona lineatus). Not conspicuous at up to 5mm, but worth mentioning on account of the visible effects of its feeding, which creates serrated edges on pea or bean leaves. It doesn't seem to cause enough damage to be considered a pest. In the wild (and presumably outside the pea & bean season) it lives on other legumes, such as clovers.

February

January

March

Feb 3 2023: Crocuses doing well, and the first Iris reticulata out

A few spiders seem worth mentioning as they are ones gardeners are like to see, and are easy to identify. The Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) is distinguished by the central white line on the carapace. After mating, the female carries the eggs around in an egg-sac; and subsequently makes a special web and guards the hatchlings in it. It does not use a web to catch prey but is a hunter. This weeks' gardening work - weeding the long and thin bed by the path, removing plants that have died back, or shouldn't be there. Some of the later are outright weeds, of course, but the buttercups are welcome further along, but not just there. They are aggressive, and would take over the garden if not restrained.

Feb 8 2023: The frost has returned.

Feb 11 2023: Peak purple crocus:

Planting onion sets and broad beans. My method is to have a smoothish soil surface, and poke the onion or broad bean seed, into it. This can be done quite quickly. Then smooth the surface over, and pile the uncomposted bits of last year's compost on top. This is a bit bizarre, but local cats love digging up clear, smooth soil for their toilet, and I don't like them doing this when I've planted seeds! Putting stuff on the soil confuses them.

The lawn is full of moss. I prefer grass! I don't know why it's so bad this year. perhaps last year's very hot weather killed some of the grass, and then we had quite a wet autumn. Anyway, I'm dealing with it by just scraping up what I can with my fingers.

Feb 17 2023: A Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) enjoying a crocus on a mild February day. Queens of the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) are typically the first bumble bees to appear in spring. As such, they have to visit crocuses, although they hardly fit. You can see a dusting of pollen on its fur (although it's not really fur, as it's an insect. OK - she's an insect!)

Feb 18 2023: Now THIS is peak crocus! Some orange and white ones, too. The Honesty has been here all winter.

This weekend's work: put in a middle wire for the cordon apple tree, and trim next door's excess vegetation.

Feb 19: There are at least 3 species of Syrphus hoverflies which are hard to distinguish from photos. They can be taken as typical of medium size hoverflies, with yellow markings similar to those of bees and wasps, assumed to be an instance of Batesian mimicry. Larvae are predators of aphids. Hoverflies are your friend. By the way, hoverflies are true flies with one pair of wings. Bees and wasps have two pairs. So don't look at the stripes, count the wings! And "Batesian mimicry" means a species mimicing a more dangerous species, to improve its chance of survival.

Feb 20: Exochomus quadripustulatus is called Pine ladybird because it is much the commonest ladybird on pine trees - but it is found elsewhere as well. Here it is on a silver birch. It is (normally) black with 4 red marks, the forward ones being an L or comma shape. It is a bit smaller than the 7-spot, which is a quick way to distinguish it from those Harlequin Ladybirds which have somewhat similar markings. Also it has a visible flange round the edge of the wing cases. It feeds mainly on scale insects and has been commercially used for biological control. Harlequins are bigger than 7-spot and have very variable markings. They came from Asia. They out-compete native species and are therefore a Bad Thing. Feb 21: This is rather small (6mm) and little seen. Its name is Acericerus heydenii and it lives on maple trees (including the tree called "sycamore" in British parlance). It is about 6mm long. The only reported sightings from Cambridgeshire are all from Cambridge itself - which may reflect the presence of maple trees, or may reflect the presence of obsessive entomologists.

Feb 24: The first daffodils! Also, the first crop - rhubarb. Going to be used for a small amount of rhubarb fool.

Feb 26: First violet is out. Small irises are looking good.

This weekend's work, some weeding of the raspberry and soft fruit beds. We grow raspberries in two rows. In the autumn, I remove the dead wood (this year's fruiting) and tie back the new wood (fruiting next year), cutting them back to about head height. This weeding, between the rows, is to get them ready for growing and fruiting. The remains of last year's tomato crop. This has never happened before (that they last so long). We're still eating them, in stews.

March

February

April

Mar 5: Starting sowing seed, some inside, some outside. Probably too early, as it's cold at the moment. Never mind. My attitude towards sowing times is little and often, and some come up...

Mar 7: Hail!

Several clumps of little daffodils, and a couple of very early, small little tulips. (No, they aren't crocuses.)

Mar 10: The observant among you will notice that this spider is not in the garden, but on the towel in the kitchen (I removed it into the bike shed). Steatoda nobilis, the Noble False Widow spider, was accidentally introduced from mainland Europe, and had a very restricted range in the south until the 1990s. Since then it has expanded rapidly up to the Midlands and even further north. It makes a compact structure of particularly strong silk and retreats into a crack to await prey. Fully grown females can defeat a wasp in one-to-one combat (personal observation). It has attracted sensationalist press coverage as it is one of the few spiders in Britain whose bite can penetrate human skin, but the efffect is said (by spider sites) to be "no worse than a bee sting". There are other related false widow spiders: the cream marking on the body is fairly distinctive although the shape is somewhat variable. Steatoda spiders are called "false widows" from their outward resemblance to the much more toxic "true" widow spiders in genus Latrodectus, which is not found in Britain.

Mar 12: Salticus scenicus, the Zebra Jumping Spider, is often seen in gardens as it hunts on sunny walls and fences, rather than lurking as many spiders do. It stalks its prey and then finally pounces, using hydraulic pressure (rather than muscles) to extend its hind legs. It has 8 eyes, but one pair is very small and can't be seen in this photo. When a male and female spider meet, the male will conduct a courtship dance, waving his front legs & pedipalps and moving his abdomen up and down.

Mar 14: Andrena bicolor is one of our commonest mining bees. Females dig brood cells in the ground, and collect pollen and nectar from a wide assortment of flowers. This, however, is a male, and doesn't hold with that sort of thing. It has longer, stouter antennae than the females and lacks the bristles on the hind legs which transport pollen, also appears earlier in the year to be ready to pounce [on the female]. It has a very fetching haircut, though.

Mar 18: Today's task - cleaning out the ponds (or washing up bowls...) I empty out all the water, bricks, old leaves, earth, dead snails and wildlife. Then refill partly with the old water, partly with clean. Two of the wildlife shown: frog (lurking - only one) and one of several newts.

Peas 1 have just started to show, so sow peas 2, broad beans, spinach and green lettuce. By the way, the last of the tomatoes have just been used up in a stew!

Weather getting above zero, thank goodness. make some rhubarb fool.

Mar 27: Porcellio scaber (Common Rough Woodlouse) - Around 60 species of woodlouse (and their close aquatic relatives) are found in Britain, but just 5 are regarded as common. This species has rows of small bumps along the body segments and can reach up to 17mm long. Woodlice are crustaceans, fairly closely related to crabs and lobsters. Modern thinking is that insects involved from among crustacea, but spiders didn't - so insects are closer to woodlice than to spiders. Woodlice mostly feed on detritus and are regarded as beneficial, although they do sometimes feed on cultivated plants. [Many wood louse roll up, and Americans call these pill bugs. This one doesn't roll up.]

Weekend's task was planting potatoes. I didn't get a pic, because we managed to get sun, cloud, rain at various points, so felt like getting on with the job! Broad beans and some other seedlings showing. It must be Spring! (The clocks went back at the weekend as well. I know - it doesn't affect the garden...)

Mar 28: Scathophaga stercoraria (Yellow Dung Fly) - The males (as here) are quite conspicuous flies, the females a rather drab green. Larvae feed in cow and horse dung, adults prey on other insects around dung, but it seems they must wander away from it at times to turn up in gardens. [No cows or horses round us, or even their dung. There are cats. And possibly dogs in the cemetery.]

April

March

May

Apr 2: Bombylius major (Dark-edged bee-fly) - Looking like a bee, this bee-fly has yellowy-brown hair on its body; long, spindly legs; and a long proboscis which enables it to take nectar while hovering. Grape hyacinths suit it nicely, and forget-me-nots a bit later in spring. The wings have dark markings along their leading edges, unlike other British bee-flies (of which there are hardly any reports from Cambridgeshire). The larvae of Bombylius major are nest parasites of ground-nesting and solitary bees, feeding on the bee grubs. The female flicks her eggs towards the entrance holes of solitary bee nests to allow the larvae to hatch in the right place.

Osmia bicornis (Red mason bee) - Females (as here) much the same size as a honey bee, and conspicuous in their orange-red fur - males somewhat smaller. A important pollinator of several crop species including apples, plums and oilseed rape: even sold (as cocoons) to improve pollination (expensive though, at 60p each!) Nests are made by cramming wet mud into existing holes in masonry, timber, plant stems and also snail shells. They are the most frequent clients of bee hotels. They are disgusted by PVC window frames!

The fruit trees and bushes are starting to wake up.

There's a problem with one of the gooseberries, though. The harsh winter has killed off many of the branches in the centre. Drastic pruning required! I know they say - prune to leave an open centre, but this is ridiculous! Will it recover, thrive, or just give up?

Work this week was mostly removing ground elder where I could, although I also took off the seat covers, and sowed some grass seed on bare patches on lawn. Also sowed tomaotes inside, plus aubergine, white sprouting brocoli and mini cabbages.

Apr 3: Tephritis matricariae - A representative of the family Tephritidae, fairly small (6mm head to wingtip) but interesting because of the intricate pattern on the wings. This species is native to continental Europe, and was first found in Britain in 2000. Since then it has been recorded widely but not frequently, probably because it is difficult to distinguish from other Tephritis species (the best key is in Ukrainian!) Its larvae develop in the seed-heads of Beaked Hawksbeard (Crepis vesicaria), a tall plant with a flower like a dandelion. The family Tephritidae are sometimes called Picture-winged Flies, but this term covers other families as well. Many of them are associated with plants in the dandelion family: some cause stem or bud galls to swell, in which the larvae develop.

Liocoris tripustulatus (Nettle Plant Bug - as distinguished from Heterogaster urticae, "Nettle Ground Bug"). A small plant bug (family Miridae) up to 5mm long, extremely common as would be expected for an insect whose food plant is stinging nettle. Somewhat variable in colour but always has the pale heart-shaped mark behind the head and pale patches at the wing-case tips. Pale legs with dark markings all the way along. I don't know why it was on a rhubarb leaf.

Nigma walckenaeri - A small spider but its retreat web is easy to spot as it is constructed across the central vein of a leaf, and the spider sits motionless underneath it. This one was on a hyacinth (first time I've seen one there) so she must have had to calculate where the centre was, as a hyacinth doesn't have a central vein. Not a true British native but has been here since the 19th century and is now widespread. Quite prepared to catch prey insects larger than itself.

Apr 5: Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade hoverfly) - Probably our best-knowwn hoverfly, the double stripes are distinctive and the colour more orangey than other species. This is one of the few hoverflies where an "English name" is at all widely recognised. It refers to its colour rather than its food preferences.Our resident population is boosted in summer by migrants crossing the Channel in small boats*, sometimes reaching plague levels.
* I may have made that bit up

Eupeodes luniger - Another hoverfly which appears early in spring, and its numbers are also boosted by migrants from the continent. The size and shape of the comma-shaped yellow marks need to be checked carefully to distinguish it from similar species. This is a female: the eyes are well-separated at the top of the head, whereas in males they are larger and meet in the middle. This feature is common to all hoverflies and some other familes as well.

Asiraca clavicornis - Small and not conspicuous, but Grade I listed for sheer wierdness. Note the antennae which are thick and square at the base with a barely visible hair at the tip [click on photo for larger version]. Note also the swollen front legs. A member of the family Delphacidae, commonly called plant hoppers. The food plant is Convolvulus arvensis, the common creeping Bindweed, so we may look kindly upon it. A few years ago it was reported to be declining in range and confined to the Thames Valley area. Since about 2018 it seems to have been found much more often and has spread throughout East Anglia.

Armadillidium* vulgare (Common Pill Woodlouse) This is the only common woodlouse which can curl up. If you look at the Rough Woodlouse [see above - Mar 27], you will see a pair of projections at the tail end, which are called uropods (which just means "tail-legs"). In the Pill Woodlouse these are mere stubs - presumably if they were longer they would get damaged when curling up.
* No, I'm not making it up!

Apr 7: Adalia decempunctata var. decempustulata (10-spotted ladybird - melanic form) - Smaller than a 7-spot and very variable in patterning. The nominate form (the one matching the description given by the original author, in this case Linnaeus) is orange with 10 black spots. This form can be thought of as the black spots having run into each other, leaving irregular orange patches (as it happens, also 10) on a dark background. It was originally described as a different species, again by Linnaeus 3 pages later in the same work. In fact there is a complete range from totally orange to totally black, which can make them difficult to identify! Larvae and adults feed on aphids. [Whoopee!]
"var." is for "variety" (or Latin "varietas"). Zoological notation for coexisting variations within a species is not regulated and is therefore confused, with "form" (or "forma") and "morph" ("morpha") being used more or less interchangeably with "var.".This also means there is no official rule about italics. In practice the decempustulata is italicised but the "var." mostly isn't.
I found another one (Apr 9) close to the nominate form (it has an 11th spot at front on the centre-line, which is very common) and put them side-by-side so you can see how the dark areas develop

Epistrophe eligans - Variably marked, males (as here) have few markings, females one or two continuous bands across the abdomen, but both are in a rather subdued colour. "British Hoverflies" says that the appearance of this species "heralds the hoverfly season really gaining momentum". Numbers peak in May.

The bee hotel's first visitor ... was a wasp. This has greatly amused the Bees & Wasps Facebook group. She didn't stay long. I wonder whether she was thinking of stripping the wood to make nesting paper. ["If I knock down a few internal walls, install a few RSJs ..."]

Apr 10: Rhopalus subrufus A common bug throughout Southern England & the Midlands. Up to 7.5mm long, can be fairly conspicuous when sitting on a pale leaf like this. The overall red colour with black and white markings around the edge of the body are distinctive. Overwinters as an adult, the new generation appearing in August. Main food plant is St John's Wort, others are used including wild Basil and Herb Robert, but apparently not any garden plants. The family Rhopalidae has only a few British representatives and I only found the term "scentless plant bug" in Wikipedia. Apparently related families have scent glands which this family lacks.

Garden work this work was sowing seeds. Peas 2 are up, so I did peas 3, plus carrots, lettuce, raddish, beetroot, and various others. Easter day was beautiful but today (Easter Monday) was bank holiday weather (raining). All good for the garden, though.

Apr 11: Harmonia axyridis var. conspicua (Harlequin ladybird) - The Harlequin ladybird is almost as notorious for its variablility as for its ambition to take over the world. I first found them here in 2007. Confusingly, the nominate form, black with 6 scarlet spots on each wing, is not common - at least among the British population. We have three common varieties: succinea - orange with a total 19 black spots; spectabilis - black with 2 orange patches on each wing, one of which is often a crescent or Pacman shape; and conspicua with just one patch which is a whole or broken ring. The amount of white on the thorax also varies, this one has very little. Larger than the 7-spot, feeds on aphids.

Apr 14: The parrot tulips are out!

Myathropa florea is a member of a different "tribe" (Eristalini) than the hoverflies we have met so far, which were all Syrphini. Eristalini larvae are not predators: in this species they develop in rotting wood or wet leaves and are charmingly called "Rat-tailed maggots". Slightly larger than the others we have seen, and more robust, it is a good bee mimic. The broken grey line across the thorax is characteristic, but once you know it, it is unmistakeable. Active from mid-April though to Autumn, the adults are fond of large umbellifer flowerheads.

Lygus pratensis - Lygus species can be difficult to differentiate, as their basic colouration often varies from reddish-brown to green with variable markings. L. pratensis seems to have more strongly contrasted pale and dark areas than the similar L. rugulipennis, and seems to be the only one with the striped "knees" seen here. This species has markedly expanded its range northwards in recent years. They are said to feed on the sap of "various" plants - various sources mention heather, wormwood (Artemisia), buttercups and wild radish - but they also take nectar and are predators of aphids.

Apr 16: Rhogogaster scalaris (probably) - Sawflies (Symphyta) are a major division of the order Hymenoptera. They are distingushed from the other major division, Apocrita (wasps, bees & ants), by not having narrowed "wasp" waists. Almost all sawfly larvae are plant-eaters. There are half a dozen British species of Rhogogaster, all greenish and difficult to distinguish; indeed the experts were for a long time confused as to which name belonged to which species. R. scalaris is therefore only my best guess for this one. The larvae resemble moth caterpillars, and feed on the leaves of a range of common trees.

This week's work was weeding - grass and ground elder in the rose bed.

Apr 17: Wall flowers, springstar, forgetmenots and apple trees out. The fritilleria is shown from above, as that makes it look silly!

Nomada goodeniana (Goodenough's - usually given as "Gooden's" - Nomad Bee) - Looking very much like a lot of solitary wasps, this is actually a bee. (the technical distinction seems to be that the bristles on bees are branched while on wasps they are simple, but an easier distincton to observe is that bees generally look furrier.) Nomad bees do not make nests (hence both the English & Scientific names). Eggs are laid in the nests of other bees, and the nomad larva eats the resident grub first and then the food its mother has provided for it. In this case bees of the genus Andrena are parasitised, but apparently not the Andrena bicolor we saw earlier. The name goodeniana was dedicated to Samuel Goodenough, a leading 18th-19th c. naturalist in his spare time from being Bishop of Carlisle. This being so, the normally given English name of "Gooden's Nomad Bee" seems to be a mistake, and I have fixed it. The pattern of 1 broken and 4 complete yellow stripes distinguishes it from the many other British Nomada species.

Lilioceris lilii (Scarlet lily beetle) - Not a true British native, but has been here since at least 1839. It spread rapidly from the 1980s and is now found throughout England, and lowland Scotland and Wales. The larvae charmingly cover themselves with their own excrement for protection, and feed on the leaves of various spring bulbs - especially Lilium and Fritillaria.

Apr 18: Deraeocoris lutescens - A small, common member of the family Miridae: the wing tips are very transparent giving it an oddly truncated appearance. Unlike most Miridae (which are plant-suckers) this species is predatory, feeding on aphids, mites and psyllids (so-called "jumping plant lice"). It has been considered as a potential biological control agent. Said to favour oak-trees and nettles, but really it can be found pretty much anywhere. Unlike other Deraeocoris it over-winters as a adult, so is readily found in Spring. This specimen appears to be getting along with only one antenna.

Apr 19: Pieris rapae (Small White) - Compared to the related Large White (Pieris brassicae) the dark markings are smaller and not as dark. Another difference is that its caterpillars on cabbages are not gregarious on leaves, but drill individually into the hearts. Extremely common in Europe and has colonised North America and Australia. Before the cultivation of cabbages, its food plants were wild brassicas such as Mignonette, Charlock, and Hedge and Garlic Mustards.

Anthophora plumipes (Hairy-footed Flower Bee) - Sorry about this, but it is the only time you will catch the greyish male stationary for 10 seconds (including a cigarette). It is only the males which have hairy legs - you can see the hairs against the leaf at the top and against the shadow below the black female's body. Although in size and appearance they are very like bumble-bees, they do not have a separate worker caste. The females make individual nests in cliffs or walls, sometimes in noisy aggregations. A wide variety of flowers are visited. They are common in southern England and the Midlands with fewer records further north. Why Anthophora get to be called "Flower" Bees, as if there are any other sort of bee, isn't clear. To say it is a translation of the scientific name (Grk. anthos = flower) merely transfers the question.

Apr 21: Pear tree in blossom

Apr 22: Celastrina argiolus (Holly Blue) - A common sight in gardens from April to August, with two distinct broods. Spring caterpillars do indeed feed on holly berries; those produced in August feed on ivy berries and over-winter as pupae. It differs from most other British "Blue" butterflies (in the sub-family Polyommatinae of the family Lycaenidae) in being slate-blue on the underside rather than brown, with simple black marks instead of white-edged "eyes" or orange marks. The Small Blue is similar but, er, smaller, and quite scarce.

Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata (22-spot Ladybird) - Small but very conspicuous, presumably it is signalling that it is unpalatable. The size of the spots varies somewhat, but all forms are readily recognised. The larvae are also yellow. Like others in its genus it is not an aphid eater but feeds on fungus, browsing on mildew on umbellifers and low-growing shrubs. The cumbersome species name vigintiduopunctata, and several similar ladybird names, is rather an accident of history. Linnaeus originally (1758) wrote it as 22-punctata, and this form persisted for ages. The international nomenclature code requiring numbers to be spelt out in Latin was not introduced until 1961.
[The spots on the thorax (left bit) don't count!]

Emmelina monodactyla (Common Plume) Plume moths (family Pterophoridae) have wings divided into lengthwise spars, each with a fringe of hairs on the trailing edge. When resting, these are folded like a fan, to give this low-profile appearance and avoid the eyes of predators. The Common Plume is indeed common throughout England, Wales & lowland Scotland, is frequently found in daylight, and can fly at any time of year. The wings have hardly any markings. The larval foodplant is bindweed, hooray!
[The wings are in the middle. The right one is foreshortened.]

Apr 23: Aglais io (Peacock butterfly) - The Peacock is found all across Europe and Asia to Japan. The black caterpillars are gregarious on nettles and hops, and the adults hibernate. Sudden revelation of the eyespots has been shown to deter bird predators sufficiently to improve the insect's chance of escape. Females are only receptive for mating for a short period after emerging from hibernation. Consequently there is no point in the males hanging around, and they have evolved to have a shorter life-span than the females.

Vespula vulgaris (Common Wasp) - This is a queen. The workers are smaller and have less extensive yellow colouring and do not emerge untl the picnic season is well under way. The Common Wasp is native to large parts of Europe & Asia, and has colonised Australia, New Zealand and South America. The insects called "yellowjackets" in North America were long thought to be the same species, but have now be shown to be distinct. In some places, wasps are regarded as pests as the adults can damage fruit. However they also provide a useful service in removing crop-damaging caterpillars to feed to the larvae.

Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (14-spot Ladybird) - Another insect found all across Europe and Asia to Japan, and has spread in North America after deliberate introduction as a control agent. The colour pattern varies considerably, from mainly yellow with 14 separate black spots to mainly black with 12 orange patches. It feeds on aphids, whitefly and scale insects.

Weekend's work - plant seeds including Peas 4. Things are starting to grow...

Apr 29: A good spring!

I thought that the elder tree had been killed by our sharp, cold winter. However, there is a certain amount of growth (although many branches have died). Photos show before and after pruning dead wood.

Aelia acuminata (Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug) - The narrow pointed head is unusual for shieldbugs making this species easily recognisable. The body shape is supposed to resemble a Bishop's Mitre (see the red outline), albeit an unusually tall one. The nymphs feed on seeds of grasses, so it favours grassland habitats including sand-dunes. It is common in south-eastern England through the Midlands and into Yorkshire, but confined to coastal areas in the west and Wales.

Vespula germanica (German Wasp) - Compare Vespula vulgaris (Apr 23) and you will see that in this species there is much more black down the centre, and the yellow bands hardly join up across the abdomen. However these markings are rather variable, and markings on the face are a surer basis for identification. I think "German Wasp" is just a translation of the scientific name, and that was just given by Johan Fabricius because his specimens came from Germany near where he worked. Nowadays it is found, as the saying goes, on all continents except Antarctica. Nests are generally underground (V. vulgaris sometimes nests in roof spaces). This queen was caught in the act of chewing wood fibres off a fence post to start her nest.

Sehirus luctuosus (Forget-me-not Shieldbug) - This is a species which may occur in substantial numbers in a patch of Forget-me-nots yet pass unnoticed. It spends its time scurrying around on the ground, and feeds by tapping into the tops of the roots. Later in the season it may climb the plants to eat the seeds. There are several similar black shieldbugs but this one is the blackest, lacking any white marks on the wings or around the body. Common in Southern England (but not the South-west) and the Midlands. Sorry about the quality of this photo - when I said "scurrying", IT NEVER STANDS STILL!! This was the best out of 32 attempts.

May

April

June

May 3: Tachina fera - The Tachinidae are a large family of true flies, most of which are parasitoids on other insects. Tachina fera is about the size of a bluebottle and is common throughout England (exect the SW) and lowland Scotland. Eggs are laid on leaves and ingested by moth caterpilllars which the fly larva then eats. Adults feed on nectar and pollen of composites and umbellifers.

May 6: Eristalis pertinax - This belongs to the same tribe of hoverflies as Myathropa florea (Apr 14), its larvae being aquatic rat-tailed maggots. It is very common all over Britain and its flight period is ended only by the first frosts of winter. Nicely visible in this photo is a small dark area on the leading edge of the wing called the pterostigma (wing-mark). This contains thicker cells than the rest of the wing, and the extra weight reduces the tendency to spontaneous vibrations. Equivalent structures are found in several insect orders as diverse as dragonflies and wasps, but it seems they must have evolved independently several times.

May 7: It's that time of year again...

May 8: Anthomyia procellaris - You might think that a complicated pattern like this would be unique, but in fact there at at leat 3 similar species. I think I have identified it correctly by looking at another picture from the side and counting the hairs on its legs! The diverse family Anthomyiidae includes species whose larvae are root maggots, feeders on seaweed, parasites or, as this one, scavengers in birds' nests. The prominent pattern is thought to be aposematic (a warning sign), but only if the fly has itself eaten something noxious. The adults feed on bird droppings as well as nectar and pollen.

May 9: Episyrphus balteatus larva (Marmalade hoverfly) - See Apr 5 for general notes on the species. Many aphid-eating hoverflies have pale to translucent larvae like this one, and historically they were only paired with their adults by dipterologists raising them up through pupahood. Presumably it can now be speeded up through DNA tests. This one was on a rose leaf and looks suspiciously well fed. The head is on the right. It breathes through short tubes at the other end, which are just visible.

May 10: Osmia caerulescens (Blue mason-bee) - I (i.e. Keith) chose to photograph this bee because of the noticeable brassy sheen of its head and thorax. This is a male - females are nearly black with a bluish tinge, hence the scientific and English names (Linnaeus described the sexes as different species). It is closely related to O. bicornis (Apr. 2). Found throughout England and Wales, although distribution is rather patchy and it is seldom common. Nests are constructed within existing cavities, including insect exit burrows in dead wood, crevices in masonry, and bee-hotels; they are plugged with masticated leaf fragments. A wide range of flowers are visited. Note the speckled appearance of the eyes - I'm trying to find out if these have a known purpose.

Not much happened at the weekend, because of Coronation events, and it rained. It's that time of year when window sills (and tops of dustbins) get filled up.

Some of the flowers out at the moment - the last of the Spring bulbs, old favourites that managed to survive the winter, and bedding plants.

Polydrosus formosus (Wikipedia calls it "Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil" but I think this is American usage, not British) - At over 6mm long* this is quite a large weevil. Larvae feed off roots of deciduous trees. Once scarce, it has become much more common over the last 10 years or so across the whole of England. Other green broad-nosed weevils are available, including Phyllobius pomaceus (common on nettles).
* weevils are measured from the front of the eye, to avoid having to measure the long and often curved rostrum (snout).

May 14: Crepidodera aurea - Small (3.5mm) but conspicuous when the sunlight gleams off its bronze finish. Flea beetles are a section of the large leaf-beetle family (Chrysomelidae). They have strong, thick hind legs and their principal means of self-defence is to leap boldly into the unknown. Crepidodera is a genus with about 5 British species, all in metallic colours and usually associated with willows and poplars. C. aurea is not much reported from Cambridgeshire but this may be due to its small size. Clearly it is prepared to come down from the willows as I found this one among the Ground Elder.

Tomatoes planted out, snapdragons repotted, garden growing, and first harvest apart from rhubarb - radishes! Oh, and lots of weeding.

Baccha elongata - The long, thin, "wasp" waist is unique among British hoverflies. Its larvae are aphid predators, especially on nettles and brambles. Common throughout most of the UK except northern Scotland, but may be under-reported as it favours low-lying vegetation in shady places.
I have no idea why it is pink underneath!

May 15: Elasmucha grisea (Parent Bug) - A common shield-bug remarkable for exercising maternal care over its offspring. The mother will stand over clutches of eggs or early stage nymphs, and protect them against predators (ants, ladybird larvae) by agressive movements and spraying noxious liquid. Other Elasmucha species display similar behaviour. Male parent bugs do not exercise care as they die soon after mating. The main food plant is birch: other trees may also be utilised. Found throughout mainland Britain & N. Ireland.

Xanthorhoe fluctuata (Garden Carpet moth) - Moths in the genus Xanthorhoe are called "Carpets" as many other them have a broad colour band across both wings, similar to the pattern of a woven carpet. This is less noticeable in the Garden Carpet than in many others and in this specimen only the ends of band appear to be dark. It is a member of the familiy Geometridae, its caterpillars being "loopers" (or "inchworms"). They feed on cultivated and wild crucifers, including cabbages, wallflowers and garlic mustard. Very common right up to the Shetlands, with a fondness for garden habitats. Resting wingspan up to an inch. Specimen found in the bathroom and returned to the wild.

Palomena prasina (Common Green Shieldbug) - A very common bug throughout England, Wales and N.I., much less so in Scotland. Females lay batches of eggs in perfect hexagonal packing arrangement, on a wide range of deciduous trees and shrubs. Who needs two antennae, anyway?
These are probably shield bug eggs - don't know which species though. And it's a photo from several years ago.

May 16: Sphaerophoria scripta (probably) - English name: "Long Hover Fly" (according to the S.G.R.E.N.I.)
A slender and brightly coloured hoverfly. Note, for instance, that the scutellum - the D-shape at the base of the abdomen - is bright yellow, whereas it has been brownish on all the hovers we have seen so far. This is a female, and it is generally reckoned that these cannot be distinguished to species by any means in this genus. Sphaerophoria scripta is, however, by far the commonest. Males are even longer and thinner, justifying the supposed English name. Larvae are predators on aphids. Common up to Yorkshire, lowland and coastal further north.

Esperia sulphurella (Sulphur Tubic moth) - A small moth (head and wings 8.5mm, antennae nearly another 5mm) which is active in daylight. Larvae are found in decaying wood, tree bark, rotting fence posts, and decaying hard fungus. Common up to Yorkshire, lowland and coastal further north.

Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth - often abbreviated to LBAM). Originally native to Australia, it was accidentally introduced into Britain in the 1930s and has become widespread up to the Scottish lowlands. Larvae feed on leaves of apple trees, spinning webs for protection. Various other trees are also used. It is a pest in Australia and New Zealand, and in California was attempted to be dealt with by spraying herbicide over cities (this practice was rapidly discontinued!)

May 20: What's in bloom...

May 21: Macrosiphum rosae (Rose Aphid) - Loathe them or hate them, aphids are a vital part of the insect food chain, sustaining ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings amongst others. There are many species and the host plant is normally the starting point for identification. The wingless, parthenogenic, generations of the rose aphid are around 3mm long and may be either pink or green. Winged sexual generations are produced in summer which migrate to new hosts including teasels and valerian as well as roses. Structures common to many aphids are the backward pointing tubes on the abdomen, called siphunculi or cornicles. Contrary to some reports these do NOT produe the sweet sticky honeydew, but are in fact a defensive mechanism - when an aphid is threatened they produce drops of an unpleasant waxy liquid. Presumably ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings have evolved to tolerate this!

Merodon equestris (Greater Bulb Fly) - A large hoverfly and one of the few which are potentially unwelcome in gardens as the larvae burrow in bulbs, such as daffodils and bluebells. However, unless you are raising bulbs commercially the losses are probably tolearble. Several colour forms exist, which appear to be mimicing different species of bumblebee. Found throughout Britain although sporadic north of Edinburgh. It was probably introduced into Britain with daffodil bulbs in the 19th century.

Closterotomus trivialis - Native to the Mediterranean area where it can be a pest on olive and citrus trees, it was first spotted in London in 2009 and Cambridge in 2021. It has since been reported as far north as Edinburgh, but seems to be concentrated in urban areas - perhaps appreciating a little extra warmth. In Britain it is described as "polyphagous" (eating many things). One source says it favours nettles, another St John's Wort and Sage. I found two on a redcurrant bush. It is sexually dimorphiic - females like this have green tips to the elytra (wing-cases); males are generally darker with red tips. Both sexes have the large dark spots across the pronotum (the part next to the head).

May 26: Andrena cineraria (Ashy Mining Bee). A bee which can adapt to a wide range of habitats and visits a wide range of flowers. In some areas it is an important pollinator of Oil-seed Rape crops. Nests are dug into south-facing slopes, paths and even lawns, sometimes forming extensive aggregations. Very common up to the Scottish Border (curiously a rather sharp cut-off in records here) with just a few from the Scottish lowlands.

May 27: Pyrausta aurata (Mint Moth, also "Small Purple & Gold") - A day-flying moth, the spring generation seems to have a particular fondness for forget-me-nots. Or perhaps it is just posing for contrast. The caterpillars feed on mint and other related aromatic herbs such as marjoram and lemon balm. Common up to Yorkshire, sporadic further north.

Heterogaster urticae (Nettle Ground Bug) - Normally found on nettles, where it often gathers in large groups of both adults and nymphs in various development stages. However, even a bug likes a change of scene sometimes, and this one dropped into the garden to rest on the redcurrant. There is no suggestion that it feeds on any cultivated plants. Common up to Yorkshire, scarce further north.

What's flowering... The Asda annuals (3 for a fiver) are turning out well.

This week's work was tying up tall plants such as hollyhocks before they fall over.

Arge ochropus (Large Rose Sawfly) - The artistic lighting effect cannot disguise the fact that this insect is a pest. It does however nicely show the yellow and black banded legs which distinguish it from A. pagana, a sawfly of similar habits, whose legs are black. The larvae, grey and yellow with black spots, gather round the outside of rose leaves and consume them towards the middle. They often assume a posture with their tail-ends in the air. This is apparently a defence mechanism and is accompanied by the emission of noxious chmicals. Common up to Yorkshire, absent further north.

May 31: Nice flowers in the garden. And a local resident, trundling by....

June

May

July

June 4: Odiellus spinosus Harvestmen (Opiliones) are arachnids but, although superficially similar to spiders, are not closely related (spiders are more closely related to scorpions than to harvestmen). They have just 2 eyes, mounted on a sort of turret on the unsegmented body. Odiellus spinosus is not a true British native, but has been here since the 19th century and in some areas has been found to be the most abundant harvestman species. It is thought to feed on spiders and mites, and in turn is prey for hedgehogs. Common up to Yorkshire, nearly absent further north.

Roses and oxalis.

The vegetable garden. Work this week, tying back the raspberries so we'll be able to pick them, sowing French and berlotti beans. Weeding. Watering (by watering can).

June 6: Callisto denticulella (Garden Apple Slender) - Quite a small moth (6.5mm long), perhaps most likely to be noticed by the effects of its larvae. These start life as miners in the leaves of apple trees; later they fold over the edge of a leaf and feed on the enclosed surface. Adults fly in May and June. Widespread up to south Yorkshire, scattered further north.

June 9: Coenagrion puella (Azure Damselfly) - This is a male - females have the upper abdomen nearly all black, with greenish markings on the thorax. Common all the way up to central Scotland - said to prefer small ponds, including garden ponds, for breeding. The Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum), which is indeed generally more common than the Azure, is quite similar in appearance but can be distinguished by the markings on the abdomen. It is said to prefer larger bodies of water, but the adults roam quite widely from their breeding sites. 4 other, scarcer, species can be similarly distinguished.

The roses are really starting, now.

Legnotus limbosus (Bordered Shieldbug) - Similar to the Forget-me-not Shieldbug (see Apr 29), but may readily be recognised by the pale margin along most of the wing which gives both its English and scientific names (limbus = border). Also distinguished by standing still. Associated with bedstraws growing on dry friable soils in sunny situations, frequently burrowing into loose soil at the base of the foodplant. Widespread up to Yorkshire, although probably under-reported as it is rather inconspicuous.

June 10: Rhopalapion longirostre (Hollyhock Weevil) - These are small insects, but interesting in a couple of ways. The first is the the exceptional length of the rostrum (snout) of the female. This is used for excavating holes in hollyhock buds, the buds being covered with thick sepals, into which hole the female deposits an egg. The larvae feed on pollen and on the maturing seeds. Males do not dig, so it is slightly unclear why they have a rostrum at all: it may be used for jostling with other males when trying to mate. The second is distribution. When first described in 1807 the specimens were taken from Istanbul. It was first noted in Britain in 2006, in Kent, and has spread fairly slowly. Cambridge appears to be currently the very limit of its range.

June 11: Synanthedon tipuliformis (Currant Clearwing) - Clearwing moths, family Sesiidae, have wings largely devoid of scales and striped bodies, bearing a passing resemblance to wasps or hornets. Synanthedon tipuliformis lays eggs on red currant and black currant bushes, and the larvae develop inside the shoots. They have been seen in our garden for more than 20 years and the red currant bush has survived so far. [I suspect this comment is in response to my complaints about these insects which eat our plants!] Widespread throughout England but not particularly common, which seems strange for an insect which uses cultivated plants.

June 14: Nephrotoma flavescens (No specific English name, although one site calls it THE Tiger Crane-fly. Another calls it Primrose Tiger. I don't think either of these is common usage.) Tiger crane-flies (Nephrotoma) are smaller than the true "daddy-long-legs" (Tipula) but may be more conspicuous at rest because of their yellow colour. This species is distinguished by the broken chain of dark marks along the abdomen. Adults are short-lived but may feed on umbellifer flowers. Larvae are "leather-jackets" and feed on plant roots. This is a very common species throughout England.

June 15: Oedemera nobilis (Swollen-thighed Beetle) - Quite a large beetle and very conspicuous in its shining colours, which may be green, bronze or even bluish. The colours may be aposematic, as the beetles contain the highly toxic substance cantharidin (otherwise known as "Spanish Fly"). Only the males have swollen thighs. A study in 2020 concluded that their principal purpose is to grasp a female firmly during mating - "like a mole wrench", as the author puts it. Adults feed on pollen on open flowers such as Ox-Eye Daisy and Cow Parsley. Larvae like inside plant stems such as thistles. Before the 1990s it was a very localised southern species in Britain, but since then it has spread widely up to Yorkshire and can occur in large numbers in sites with plentiful flowers.

Demonstrating flower colour change in roses. Work this week is frantic weeding to make the garden look better for visitors. We've let things slide because last week has been TOO HOT! We have eaten our first broad beans and first (new) potatoes.

June 18: Deraeocoris flavilinea Although bugs in the family Miridae are generally called Plant Bugs, some of them are predators, and this is one. In fact it is a predator on aphids, and several of them are currently working on our apple tree in an informal coalition with Harlequin Ladybird larvae. [hooray!] This is a male, females being orange-brown. Some examples of Deraeocoris ruber look rather similar but there are discernible differences in the markings - e.g. this species has banded legs whilst those of D. ruber are plain. First found in Britain in 1996 it has spread rapidly throughout England with advanced guards reaching Scotland and Wales.

Euura leucotrocha - until recently known as Nematus leucotrochus (Pale-spotted Gooseberry Sawfly) Here we can see a typical sawfly larva, and note that as well as the 3 pairs of true jointed legs at the front, it has 6 pairs of stumpy, unjointed "pro-legs" further along its body. This distinguishes sawfly larvae from moth caterpillars, which never have more than 5 pairs of prolegs. (Well, hardly ever.) E. leucotrocha is one of three species which feeds on gooseberry and currant leaves, having a pale head whilst the others are dark. "Pests of Fruit Crops" says they are usually only present in small numbers (I could only see the one) and damage is not likely to be significant. [Good!] There are very few records on the usual recording web sites. Indeed if my identification is correct it will be the first on iRecord for Cambridgeshire.

Coreus marginatus (Dock Bug) - British species of the family Coreidae all look rather like this - brown with broad abdomens and thick antennae - and are mostly distinguished by details of their shape. This is the commonest. Nymphs seem to have adult-size antennae on tiny bodies, giving a rather comical appearance ("he'll grow into them"). In the wild its foodplants are various docks and sorrels; in gardens it may be found on rhubarb (which is a close relative of dock). I have also several times found it on raspberry, but this is not listed as a foodplant. Extremely common in gardens and wild locations: like many other species we have met it doesn't care to go north of Leeds.

Lagria hirta - A medium-sized beetle with wing cases which are visibly shaggy (hirta means hairy). It is currently placed in the family Tenebrionidae, which are collectively called "Darkling Beetles" because many of them live in cellars and similar dark places: but conversely many species, such as this, are at home in the sunlight. Adults feed on the same flowers as Oedemera nobilis (June 15). The larvae eat decaying plant material in leaf litter and turf. Common throughout England but mainly coastal in the north (perhaps reflecting its preference for sandy soils).

June 21: Cryptocephalus moraei - "Cryptocephalus" means "Hidden head", and in this genus of leaf beetles the head is usually hidden by the thorax when viewed from above. The orange markings on the elytra of this species give it a unique appearance. It is mostly associated with Perforate St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), as seen here, where the larvae feed on the leaves. Widely distributed in the South-east and Midlands but not particularly common.

Idaea fuscovenosa (Dwarf Cream Wave) - One of several "Wave" moths which can just about be distinguished by their markings, in this case the one small but conspicuous dark spot on each wing. The larvae ("loopers" - see May 15) feed on dandelions. Range very similar to Cryptocephalus moraei (immediately above).

June 23: The insect photographer in action!

Harpalus tardus (maybe) - There are many black members of the family Carabidae and they are not easy to distinguish from photos. The colour of the legs gives some help; many have brown to red legs but this one has legs mostly black. Whatever, this picture is worth including as it is an impressive beetle over 10mm long. Many ground beetles are predators, but H. tardus is said to feed mainly on vegetative matter. It has a scattered distribution, mainly south of the Humber, often coastal but with inland clusters as well. It (and many of its relatives) is probably under-recorded due to the difficulty of identification.

Issus coleoptratus - Plant-hoppers are not widely known by normal people, perhaps because at 6.5mm this is one of the largest and most are much smaller. Its dark markings are very variable, some having only a couple of small dark spots on plain grey-brown wing cases. This species has a particular claim to fame as the first in which the function of structures resembling cogs attached to the hind legs of the nymph was described, as synchronising the legs to help the insect jump straight. It even got a mention on QI (Episode Nature/Nurture). Adults like this have lost the cogs. Mostly found in the South-east, East Anglia and the Midlands.

June 24: First hollyhock flowers! This one looks as if it's going to be a tall one... And the Iceberg rose is out. The old plant died, and this was a replacement, planted a few weeks ago (and we've had a heatwave) so I'm impressed!
Not much gardening, as too hot. Some weeding in the veg bed (and watering the Iceberg rose!) We're eating broad beans and peas, but the lettuces didn't work this year. It was a cool spring.

Chorthippus brunneus (Field Grasshopper) - Like many of our grasshoppers it is variable in colour and can be green, grey, brown or even pink. It can identified by the conspicuously pinched shape of the pronotum behind the head. The species is fully winged and flies well. Herbivorous, it feeds mainly on grasses. Adults appear from June and may survive until early December. Very common throughout England, Wales and southern Scotland.

Yponomeuta malinellus (Apple Ermine) There are several black-spotted white Ermine moths which are difficult to distinguish, but there is a slight clue in the fringe on the wings being slightly grey rather than white. Besides, it is on an apple tree (apple visible top left). Larvae feed on apple trees, initially as leaf-miners, later forming communal webs on the leaf surfaces. Found throughout England and Wales, except the West Country.

June 25: Marasmarcha lunaedactyla (Crescent Plume) - For notes on plume moths see Apr 22. The pale crescent markings on the wings serve to easily identify this species. UKMoths web site (the font of all wisdom) says "It prefers dry habitats, such as downland, shingle beaches and sand-dunes" - but this narrative hasn't changed since at least 2015 and I think drier climate has encouraged it into a more general distribution in southern England since then. It was first recorded in Cambridge last year (2022). Larvae feed on Common Restharrow (a tough, creeping member of the vetch family - which also prefers dry grass-land and dunes). Widespread in the south but barely into Yorkshire. NFG (new for garden).

June 26: Dolycoris baccarum (Hairy Shieldbug or Sloe Shieldbug) - The hairiness of the adults is not very obvious on photos - it can just be seen here where the thorax meets the dark background. The hairiness of nymphs is much more obvious. Overwinters as an adult, emerging in the spring. Nymphs may be found on numerous plants - notably blackthorn (sloe) which gives its second English name, but many other members of the rose familiy (and beyond) as well. Extremely common wherever there is scrubby vegetation, thoughout England, Wales, NI and lowland Scotland.

June 27: Scaeva pyrastri (Pied Hoverfly) - A conspicuous and distinctive hoverfly, it is noticeably larger than similarly patterned species (such as Eupeodes luniger, Apr. 5) and the markings are much paler, nearly white. It is not resident in Britain over winter, flying in from the continent in varying numbers each year. It is an aphid feeder. It reaches just about all parts of the UK.

Thereva nobilitata (Common Stiletto-fly) - Quite a large fly with copious yellow hairs. I can only assume that "Stiletto-fly" is a reference to the shape, but I can't find any reference for this. The larvae look rather like worms and live amongst dead leaves. They eat everything from rotting plants to other insects and worms. The diet of the adults appears to be unknown - one paper suggests they feed on carrion. Found throughout the UK.

Heterotoma planicornis - The broad and flattened 2nd antennal segment, dark ground colour and contrasting greenish legs make this species unmistakeable. Abundant throughout most of Britain on various plants and trees, in particular nettles. Both adults and nymphs feed on small insects, such as aphids, as well as plant buds and unripe fruits.

Spider revisited - Pisaura mirabilis (Feb 3) - In a project worthy of human artist Christo, this spider has created its nursery web by wrapping a Love-in-the-Mist seed pod complete with its spines. The egg mass is just visible to the left of the pod.

First raspberry pick today! At LAST! Very late, due to cool wet spring.

July

June

August

July 1: Chrysoperla carnea group* (Common Green Lacewing) - Lacewings are the only conspicuous British members of the order Neuroptera. With regards to the major insect orders this is most closely related to the beetles. What was long thought to be a single species Chrysoperla carnea has recently been split into several "cryptic" (i.e. virtually indistinguishable) species. Most sightings are currently being logged as "Chrysoperla carnea group". Both adults and larvae are active predators, their favourite food being - you guessed it - aphids. The larvae are sold as biological control agents. Common throughout England, Wales and central Scotland. [Second photo shows what the aphids are doing to our red currant. Go it, lacewings!]

Below is what the garden looks like at the moment! This week's work, sticks for the tomatoes, trim next door's plants where they're overhanging our path, dead-heading the roses, remove shoots of wisteria (every day!), pick peas and beans, dig up some new potatoes, bindweed...

July 2: Sympetrum striolatum (Common Darter) - Darters are our smallest true dragonflies - they are only the same length as the larger damselflies. The Common Darter breeds in ponds and other still waters, and they are frequently found at small garden ponds. This is a female: males are reddish. They are frequently found away from water, resting on the tops of plants, garden chairs, etc., waiting to dart out on passing insect prey. Very common throughout mainland Britain & NI.

Insect reprise: Coreus marginatus nymph - This is the nymph I mentioned (June 18) as having disproportionately large antennae.

July 3: Himacerus mirmicoides (Ant Damsel-bug nymph) - One of very few insects whose name relates to the immature form. Parts of the abdomen are pale coloured, and if you only see the dark brown the outline resembles multiple lobes and narrow waist of a (quite large) ant. This is assumed to be Batesian mimicry (because that is what entomologists always say). Adults are unremarkable brownish bugs with no ant-like features, and not often observed. All stages are predatory. Common in southern England: currently spreading into Yorkshire.

Machimus atricapillus probably (Kite-tailed Robberfly) - Robberflies (family Asilidae) are among our largest true flies. They are skilled predators, catching other insects in flight. The larvae are not well-known but are thought also to be predators among ground-level detritus. This identification is my best effort - there are other species distinguished by patterns on the legs but it is difficult to be certain about this from a photo. They all have similar habits anyway. "Kite-tailed" refers to the males which have a tuft of hairs on the tip of the abdomen which forks like the tail of a kite (bird). This specimen doesn't show that so must be a female. Common up to York, scattered further north.

July 7: What's happening in the garden. There's some veg, although a lot less than there should be - no lettuce, hardly any carrot, and the tomatoes are behindhand. The flowers are mostly hollyhocks, although the annuals (not shown) are OK. The wild garden is fine.

Work this week - picking raspberries (not a good yar), and gooseberries (better than last year). Tying up tomatoes (behindhand). Tying back Michaelmas daisies and sedum.

July 9: Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly) - At close to 2cm long this is Britain's largest hoverfly. It has a relative V. inanis which is not quite as large but more brightly striped in yellow. Nothing else looks similar. Larvae live in the nests of social wasps (including hornets) in tree cavities, and scavenge on the debris at the bottom of the nest. Adults feed on flowers. Resident in Britain since the 1940s it was confined to southern counties until about 1995, since when it has spread rapidly and the vanguard has recently reached Scotland. V. inanis has spread in a very similar way. (Hornets have also spread northwards, a few years earlier.)

July 10: Pieris napi (Green-veined White) - The Green-veined White is distinguished from its relatives the Small (see Apr 19) and Large Whites by having grey tracing along the wing veins. On the undersurface, which is yellow, the tracing gives the illusion of being green, hewnce the name. Females (as here) have two bold dark spots on each forewing - males have at most one. In this example there is nearly a third spot blending into the dark front corners; also the right wing has an aberrant dark triangle. Green-veined Whites never feed on cultivated brassicas (well, hardly ever). Their normal foodplants are wild crucifers such as cuckoo flower, charlock and garlic mustard. Found everywhere in mainland Britain and reaches up to Orkney, but not Shetland (where only the Large White is established).

Leptophyes punctatissima (Speckled Bush-cricket nymph) - Bush-crickets are in the same order as Grasshoppers and share the long hind legs for jumping, but differ in having exceptionally long antennae. For convenience of presentation, one antenna is shown in the inset at the top, to the same scale as the main image. Bush-crickets sing with their wings and listen with their knees. {What do they do with their antenae?} Although this is a nymph, the adult looks quite similar, having very short wings used only for stridulation. This is a male: even in the nymphs the females have a curved ovipositor at the end of the abdomen. A plant-eater with a broad diet. Common south of Sheffield, few records further north.

Insect reprise - Harmonia axyridis (Harlequin ladybird) - These are the other two common forms mentioned on Apr 11. Var. succinea, probably the commonest in Britain, is orange with usually 19 black spots, but this one hasn't yet fully darkened after emerging from its pupa. Var. conspicua is with black with one large orange patch (sometimes a ring) on each wing. It is seen next to the pupal case it emerged from.

July 11: Thymelicus lineola (Essex Skipper) - Skippers (family Hesperiidae) differ from other butterflies in their resting posture, with the hind-wings flat (seen here on the left) and fore-wings at an angle (edge-on on the left, seen on the right). Only in the last 10 years have genomic studies demonstrated that they form a "monophyletic clade" including the other "butterflies" and no other "moths" (in layman's terms, "butterflies are a thing"). The Essex Skipper has a close relative relative the Small Skipper (T. sylvestris) which is difficult to distinguish, but there are some slight diferences in the dark markings on the wings which I am fairly confident make this a male T. lineola. The larval foodplants of both species are various tall grasses. The similarity with T. sylvestris means recording is confused, but the Essex Skipper seems now to be common throughout southern England (except the West Country) and the Midlands (the Small Skipper reaches into Scotland, Wales, and the West Country). Although T. lineola was first described from Essex any local connection has long disappeared, and it has greatly expanded its range in recent decades. Adults are said to feed from thistles and knapweeds, but this one had discovered lavender! [Well, it's purple!]

July 12: Pyronia tithonus (Gatekeeper) - The Gatekeeper is smaller than the rather similar Meadow Brown (June 28); the black disk has two small white dots and the male (as here) has an area of dark scent scales in the centre of the forewing. Larvae feed on grasses, and hibernate before pupating in June. Adults feed on flowers including marjoram, fleabane, ragwort, and bramble on which they roost overnight. Because of this they tend to be found near hedgerows and hence gates. Common throughout most of England and Wales, hardly found in Scotland or NI.

Chrysopilus asiliformis (Little Snipe-fly) - Snipe flies (family Rhagionidae) are so called because they have a proboscis (not seen here) resembling the bill of a snipe. They have slender bodies and stilt-like legs. The mouthparts are adapted for piercing and many species are blood-suckers as adults, while others are predatory on other insects. I cannot find any information on the diet of this species. The veins on the wings stand out nicely in this photo. The pattern of cross-veins and branching can be helpful in finding the right family when identifying a fly. Distibuted over most of England, but rather scattered.

July 16: Vanessa atalanta (Red Admiral) - The Red Admiral hardly needs introduction. Some hibernate in Britain, the numbers are boosted by immigration and the species spreads to every corner and island of the UK. The foodplant is nettles, and of these there is no shortage. Beyond our shores it is found across Europe, North America and (according to Wikipedia) Asia. Similar related species live in India, Africa, Indonesia and New Zealand. Historically it was also known as the "Red Admirable" or simply "Admirable". It is not clear which form was earlier. "Admirable" may be easier to explain.

Hollyhocks are doing well. Just started, a gladioli, and a montbretia. Work in the garden - tying back and deshooting tomatoes, persuading the melon NOT top grow over everything else, harvest potatoes and get back of the last of the broad beans (the peas are all finished), and, of course, weeding. The tomatoes have started setting (first fruit forming).

July 16: Campyloneura virgula - A distinctive little bug 4-5mm long. It is a predator on aphids and mites, and can be found on various trees and other plants. In the northern parts of its range (including Britain) it normally reproduces by parthenogenesis and males are very rarely found. In North Africa, males are common and sexual reproduction is the norm. Widely, but perhaps patchily, distributed in England, Wales and lowland Scotland.

July 19: This is the adult form of the speckled bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) seen as a nymph on July 10. Maybe it is the same insect! If you look behind the head you can see the "wings" are reduced to small pear-shaped flaps, used only for making sounds. The curved cerci at the rear are (inevitably) used for grasping the female during mating, but bush-crickets are unusual in that females mount the males (induced by the promise of an edible offering).

July 21: Autographa gamma (Silver Y moth) This photo clearly shows the white Y shaped marks which give both the English and scientific names. A resident of mediterranean regions, large numbers migrate up to 2000 km north each year, and some of their descendants make the return journey in the autumn. In the meantime the green caterpillars are munching on the leaves of various crops including cabbages, peas and sugar-beet.

Enoplognatha ovata probably (Common Candy-striped Spider) Like Steatoda nobilis (Mar 10) this is one of the family Theridiidae, called Comb-footed spiders. There are three genetically determined colour forms of this spider, respectively with no red, two red bands (as here), or a solid area of red. Its relative E. latimana cannot be distinguished by photo, but appears to be much less common in Cambridgeshire. Food is caught in a scrappy web consisting of a loose network of criss-cross threads. After mating the female rolls up a leaf and secures it with silk, to protect her egg-sac. Found throughout Britain up to the Orkneys.

July 23: Phytocoris tiliae A predatory plant-bug which has clearly been reading good books on camouflage (although some specimens are much darker). It lives in various trees and preys on mites, small caterpillars and ladybird pupae. Although widely distributed in England it seems to be rather uncommon - but perhaps this is a tribute to its camouflage!

Curculio rubidus A colourful little weevil associated with silver birch. Females lay eggs in male flower buds in summer; the larvae overwinter in the male catkins, which do not fully mature until spring (when the female catkins appear along with the new foliage. This has unexpectedly turned into a botany lesson!) It is found in the SE, East Anglia and Midlands, but not frequently. The previous nearest record to us was from Ely.

August

July

September

Aug 1: Pararge aegeria (Speckled Wood) - A conspicuous butterfly despite being largely dark brown. I think this is a male, but the two sexes differ only slightly in the patterning. Caterpillars feed on various grasses, and overwinter either as caterpillar or chrysalis. Although references say it prefers to fly in the dappled sunlight of woodlands, it seems to turn up quite often in open gardens. Its population declined up to the 1920s but has since bounced back, and it is found throughout mainland Britain and NI.

We've been on holiday for a week. On return, the tomatoes are definitely setting, and we have a melon starting.

Aug 3: Japananus hyalinus (Japanese Maple Leafhopper) - Around 5mm long, only featured because our garden was the site of the first observation of the species in the UK (outside of plant quarantine). Indeed that was on the same clump of Michaelmas Daisies, underneath next door's Acer palmatum where it has bred ever since. A native of Japan, it was introduced into the USA before 1900 and was first described from Washington, DC. The link to Japan was only established in 1931. Since then it has been introduced into many mainland European countries, and was found here in 2014. Adults occur from late July through to mid October. It has been found on 7 other sites, 5 in the London-Reading area with outliers in Warwick and Southampton (so it may really be quite widespread but unnoticed). It is sometimes found in light-traps set for moths.

Araneus diadematus (Garden spider) - The commonest and best-known of the spiders which make proper spiral webs with the spider sitting in the middle feeling for vibrations. The basic colour varies though shades of brown, but the white marks on the abdomen and the banded legs are distinctive. The spiders become more conspicuous through the summer as the adults reach full size. The tiny hatchlings are gregarious and can sometimes be found spread out along a single silken thread. Very common and found throughout all the British Isles.

Aug 6: Oulema duftschmidi / melanopus (Cereal Leaf Beetle) - A small beetle but distinctive, or at least it was until it was divided into two visually indistinguishable species. Adults and larvae both feed on leaves of cereal crops and may become a pest. The two species make recording difficult, but between them they are spread all over England and central Scotland.

It's been raining.... Sort out the raspberries (which have started cropping again).

Aug 7: Meconema meridionale (Southern Oak Bush Cricket) - Originally a native of mediterranean lands, it spread through northern Europe in the late 20th century and was first found in Britain in 2001. It has since spread as far north as Leeds, but is mostly conccentrated in London and the Home Counties. This is a female, with a scimitar-shaped ovipositor with which it lays eggs in cracked tree-bark. It is actually not especially drawn to oak, but is found on other many trees as well. It is a predator on (you guessed) aphids, and also on the horse-chestnut leaf-miner (hooray!) Unlike the native Oak Bush Cricket (M. thalassinum), it has only vestigial wings. It does not use these for stridulation, but calls by drumming with a hind leg on a leaf.

Corizus hyoscyami (Cinnamon Bug) - Easy to recognise but difficult to spell! Once confined to southern coastal areas, it commenced an expansion around 2005 and is now found over pretty much all of England and Wales. It feeds on various plants including vetches. The name "Cinnamon Bug" refers to the scent of a defensive chemical it emits when treatened.

Aug 9: Pilophorus perplexus The adult has grey shading which makes it look a bit ant-shaped, like the Himacerus mirmicoides nymph (July 3). They are not closely related, so this seems to be a case of convergent evolution. It also scurries around in an ant-like manner. On-line sources describe it as an aphid predator; the CD-ROM of a 1959 book adds "young fruit and leaves"; but this one appeared to be feeding on a rotten apple. Confined to south-east, eastern and midlands England at present, but its range seems to be expanding. The first Cambridgeshire record appears to have been in 2021. This is a FFG (first for garden).

Aug 10: Acleris variegana (Garden Rose Tortrix moth) - Found on roses and a variety of other plants in the same family, including apple, pear, hawthorn, raspberry, blackberry, cherry, etc., etc. The larvae feed inside rolled up leaves. The pale pattern varies between individuals and is often just an annulus behind the head. Perhaps it serves to divert a predator's attack away from that head. Common throughout England, Wales and NI, much less in Scotland. Mainly nocturnal so I apologise for disturbing its sleep. First for garden.

Aug 13: Ledra aurita (Eared Leafhopper) - By the standards of leafhoppers (see Feb 21 and Aug 3) this species is ENORMOUS - this specimen was just over 15mm long. The flaps on the thorax are not ears, of course - indeed, nobody suggests they have any function (except possibly camouflage). The species is said to stridulate audibly, using a resonating cavity at the front of the abdomen. Normally found on lichen-covered trees, particularly oaks, where it is well camouflaged. This one, howerver, was very conspicuous on a rhubarb leaf. Locally distributed in southern, eastern and midlands England. First for garden.

This weekend, deadheaded roses and put some fertiliser on them, for second flowering.

Aug 14: Diaea dorsata (Green Crab Spider) - Crab Spiders (family Tomisidae) have two pairs of very long legs which are held together, giving a crab-like appearance. They can even walk sideways! They do not make webs or actively hunt, but merely sit waiting until prey comes within pouncing range. The eyes (2 rows of 4) are conspicuous on this species. It is supposed to prefer woodland habitats, but this one was on our Michaelmas Daisies. Locally distributed in England up to about Lincoln. First for garden.

Aug 15: Lasius niger probably (Black Garden Ant) - This is a potential queen ant looking for somewhere to start a new nest. Eventually it could have as many as 10,000 wingless workers, although probably not so many in an often-disturbed garden. Queen ants live for about 10 years, although there are claims for examples exceeding 25. There are several similar species, including one only recognised in 1992: L. niger is the common one in "parks, gardens, roadside verges, pavements, coastal areas and brownfield sites". Common throughout England, Wales and central Scotland, preferring open sites warmed by sunshine rather than shady woodlands.

Aug 16: Compsidolon salicellum - A small bug (3.5mm), variable in colour from pale brown to this attractive and distinctive rose-pink. The wings are noticeably hairy. Unlike a similar Psallus species the hind femora (top part of the legs) are dark. It is a predator of mites and sometimes appears in large numbers on bramble heads in August and September. It can also be found on trees including hazel (as here), alder, sallows, and apple. Widely spread across southern & central England, but records are quite scarce. New for Garden, and there only seem to be 3 previous records in Cambridgeshire.

Aug 17: Aeshna mixta (Migrant Hawker) - Nearly 7cm long - much larger than the Common Darter (July 2). This is a male - females have yellow markings instead of blue. The "migrant" name was given when few, if any, overwintered in Britain - but those days have passed and it is now a resident species. Breeds in standing water but may be found well away from water along hedgerows or woodland edges. It has been increasing its range and is very common in England, but so far is only sparsely recorded in Scotland.

Aug 21: Anomoia purmunda (Spectacled Berry Fly) - Another member of the family Tephritidae (see April 3) with a very different wing pattern. It holds its wings twisted so that the pattern is visible from the front: "perhaps as an attempt to look bigger or fiercer than it really is" - is the only explanation I can find. It has interestin eyes. Larvae usually feed in Hawthorn fruits, but have also been found on other members of the rose family. Quite common in central, southern and eastern England, scattered elsewhere.

Aug 21: Micromus variegatus - Smaller than the more familiar Green Lacewings (see July 1), it has a similar lifestyle with the larvae being active and voracious predators of aphids. Found all across England, it seems to be rather scattered - but perhaps it just isn't noticed much.

Aug 23: Orgyia antiqua (The Vapourer moth) - This caterpillar is a study in hairs, with many long simple ones, clumps of black ones like miniature peacock feathers, and four brush tufts of cream ones. The adult moths are curious in that the females are wingless and immobile. After mating they lay eggs on the remnants of their own pupal cases. Males are normal moths with reddish-brown wings and fly both by night and day. The caterpillars feed on a very wide range of plants. A partial list includes birch, blackthorn, buddleja, hawthorn, hazel, London plane, oak, rose, willow, and "non-woody plants". No doubt it is this flexibility which enables it to thrive throughout the UK as far north as Orkney.

Aug 25: Finally the dahlia from seed has managed to flower before being eaten by slugs.

September

August

October

Sep 6: Pyrrhalta viburni (Viburnum beetle) - A sombre coloured leaf beetle, but the pattern of markings is fairly distinctive. The larvae feed on leaves of trees in the genus Viburnum, including Guelder-rose and Wayfaring-tree, which are cultivated for their colourful berries. The larvae can occur in large numbers causing serious damage to the leaves. The adults feed on the same leaves but cause little damage. It is seen here in the first stage of preparation for take-off. The hardened elytra, which correspond to the forewings of other insect orders, have begun to open, revealing the transparent hindwings folded underneath. Widely distributed but rather scattered due to its reliance on a narrow range of cultivated trees.

Sep 8: Helophilus pendulus No generally accepted English name: has been variously called Marsh Hoverfly ("Helophilus" means marsh-lover), Tiger Hoverfly, Sun Fly and Footballer Fly! A very brightly marked member of the rat-tailed maggot tribe of hoverflies (see Apr. 14 & May 6). The U-bend in the wing-vein towards the wing-tip, characteristic of this tribe, is well seen. The extensive yellow on the hind legs distinguishes it from other members of the genus. Very common and widespread, reaching to the Shetlands; internationally its range extends from Iceland to the Mediterranean and to the Russian Far East.

Choreutis nemorana (Fig Leaf-roller moth) This species is widespread in the Mediterranean and North Africa. It was recorded in Belgium in 2009 and the first for Britain was in 2014 in London. Sightings outside London only got going in 2021, starting on the SE coast, suggesting that a wave of immigration has begun. It remains to be shown whether the species is overwintering here. The larva builds a nest by rolling up a leaf on a fig tree. It then eats the flesh of the leaf, leaving a skeleton of the veins. "In general, the species is just a minor pest" says one source. Adults feed on nectar (you can see the orange tongue in the photo). Note what a good seasonal nectar source are Michaelmas Daisies! This appears to be only the second sighting for Cambridgeshire. New for garden.

Sep 9: Pieris brassicae (Large White butterfly) - Compared to the Small White (Apr 19) the black spots are larger (on the female: the male has no spots). Eggs are laid in batches (Small Whites lay isolated eggs); they are ellipsoidal with several ridges along the long axes. Since it prefers sheltered locations, it is more of a pest in gardens than in open fields. Very common throughout the UK, and throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. [The eggs were removed from our brassicas...]

No gardening. It's too hot! (30 deg plus) Picked the melons!

Sep 10: Chrysolina americana (Rosemary Beetle) - Originally Mediterranean (Linnaeus said America, hence the scientific name, but this appears to have been a mistake), it was first found in Britain in the 1990s and has spread widely. Adults and larvae feed mostly on Rosemary, also on other related aromatic herbs such and Lavender, Sage and Thyme (not Parsley, which is an umbel). The RHS say "control is not usually necessary and the beetle can be accepted as part of the biodiversity of a healthy garden". Widespread in England, though less so in the west; scarce in Wales & Scotland; not yet found in Northern Ireland. [We accept all inseects! Viva biodiversity! Although we remove large White Butterfly eggs. We use this garden too, you know! And it doesn't seem to reduce the total number of Large Whites. Perhaps we're its natural predators.]

Sep 10: Cydalima perspectalis (Box Moth) - Native to South-East Asia (the type specimen was collected in northern China), first recorded in Britain in 2007. Since then it has spread widely, reaching Scotland and Northern Ireland around 2018. There is also a melanic form where the whole wings are the colour of the border of this typical specimen. Where present, adults may be plentiful, turning up in large numbers in moth traps. Infected box trees can have a huge load of caterpillars, stripping its leaves in a few days. They then disperse to look for other box trees, and may fall prey to rather surprised spiders! [This happened in our garden, where having stripped our box tree (which subsequently died) the caterpillars marched next door, over the fence, where a spider's web caught a few, but not enough. Next door's box hedge was also stripped, and also died. This moth was found on our bedroom ceiling. Don't know why...]

Sep 26: Sargus bipunctatus (Twin-spot Centurion) - Belongs to the family Stratiomyidae which are commonly called Soldier Flies, a translation of the first genus name Stratiomys - which in turn was apparently so named because its thorax was "armed" with spines. In line with this, many of them have been given military names such as General, Colonel, Major, Legionnaire and Centurion. The "two spots" referenced in the name are the white ones on the front of the head. A common species which is on the wing in the Autumn. Larvae live in cow dung, compost, rotting vegetation or decaying fungi. This is a female (see note on eye spacing on Eupeodes luniger, Apr 5); the males are thinner and have a shiny green thorax and blue abdomen.

October

September

November

Oct 7: Notiophilus biguttatus - The prominent eyes are very distinctive to this genus, although determining the species needs careful study of the spacing of the rows of punctures on the elytra. These little (up to 6mm) beetles are predators on aphids, and can occur in sufficient numbers to be an important control agent on crops. Found throughout the British Isles right up to the Shetlands.

November

October

December

I've rather given up doing photos for this page. Here are some I posted to Facebook. They are mid to late November.

December

November

Temperatures for year

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