"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Sunday 30 September 2018

Rhodie leafhopper at last!

  After a couple of years of forgetting about this beautiful leafhopper I finally managed to find a few at Sandringham last week. Alison was not that impressed, until she saw the photo! A macro lens can sure make the difference!



Tuesday 18 September 2018

Off patch - Tamarix trio

18th September 2018

Car Park at Cheisel Beach


The tamarix leafhopper, low hundreds swept.


The larvae of Channel Islands Pug, at least four.
 

The bug Tuponia brevirostris, low hundreds swept.

Monday 17 September 2018

Pear Gall Fungus

A lot of the leaves on the Conference Pear in my garden have orange blotches on the upper surface this year. On looking underneath there is a swelling with little "parasols" protruding.  After a bit of research I have found that this is Pear Gall caused by the rust fungus Gymnosporangium sabinae. Apparently it requires 2 hosts, the other being Juniper on which it causes clusters of finger-like swellings on stems.  I have a Juniperus sabine 'Tamarasciflia variegata' in the garden reasonably close to the pear tree, but so far have not found any signs of the fungus on it.

 
 


 

Off patch - Eype landslips, Dorset


Cepero's groundhopper


    The only groundhopper seen, and what a beauty. The other nice insect was the bug Myrinus miriformis.

 

Sunday 16 September 2018

Some recent animals of interest

Lunar Yellow Underwing, Holme NOA, 10th September 2018


Field Grasshopper, Holme NWT, 16th September 2018


Dune Villa, Holme NWT, 16th September 2018


Brown-spot Pinion, Hunstanton, 16th September 2018


Willow Emerald, Holme Marsh, 16th September 2018


Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018

Larval feeding gallery, Zigzag Sawfly, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018 (the first record of feeding 'damage' on the patch, though an adult was found along the Holmhurst Track in early summer - the first in Norfolk)



Kite-tailed Robberfly, Machimus atricapillusRingstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Bishop's Mitre, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Rhopalus subrufusRingstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Coriza hyoscamiRingstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Long-winged Conehead, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Syritta pipiensRingstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Adonis Ladybird, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Bolbitius titubans, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018


Wild Basil, Ringstead Downs, 16th September 2018