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

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Common Fiddleneck - Amsinckia micrantha

While walking my dog this morning I came across what looked like a Bugloss with yellow flowers. I first identified this as Yellow Alkanet Anchusa ochroleuca but thanks to more detailed observation by Joan and Keith Fox it is in fact Common Fiddleneck Amsinckia micrantha. There was just one plant growing in the gravel on the SW corner of the Honeystone overflow car park (TF67114028).


Saturday 25 April 2020

Another from 2013 and some from today, 25th April 2020

Tropidia scita, Holme Marsh, 23rd June 2013


Yellow Archangel (variegated garden var), Old Hunstanton, 25th April 2020


Rhingia campestris, River Hun, 25th April 2020


Eupeodes luniger, male, Chapel Bank, Hunstanton, 25th April 2020



Chrysotoxum cautum, female,, Hunstanton dunes, 25th April 2020




A new hoverfly for the patch.....from 2013 !

Whilst sorting my photo collection, I came across these images taken in 2013. Date location and tentative identification present and correct, so I tried again but couldn't decide if it was one species or another near-identical. I posted on Facebook and had the beast identified within seconds by the national recorder. So, here's Anasimyia transfuga (the other possibility was A. contracta), Holmhurst Track, 19th May 2013. I've not seen another one in these parts.

Anasimyia transfuga, Holmhurst Track, 19th May 2013.





Thursday 23 April 2020

Barn Owl hunting on Ringstead Downs

Barn Owl, Ringstead Downs, 1st March 2020


Silverfish

Silverfish, Lepisma saccarina, our bathroom, Hunstanton, 30th March 2020


Some more recent Hunstanton beasties

 The hoverfly Melanostoma scalare, female, Ringstead Downs, 11th April 2020


The hoverfly Helophilus pendulus, female, Old Hunstanton, 12th April 2020


 The hoverfly Epistrophe elegans, male, Old Hunstanton, 12th April 2020


Holly Blue, Hunstanton garden, 12th April 2020


 The hover flu Eristalinus aenus, Old Hunstanton, 15th April 2020


 Bluebell Rust, Uromyces muscari, on bluebell, Hunstanton garden, 20th April 2020


Box Bug, Hunstanton, 20th April


The hoverfly Eupeodes luniger, female, Hunstanton, 20th April 2020


Rose Rust, Phragmidium mucronatum, on Dog Rose, Old Hunstanton, 20th April 2020


Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva, female, Hunstanton, 20th April 2020


Tuesday 14 April 2020

Bug in the conservatory

During the recent warm days numerous insects have wandered into the conservatory including this Dock Bug Coreus marginatus.


Friday 10 April 2020

Off Patch: Roydon Common



Yellow Horned, Roydon Common 9th March 2020


 Cheilosia albipila, Roydon Common, 23rd March 2020


10 Spot Lady bird Adalia decempunctata, Roydon Common, 23rd March 2020


Glow-worm larva,  Roydon Common, 23rd March 2020


Gorse Shield Bug, Roydon Common, 23rd March 2020


Gorse Weevil, Exapion ulicis, Roydon Common, 23rd <arch 2020





A spring insect miscellany

 Honey Bee, Hunstanton garden, 22nd March 2020


The Hoverfly Eristalis tenax, female, Hunstanton garden, 22nd March 2020


The Hoverfly Platycheirus albimanus, male, Hunstanton garden,  24th March 2020


Black Oil Beetle, Meloe proscarabaeus, Ringstead Downs,


The Tachinid Fly Gymnochaeta viridis, Ringstead Downs, 4th April 2020


Dark-edged Bee-fly, Bombylius major, Ringstead Downs, 4th April 2020


The sawfly Dolerus puncticollis, female, Ringstead Downs, 4th April 2020


Hairy-footed flower-bee, Anthophora plumipes,  female, Hunstanton garden, 10th April 2020


Bibio anglicus, pair (male all black), River Hun, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


Alderfly, Sialis lutaria, River Hun, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


Bibio marci, male, River Hun, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


 Epistrophe elegans, male, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020




Cream-spot Ladybird, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020



Harlequin Ladybird, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


Brassica Shield Bug, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


Hairy Shield Bug, Chapel Bank, 10th April 2020


Green Shield Bug, Chapel Bank 10th April 2020