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

Saturday 23 June 2018

Aren't flies great ?

The Banded General Stratiomys potamida, Holmhurst Track, 23rd June 2018


Yellow-legged Black, Pachygaster leachii, Holmhurst Track, 23rd June 2018


 Bright Horsefly, Hybomitra distinguenda, Holme NWT (visitor centre), 23rd June 2018




Black-horned Cleg, Haematopota crassicornis, Holmhurst Track, 23rd June 2018



Stripe-legged Robberfly, Dioctria baumhaueri, NOA Pool, 23rd June 2018


A gall and a rust

Walnut Leaf Gall caused by the mite Aceria erinea on a walnut tree in Hunstanton Community Orchard.


 

 
Euphorbia Rust Melampsora euphorbiae on Petty Spurge in Hunstanton
 


Thursday 21 June 2018

Bee Orchid var. chlorantha and others at Holme Dunes

While viewing the fantastic display of Bee Orchids Ophrys apifera at Holme Dunes today I spotted two plants of the variety chlorantha. The flowers of this variety lack the red-brown pigments, having white sepals and a greenish-yellow lip.




In another slack were two enormous hybrid orchid plants (Common Spotted x Marsh)

Some invertebrates at Ringstead Downs

Two of the four Yellow-barred Longhorn Moths which were dancing around nettles.



Mother Shipton Moth



Ichneumon Amblyteles armatorius ?



Moth eggs on underside of Turkey Oak leaf


Wednesday 20 June 2018

A Sunday patch miscellany

Bee Orchids, Holme NWT, 17th June 2018



Parent Bug, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018


Woundwort Shieldbug, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018


Chrysogaster solsticialis, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018 - new (overlooked !) to patch


Common Grammoptera, Grammoptera ruficornis, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018


 Sphegina elegans, female, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018 - new to the patch


Sphegina elegans, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018


Sphegina elegans - note yellow humeri (shoulders)


Elm Zigzag Sawfly, Aproceros leucopoda, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018 - new to the patch and 2nd record for the UK (about 3 days after the first, found by Steve in Cambridgeshire) !!


Malthodes minimus, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018


Malthodes minimus, Holmhurst Track, 17th June 2018






Sunday 10 June 2018

Two scarce moths

Fulvous Clothes Moth, Tinea semifulvella, Holme NOA, 10th June 2018


Dark Alder Midget, Phyllonorycter klemannella, Holmhurst track on Alder, 10th June 2018


A Red-breasted Carrion Beetle along the Holmhurst Track

Oiceoptoma thoracicum, Holmhurst Track, 10th June 2018


Saturday 9 June 2018

Riponnensia splendens - a new hoverfly for the patch

Riponnensia splendens, Holme NOA, 9th June 2018




Marsh Warbler

The Marsh Warbler is an exceptionally scarce species on the patch - as in most of the country. This one, the second on the patch within 2 weeks, was trapped at the observatory and is shown next to a Reed Warbler (on the right) in the last photo. 9th June 2018.




Green Tiger Beetle and Black Sexton Beetle

Green Tiger Beetle, Cicindela campestris, Holme NWT, 9th June 2016


Black Sexton Beetle, Nicrophorus humator, Holme NOA, 9th June 2016


Monday 4 June 2018

Eupeodes corollae

Eupeodes corollae, female, Holme NWT (pine valley), 2nd June 2018


Four smart species from Holme Marsh, 4th June 2018

Cyllecoris histrionicus, Holme Marsh (off oak), 4th June 2018


Harpocera thoracica, Holme Marsh (off oak), 4th June 2018


Donacia clavipes, Holme Marsh, 4th June 2018



Yellow-banded Longhorn, Holme Marsh, 4th June 2018




Five great invertebrates

Beautiful hook-tip, Holme NOA, 3rd June 2018


Orange-vented Mining-Bee, Osmia leaiana (female), Hunstanton, 2nd June 2018 - a nice find by Joan Fox


Privet Hawk Moth, Holme NOA, 3rd June 2018


Ant Beetle, Holme NOA, 3rd June 2018 - a great spot by Keith Fox


 Buffy Longhorn, Nematopogon metaxella, Holme NOA, 3rd June 2018