Advent Species No.16

December 17th This series of blog posts has made me look at, and try to identify, insect specimens that have taken this year. I can be a little un-focussed at times (probabaly the opposite of Asperger’s if that is such a thing) so my mind wanders from one thing to the next, whether it beContinue reading “Advent Species No.16”

Advent Species No.14

14th December There’s been a frozen ground beetle in my freezer since the end of May. For some reason I never got round to getting it out and trying to identify it. As I said in a few days ago for another species of ground beetle (Loricera pilicornis) I’m in the very early days ofContinue reading “Advent Species No.14”

Advent Species No.6

6th December I went into my garden today and looked desperately for something that isn’t a bird. A fruitless task when the temperature is 4 degrees Celsius. Sure I can write about a squirrel or a random garden plant but I wanted something a bit more obscure today. I found a lichen on the appleContinue reading “Advent Species No.6”

Poplar Hawk-moth

My dad shouted up earlier today (I’m living with the folks during the Covid crisis) ‘there’s two Elephant Hawk-moths on the tree under the bird feeder!’ This I had to see. Now sure enough there were two large hawk-moths right where he said, and they were elephant grey in colour. And they clearly liked eachContinue reading “Poplar Hawk-moth”

55. Poecilus cupreus (a ground beetle)

Blimey, getting longer between posts but I’m still going which is the main thing. I am doing a lot of writing for work as well as being out in the field a lot (still thanking my lucky stars this year!), but enough with the excuses. Today’s post is about one of the obscure things IContinue reading “55. Poecilus cupreus (a ground beetle)”

51. Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Wow, 3 posts in 3 days, feels like January again! I handed my dissertation in, which means my Masters course is done! No more studying (of course, I like to learn all the time – so no more formal studying! woo!)! Day 4 of my new job and as a consequence of being a generalContinue reading “51. Buff-tailed Bumblebee”

Day 12 – Holly Leaf Miner

Today’s species sighting dates from last year but I’ve only just worked out what it is thanks to someone posting a photo the same species in a Facebook group I’m a member of. There seems to be a Facebook group for every niche possible! What: Holly Leaf Miner Phytomyza ilicis Curtis, 1846 When: 13th NovemberContinue reading “Day 12 – Holly Leaf Miner”

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