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| Carrion Crow and lunch |
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| Syrphus |
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| Green Shieldbug |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Twin-spot Centurion |
In Montpelier another Twin-spot Centurion and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds were on the Ivy at the station footbridge.
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| Harlequin Ladybird |
Showing posts with label eristalis tenax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eristalis tenax. Show all posts
Sunday, 27 October 2019
St Andrews Park!
A beautiful sunny morning but surprisingly few birds today - a Jay, a fly-over Jackdaw, a few Robins and Blackbirds, a flyover Pied Wagtail, a couple of Carrion Crows, a few Goldfinches and a Long-tailed Tit.
Insects attracted to some Ivy flowers included Syrphus and Eristalis tenax hoverflies, several Common Wasps, a Green Shieldbug and a Twin-spot Centurion soldierfly.
In Montpelier another Twin-spot Centurion and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds were on the Ivy at the station footbridge.
In Montpelier another Twin-spot Centurion and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds were on the Ivy at the station footbridge.
Monday, 2 September 2019
Narroways!
Ninety minutes on the reserve was well-spent this morning. The ivy bush near the entrance to Lynmouth Road allotments was alive with hoverflies including a Hornet Hoverfly, a Helophilus pendulus, a few Syrphus, lots of Eristalis tenax and many Myathropa florea. Nearby was my first ever Southern Green Shieldbug - a 4th instar nymph.
There's nothing I like better than making a complete prat of myself by using a sweep net. Luckily the local Narroways crowd never make fun of me and I found lots of interesting invertebrates including a Long-winged Conehead, a (sadly deceased) Tortoise Shieldbug, 7 or 8 Common Earwigs, about 10 Crab Spiders Xysticus, a young Nursery Web Spider and lots of Sawflies. Hoverflies included a Sphaerophoria and a Cheilosia.
Apart from the ever-present calls of the Ravens, there was a single fly-over Jackdaw and a singing Chiffchaff.
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| Hornet Hoverfly |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Syrphus |
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| Myathropa florea |
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| Southern Green Shieldbug |
There's nothing I like better than making a complete prat of myself by using a sweep net. Luckily the local Narroways crowd never make fun of me and I found lots of interesting invertebrates including a Long-winged Conehead, a (sadly deceased) Tortoise Shieldbug, 7 or 8 Common Earwigs, about 10 Crab Spiders Xysticus, a young Nursery Web Spider and lots of Sawflies. Hoverflies included a Sphaerophoria and a Cheilosia.
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| Xysticus |
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| Common Earwig |
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| Sphaerophoria |
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| Cheilosia |
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| Long-winged Conehead |
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| Ex Tortoise Shieldbug |
Apart from the ever-present calls of the Ravens, there was a single fly-over Jackdaw and a singing Chiffchaff.
Tuesday, 9 October 2018
Out and About!
This morning I had a look around the park - the early sunshine produced a Syrphus hoverfly and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds. Nearby at the station approach there were a couple of Ivy Bees, several Eristalis tenax hoverflies, a Green Shieldbug and another Syrphus hoverfly.
This evening on the way home there were about 20 Starlings on the church at Portland Square, though flighty.
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| Syrphus |
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| Harlequins |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Ivy Bee |
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| Green Shieldbug |
This evening on the way home there were about 20 Starlings on the church at Portland Square, though flighty.
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| Starlings |
Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Ivy Bees!
This morning near the station it was all happening with several Ivy Bees - my first of the year - along with a couple of Honey Bees, a Common Wasp, a Dock-leaf Bug and an Eristalis pertinax hoverfly.
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| Ivy Bees |
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| Honey Bee |
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| Common Wasp |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Dock-leaf Bug |
Friday, 16 March 2018
Narroways!
A couple of hours on Narroways this morning produced 2 Ravens at the nest - one looks like it's sitting on eggs! Also a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew calling over the cutting from the ash wood towards the orchard. At Boiling Wells a singing Song Thrush and Greenfinch plus a courting pair of Dunnocks. Near the Ashley Hill end of the stony path there was a party of 2 Great Tits, 2 Blue Tits and 5 Long-tailed Tits. Plenty of Robins around. A pair of Jays in the Ash Wood. On Steve's reptile mats there were a couple of displaying Sepsid flies (also called Ensign flies - they are fond of human and animal waste!) but sadly no lizards today.
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| Robin |
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| Raven |
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| Raven on nest |
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| Sepsid flies |
In Montpelier I was very pleased to see my first hoverflies of the year - 2 Eristalis tenax on Dandelion. In Ashley Court Road a Jay was sat in a tree calling, mimicking a Buzzard!
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| Eristalis tenax |
Saturday, 28 October 2017
Red Admirals everywhere!
Two Red Admirals in the garden nectaring on Ivy this morning and another at the Cromwell end of the railway footbridge, again on Ivy. I've seen loads of these beautiful butterflies in the last few days when I've been out and about - they've had an excellent year I think. Also an Eristalis tenax hoverfly, a Harlequin Ladybird and a Wolf Spider nearby.
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| Red Admiral in garden |
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| Wolf Spider |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Harlequin Ladybird |
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| Another Red Admiral |
Friday, 30 September 2016
Montpelier Station
A bit more bird action this morning - 2 Jackdaws flew over, a Grey Wagtail was on the platform near the tunnel and a Jay showed well in the trees. A Chiffchaff called briefly.
On the ivy near the footbridge was a Red Admiral, several Common Wasps and at least 1 Eristalis tenax hoverfly. There were still some Moth Mullein plants in flower.
On the ivy near the footbridge was a Red Admiral, several Common Wasps and at least 1 Eristalis tenax hoverfly. There were still some Moth Mullein plants in flower.
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| Jay |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Moth Mullein |
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| Red Admiral |
Sunday, 13 September 2015
False Widow!
My first ever False Widow spider was in the bath this morning. It has been identified on Facebook as a young Steatoda grossa. Excellent stuff, although I re-homed it in the garden!
In St Andrews Park there were a few hoverflies - a Sphaerophoria sp., an Eristalis tenax and a Syrphus sp. A caterpillar on one of the paths has been identified on Facebook as possibly that of a Bright-line Brown-eye moth. I have had several adults in the trap over the summer so it would make sense. Also in the park was a calling Chiffchaff near the pond, Great Tit, singing Wren, several Goldfinches and a family of Blackbirds.
In Belvoir Road today there was a Small White butterfly and a party of Long-tailed Tits.
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| False Widow |
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| Syrphus |
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Caterpillar |
In Belvoir Road today there was a Small White butterfly and a party of Long-tailed Tits.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Narroways
An Eristalis tenax hoverfly was basking in the (weak) sunshine this morning. Also at least 2 Jays seen and a Wren posed for the camera at the brook.
A male Blackcap still showing at Montpelier Station. A pair of Blue Tits are nesting in a crack in the brickwork of the old Malt House at the top of St Andrews Road and another Jay was at Fairlawn Road..
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| Eristalis tenax |
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| Wren |
A male Blackcap still showing at Montpelier Station. A pair of Blue Tits are nesting in a crack in the brickwork of the old Malt House at the top of St Andrews Road and another Jay was at Fairlawn Road..
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