Spam, spam, spam, spam...

Aaaaaaaaaanyway!

Shall we crack on with what we are here for? Yes, unlike this wasp, I have emerged from hibernation and I'm full of it (don't think there are any missing letters in that last word.)

I was actually looking for Collembola when I found this wasp under loose bark. I snaffled a quick shot and then returned her to her winter slumbers. More on the Collembola story later, but for now, I have news of something (besides myself) that did emerge from hibernation...

Large White Butterfly (phone pic)

Yes: another of my large white butterfly eclosed t'other day. I'd had one emerge a few days ago, despite my best efforts to prevent it doing so too early because it had been kept inside. This one though was kept purposely in temperatures that matched what it would experience naturally, and so there seemed to be no stopping it. Luckily it was on a rare sunny day and after I placed it in the garden, it flew off quite happily.

You might be disappointed! Disappointed or nay, you're gonna have to wait. As we are referencing birds though: I have a challenge. Here's a sound clip of birdsong that I recorded locally...

Now I would be the first to admit that birdsong is not my forte. If it isn't a cuckoo I'm buggered basically! But I did try to identify this one, just because it seemed to my deaf ears that it was one I hadn't heard before. I checked a website that boasted in excess of 250 British Birds, but could not find a match. 

Oh I realise it'll turn out to be common as muck, but please, if you know, put me out of my misery? Thank-you.

Liocoris species bug (probably L. tripustulatus)

I thought I'd share the bug photo above, even though the quality leaves something to be desired. To be truthful, since the winter recess, I have struggled with macro photography.

I tried ramming my head into the scanner, uploading the results to Photoshop and applying the shake reduction filter, but to no avail. I guess practice is required.

Anyhow, it is the first true bug of the year for me, and that qualifies it for inclusion.

Meanwhile...

Here's a bug that I found in my garden back in May of 2011 but  it has taken me nine years to work out its name which is: 'Heterocordylus tibialis'. Or is it? According to the excellent British Bugs website, this species is associated with broom, and I have none in the garden. 

I do have a broom, but don't think that counts.

Returning to the Collembola then. In my update published on 19th December 2019 I wrote the following: 'Unfortunately I have failed to spot any of the Katianna species of Collembola that I was finding 5 years ago.' Well I am pleased to be able to relate that they are back! Not in the back garden as before, but the front.

Most of these are juveniles and so I am hoping that there is still a colony here. In truth, they have probably always been in the front garden as well as the back. It's just that they are so tiny, I have not found them until now. This next image will give you some idea of size: the black lines in the lower image are exactly 1mm apart...

Now look...I have run out of space for my tits: Oh well, I'll hold on to them until the next update.

I shall take my leave of you with this little video of a bee having a clean up...