Don't ask stupid questions, unless you want a stupid answer...

`It seems hard to believe but my stats tell me that I've had this blog since November 2010 and in that time I've had close to 10,000 views.

The map below also shows how it now gets read in an ever growing number of countries too, with the green shaded ones being where folks are kind enough to read these missives.

Time then to thank everyone that's either been here from the start or has joined along the way. I'm very grateful that you're there for me, it would all seem a little pointless without you.

Let's crack on with the latest update then...

A couple of things to tie-up from the last entry:in fact, this relates to the previous one as well-the shieldbug nymphs that I've been finding on alder recently.
I've been observing how the nymphs are progressing and today found something rather special.

This was one of those 'Wow' moments that leave you feeling that you have been privileged to be an observer of nature at its most remarkable...

These tiny nymphs were mid-moult when I found them and were struggling to free themselves from their old skins. I was transfixed by this and somehow felt sorry for them, unable to help. It seems such a hazardous thing to have to undergo and to think they have to do it several times before becoming an adult.

I've only been lucky enough to photograph this behaviour once before,and never with this species. It really made my day.

Once the nymphs had fully emerged I could see that underneath there was an adult parent bug. There also seems to be a hawthorn shieldbug nymph looking on.

Hawthorn Shieldbug nymph

Whilst I seem to be compiling quite a nice little set of shieldbugs and their nymphs, here's another to add to the count...

Final instar Woundwort Shieldbug nymph

I hinted in my last update that the rare sawfly larva I'd found wasn't the only uncommon find and I can reveal that my other rarity was...well, have a look at the following photo...

By the way, before I tell the identity of this beetle (if you haven't already guessed that is) why does it always seem to be that when something of real interest like this turns up, you can bet there will only be just one chance of getting a photo and then you'll probably mess-up?

This is not the best shot you'll ever see of this small beetle, but it is the only shot I managed!

Platycis minutus is an 8mm beetle that has a Notable B. status in the U.K.

Looking for all the world like a miniature cardinal beetle but identifiable by amongst other things, the buff antennae ends.

Angle Shades Moth

A couple of moths now:always a pleasure to see these beautifully marked moths. This one was resting on teasel as you can probably tell.

 It has also reminded me of something else that could be considered another unwritten law of macro photography-why is it that just as you settle down to take a photo, in what appears to be total solitude, as soon as your finger hovers over the shutter button, somebody materialises out of the ether and insists on either telling you their live history, or asks the immortal and familiar question..."What are you doing?"- "I'm fishing! What does it look like I'm doing pointing a camera at a moth?" Well that's how the reply goes in my head sometimes, I've not been brave enough to voice it......yet!

The Herald

Clock this one! Scoliopteryx libatrix or The Herald to you and me. This is possibly where I should add the usual bit about clicking on any photo for a larger view, you won't regret it with this stunning insect. If there's a more beautifully marked moth then...well O.K.There are so many moths that chances are there will be, but still, what a beauty and fresh as a daisy.

I seem to be skipping from one species to another here- It's just not cricket is it? But next up is member of the Tettigoniidae family. 

Oh! It is cricket after all! To be precise, a female oak bush-cricket. (I'm never quite sure as to whether I should use caps for species names?) Nothing too remarkable about finding an oak bush cricket on oak of course, a couple of things struck me about this individual though.

The first obvious one was the wing position. I've not seen them being held in this way before. and what about that dodgy antennae too? Then (and now might be an opportune moment to do that 'view larger' thingy again) I noticed something strange about the 'knees'.

I think this may be in the early stages of succumbing to the fungus that takes over its host and encourages it to climb to a high point, in order to spread the wind blown spores over as wide an area as possible?

Enough of the grizzly side of nature-time for an arty spider shot. Taken from quite a distance this one, I liked the way the seeds from the nearby willow herb had settled in the web.

I'm thinking that one more species might well be enough for this update and so I'll leave you with a mollusc...

I was really pleased that this shot turned out as well as it has because the little snail here is only around 5-6mm and I didn't use flash. I haven't been able to put an i.d. to it but I really like it-it reminds me of the coloured glass marbles we used to have as kids.

Until the next time...


Finally,finally! No news to impart regarding the African snail eggs I'm afraid-have given up hope now.

All photos taken with Canon 40d Canon 100mm macro lens and natural light.

I don't mind the wet weather, it's fine by me...

It's still a case of trying to dodge the rain to photograph and record invertebrates for now, as the sunshine of a warm March declined into one of the wettest April months on record.
 May has begun in similar fashion: but on one of the few sunny mornings we've had I ventured out to check local ponds for damselflies and was pleased to find several had emerged at each of the ponds.

A Large Red Damselfly

Different weather conditions suits different creatures of course and I've noticed this year that whereas previous years have seen the tops of nettles becoming home to weevils, they seem to be full of earwigs now. Something to do with the dampness no doubt.

CLICK ANY PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW

This earwig, pictured above wasn't actually on nettle but unusually on a grass stem, overhanging the pond where I found the damselfly. It must have been there all night as it was soaked.

I took another shot from a different angle that had bluebells in the background and I quite like the effect.....

The other observation I've made is that some critters just don't seem to mind, or perhaps they're not even aware of, the bad weather. If you're brave enough to venture out with the camera, or perhaps in my case, stupid enough! There's always something to be found and photographed.It may not be what you were looking for-most times it isn't, but I can usually find something.

This attractive little beetle was sitting a'top a large grass seed-head and was making no attempt to shelter from the rain.

'Malachius bipustulatus' is the scientific name for this one, I can never remember that though (as with most of these complicated names) and so I prefer it's common name of Malachite Beetle.

Easily recognised by the twin red spots at it's rear and reasonably easy to see, even though it's only around 5-6mm by virtue of the fact it has the bright, metallic green elytra.

Malachite Beetle face-on close up

The other creature that loves all this wet weather of course is the humble snail. I've not seen any figures yet that say this is going to be a good year for them but if the numbers I've been seeing are anything to go by, they probably are.

The first shot here is a natural light photo, hence the paler, more subdued colours. As you can see in the photograph below the addition of flash, especially on a dull day, can result in a more saturated image. I possibly overdid the flash a tad here too as it's close to being blown. I wanted to share this shot though and frankly, couldn't be arsed to 'PS' the image!

Just hangin'

Returning to Coleoptera (Beetles) for a second. On yet another foray into what was once a woodland walk, but now resembles a paddy-field, I got my first sighting of a big red beetle that usually turns up in May each year. This is the Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) that at about 15mm plus, is treble the size of the malachite beetle.

Sometimes called a red-headed cardinal beetle, for obvious reasons. There is also another very similar beetle that has a black head. I don't think I need to tell you what that one gets called?

A dorsal view of the cardinal beetle

On one of the numerous days when outside photography was not an option, I decided to do some work on tidying the garden shed (again) and when moving things around, out from behind a length of wood crawled this vine weevil.

As I'm constantly being told, vine weevils are very destructive in the garden and to be avoided at all costs.

Even so, I couldn't bring myself to destroy such a wonderful looking creature and my view is that there's a place for everything in this world and that includes vine weevils.

I just hope that it's happy in its new home.......next door's garden!

I'll leave you with that thought-until the next time.....