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.

A change of scenery...

I'll not bang on about the awful weather we've been getting other than to say that, tiring of trudging around the usual footpaths that you'll see in the photo below are now somewhat damp-a change of location seemed in order...

On the way to Tenterden from home in Cranbrook, most of the arable fields seem to have a rape-seed crop this year and although the smell from the crop as it ripens is not at all nice, in fact, reminiscent of rotting cabbage-the beautiful,fertile,Kent countryside does look like it's been painted with sunshine even on the worst of days.

I haven't visited the old railway line at Tenterden, that has now become a public footpath and nature reserve owned and run by Kent Wildlife Trust since last year, and so it felt like as good a time as any to do just that.

If you click on the image above for a larger view, you should be able to read the notice board text.

Before walking round Turners Field itself a stroll along the old railway line was in order-this is now a wide,surfaced footpath that's bordered on either side by banks of wild-flowers.

At this time of year, it's just coming in to its most attractive season for both flowers and invertebrates.

My first invertebrate find of the day was this tiny leaf hopper. I think this one could be Tachycixius pilosus but I'm just a bit concerned that the eye colour is a touch different than I've seen before.

I last visited this walk in early April of 2011 and on that occasion, found a little robin fledgeling:this time another was spotted in almost the exact location and although it's now a full month later in the season, it was at a pretty well identical stage.

Earlier in the week I'd found my first wasp beetle of the year and I was pleased to find another today. They are impressive looking beetles with both wasp-like colouring and even, what seems to me to be a waspish way of walking!

Clytus arietis-A Wasp Beetle

Another first was this black weevil that I discovered on Hazel-I think this may well be the only one of these that I've found thus far and it was a tad surprising to find it on Hazel as it's known as the Birch Leaf-roller Weevil. These are around 5-6mm in size.

Deporaus betulae-A Birch Leaf-roller Weevil

Next up was this rather bright sawfly and as males of this species are pretty well unknown-I'm going for this being a female. I think the species may be Rhogogaster genistae but there are a couple of similar ones and so can't be completely sure, other than to say that the markings do seem to match for this species.

There did seem to be a real lack of Jack-by-the-hedge this year and so that in turn meant the great looking brassica bugs I was expecting to find here weren't to be seen. It was also too early for the mullein to be in flower and so another visit a bit later on will be needed to catch photos of the terrific mullein moth larvae.

Phasia hemiptera (f)

I like this walk in spring because it always seems to yield interesting invertebrates to photograph and in this photo above, which is a natural light shot, is pictured a Tachinid fly that although I've seen the species before, I've not found a female until now. Slightly less impressive to look at than the males who have fantastic, patterned wings. Still quite an easy one to identify with those yellow hairs on the sides of the thorax.

These are parasites of shield-bugs and in particular forest and green shield-bugs, hence the name 'hemiptera'.

At the far end of the old railway-line walk from where I'd parked the car, was the nature reserve itself. The lower part that constitutes the woods and pond etc. seemed fairly wet from all of the recent rain and so today's stroll was confined to the edges of the field itself.

Even so I was delighted when investigating a rustling noise in leaf-litter to find that it was in fact not only something that I've rarely seen since my childhood but was also one of the largest I can recall seeing ever.

Anguis fragilis-A Slow worm

Slow worms are actually not snakes at all but legless lizards. By the way, that definition isn't supposed to mean a lizard that's been out on the razzle, just in case you were wonderin'? No, a lizard because it has eyelids in the way that lizards do, and snakes do not.

As this was a rare sighting for me, I would really have liked the chance to take rather more than these few snatched shots but once again I was disturbed by yet another dog walker!

This one had two dogs and one spotted me on the ground taking photos and made directly for me.
 Guess what? The guy walking the dogs said nothing to deter his dog from pestering me, other  than to call him once. It took no notice and so I had to pick up the slow worm and find a safe spot for it before the mutt made lunch out of it.
At this point, the slow worm became rather frightened I guess and I can now vouch for the fact that slow worm poo isn't the most fragrant smell in the world.

When the walker reached me, he had one of the best excuses I've heard so far, and I've heard lots! He told me that the dog wasn't his and he had no control over it at all and "it is just a hooligan" Brilliant!

If time allows, I'll be re-visiting this area very soon and hope to update the blog also.

Until the next time then...