Creatures Great and Small

So during lockdown many of us have spent possibly more time in our gardens than we would do so normally.

I'm lucky enough to have a small pond which has helped me to keep my 'hands on' at least with photographing some of the smaller invertebrates and my frogs of course.

Keeping the camera busy and observing the wildlife literally on our door steps has probably helped a lot of us during the last few months. Those of you looking at insects closely for the first time might be slightly daunted trying to put a name to these small invertebrates, especially as a lot haven't got an english name.

To that end I thought i should like to show a few of the commoner insects likely to be found and also to try and show how not only how rewarding but also how stunning invertebrate wildlife is.

Looking and finding insects is very easy,  basically all types of habitat can hold many tiny living gems. A nettle patch can hold a myriad of invertebrates, as can old rotting wood, etc, etc.

There are thousands of insects to be found although a large proportion of them will not be identifiable down to species level unless scrutinised under a micro-scope.  This should not put you off as there are many species that can be identified and named by good photographs. 

Green Nettle Weevil   Phyllobius pomaceus

A smallish weevil, very common on nettles. This one is slightly worn, but when fresh it's the turquoise blue green colour all over.

Thick thighed Flower Beetle   Oedemera nobilis

This is the beetle most people ask about. An obvious looking beetle with those thick thighs
is diagnostic. The female however does not possess this adornment.

 Larva of the Green Lacewing
As you can see it carries on spines on its back the debris of past meals for protection .It is a voracious  preditor.

Adult Green Lacewing  Chrysopera carnea

Green Shieldbug  Palomina prasina

This is a late nymph but closely resembles the adult. They turn a brownish colour before hibernation

Red-legged Shieldbug    Pentatoma rufipes

This was taken on the wooden rail fencing along Pitsford causeway. sometimes they can be found in numbers. The legs can be a bright or dull in colour.

Trichrysis cyanea

A stunning Jewel Wasp. Often to be found on old and dead wood, searching for the nests of hosts

 (other bees and wasps) in which to lay its eggs.

Ruby-tailed Wasp     Chrysis ignita

Another stunning Jewel Wasp, there are over 30 members of this family to find and well worth looking for! Look for an ant like creature exploring, running and flying off in earnest.

Great Diving Beetle   Dytiscus marginalis

Quite a common aquatic beetle, more often found in ponds of course.

Broad Centurion    Chloromyia formosa.

One of the commonest of forty odd Soldierflies, this is a male, females have a blueish abdomen.

Corizus hyoscyami

Becoming more common, being found in gardens and woodlands. A member of the Rhopalid Bugs.

Roesel's Bush-cricket  Metrioptera roselii

This Bush-cricket has become very common, it is easily identified by the light margin around the pronotun (saddle) and pale spots on its side.

Scorpionfly      Panorpa germanica

Frequently found resting in nettles, this is a female, the male has scorpion like upturned genitals. 

Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle   Rutpela maculata

One of our commoner Longhorn Beetles, easily found feeding on umbellifers.

A Comb-footed spider      Enoplagnatha ovata

Quite small but common spider, its abdomen can vary in the amount of colour, showing several forms.

Marmalade Hoverfly     Episyrphus balteatus

The abdominal pattern is diagnostic of this very common Hoverfly.

Zebra jumping spider    Salticus scenicus

The Jumping spiders are gorgeous little things. Their front set of eyes are like the objective lenses on a pair of binoculars. They are sun loving creatures, so look on walls and fences in a sunny disposition.

Noon fly  Mesembrina meridiana

A distinctive fly with the orange wing patches.

Small tortoiseshell  Aglais urticae

I'm sure you are all familiar with this gorgeous butterfly.

A thick-headed fly  Conops quadrifasciatus

To be fair this isn't that  common but can be found with a little diligent searching, look near where Bumblebees are associating.

Common Dock Bug      Coreus maginatus

This is a very common bug on docks and nettles you normally see it as a brownish diamond shape on a leaf. Rarely you see under the wings sporting its orangey red colours.

Red-and-black Froghopper   Cercopis vulnerata

Common and obvious Froghopper. Britains only representative in this family.

Brown-lipped Banded Snail  Cepaea nemoralis

So I didn't want to forget our Snails and Slugs.

I do hope you like this tiny offering and that it will incite you into looking at these wonderful creatures

a little bit closer. Happy hunting Rob.