Профиль

Re my previous post, I don't need to return to see the adult. I stuck the larvae with its ball of vegetation in a jam jar, and hey presto!

Following the sad news about Bill Oddie, here's our own little tribute from BUBO Listing bubo.org/bill-oddie.h.... RIP Bill.

Bill Oddiebubo.org

Great idea. One of the most inspiring books when I was young, then I was lucky enough to get to know Keith in person, then later to employ Alan's daughter! Any young birders need this book.

Garden moth-trap last night contained this pyralid. Looks to be a few vaguely similar options - ObsIdentify seems keen on Ancylosis oblitella, which looks feasible? Anyone feel confident enough to say? Might have to try giving it the chop.

Rambur's Pied Shieldbug (Tritomegas sexmaculata), nymphs on Black Horehound at Manningtree this afternoon, perhaps the most northerly record so far? Also, a Hudsonian Godwit (not pictured), a long-overdue world tick for me - will have to visit again at low tide though, to see a bit more activity!

I keep reading about how the Common House-fly (Musca domestica) is much less common than it used to be. Well it's currently pretty darned common in my house. If anyone wants to twitch it .... well, you can probably find your own to be honest.

Nothris verbascella is a micro-moth, presumed extinct in Britain til rediscovered in 2024 nr Norwich by Dave Jones. Has only taken me 2 years to (literally) get on my bike and travel the 3 miles to see it. Larvae feed in the cruddy base of Hoary Mullein. Must return to see the adult in a few months.

Species 8,635: Balcanocerus larvatus - a recently arrived hopper of fairly distinctive appearance, with thick jet-black stripe down its face. Feeds on Blackthorn. Found near St Albans recently @panspecieslisting.bsky.social

I don't twitch many birds these days, but this is one that has continued to elude me. So a quick dash to Suffolk .... only for it to depart whilst I was on the way. Pah. Nice evening wander around Walberswick though instead. First GG Bush-crickets of the year, alongside range of expected birds

This wee fly would appear to be a new species for Britain. I think it's Tetanops sintenisi (family Ulidiidae). Seems to be an east European thing that's spread west and is now widespread in Netherlands. I've got four from a vane trap near Ipswich from May/Jun this year.

My second new moth for the hectad TM29 today, a Yellow-legged Clearwing in the garden which came to a lure. The lure was the one for Orange-tailed Clearwing, however, so not quite the target.

Species 8,618: Metalampra italica (Italian Bark Moth). Found inside the house before I even got down the stairs this morning, as easy a new species gets! Quite widespread in Norfolk now, but looks to be new for my 10km square backwater.

Species 8,617: Canthophorus impressus (Bastard-toadflax Bug), numerous on a patch of its foodplant at Therfield Heath, quite happy at 35 degrees today. Thanks for gen @andysymes.bsky.social @duerden.bsky.social @vannabartlett.bsky.social

Humid night resulted in at least 300/100 moths in the garden trap, plus a load of additional taxa including this rather nice little new bug for me - never previously clocked its existence!

Species 8,613: Stelis odontopyga (Smooth-saddled Dark Bee). Male and female found on the Essex coast last week, and in working them out, have realised that a 2022 specimen of 'breviuscula' was actually also this. First recorded in Britain in 2017, still not many recs www.flickr.com/photos/63075...

Stelis odontopyga (Smooth-saddled Dark Bee)Very similar to S. phaeoptera and not distinguishable in the field though it averages a little smaller. Under a microscope the female upper propoodeum will be seen to lack any punctures (see photo anc...www.flickr.com