Keith Balmer on six legs...

Bleak Beauty

2012-02-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

Thought the chill of this biting winter weather is better represented by monochrome. These all snapped in Fenlake Meadows this afternoon.

Bromham Lake LNR

2011-07-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

A few things noticed at Bromham Lake LNR while recc'ing for a field trip next week:

A nice Pyrausta aurata:

My second non-chalk site this week for Nemophora metallica (all previous Beds records were on the chalk):

One of many Bishop's Mitre shieldbugs which were easily swept in the meadow:

And finally a seedling of a species of Oak new to science, with a flower like that of Creeping Cinquefoil...

Brown Argus egg

2011-07-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

Another egg, this time a Brown Argus found on the underside of a dove-foot cranesbill leaf at Begwary Brook NR, the first photo alongside a grain of salt for size comparison. The egg is approx 1/2mm across.

Nemophora metallica

2011-07-26T23:00:00.000-07:00

This micro was alternately feeding and egg-laying in a head of field scabious at Old Warden Tunnel. David Manning confirmed my ID of Nemophora metallica, adding that it was the first Beds record away from the chalk.

Speckled Egg

2011-07-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

I found this Speckled Wood egg at Old Warden Tunnel today:

Mystery Clutch of Eggs

2011-07-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this clutch of eggs on an apple tree leaf at Ampthill Park today. They are each approx 1.5mm across so laid by something quite large, but I'm not sure what yet. I wondered about a hawkmoth, Eyed being the most likely candidate as it does lay on apple, but I'm not convinced yet, so will try to breed them through to find out...

Nemophora cupriacella

2011-07-09T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was alerted to the presence of “an amazingly coloured moth” in the Wildlife Garden at Priory Country Park by colleagues Katharine and Rachel, so I went there this morning on the off-chance that it could be refound. It (or another) was initially feeding on ragwort until disturbed by an ant, when it moved to pose nicely on a rush. (Will have to look again in sunshine to get some better pics).

David Manning kindly confirmed my tentative ID of Nemophora cupriacella adding that it was a female, and that is feeds on scabious, which is probably at the site.

Dark Green Fritillaries

2011-07-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

I thought the overcast conditions today might give some hope of close-ups of Dark Green Fritillaries which normally hurtle around too much in sunshine. Was pleased therefore to encounter a pair on the Moleskin section at Sharpenhoe Clappers. I still had to creep up on them very slowly though having put them to flight twice using a normal degree of stealth! The female is on the left.

Wow!

2011-07-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

Forget the Purple Emperors at Chicksands Wood, take a look at the field next door (west), the best display of poppies I have ever seen! Photos can't do it justice - go and see for yourself.

All taken with my 105mm macro lens. Must go back with a wide angle...

Bigger and Braver

2011-06-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

The Dolichovespula media nest on my eaves has come on a treat, with a constant stream of workers entering with food for the young or wood pulp for the nest.

In a quest for clearer pictures I cautiously opened the transom window alongside it and poked the lens to within about 9 inches! So far so good, they haven't shown any anxiety or aggression, yet...

My next quest is to get decent pics of workers arriving in flight with food...

Purple Emperor

2011-06-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Finally, after years of trying, had good views of a male Purple Emperor on the ground at Chicksands Wood this lunchtime!

Honeydon RNR

2011-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

Spurred on by enthusiastic reports of the Honeydon road verges on the BNHS newsgroup I headed there this morning. Found Bombus pascuorum, Apis mellifera and Bombus hortorum on some rather pretty nectar sources (three rare flowers: Crested Cow-wheat, Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem, and Sulphur Clover).

Priory Skipper

2011-06-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Cool today, so this male Large Skipper at Priory Country Park reluctantly let me invade his person space.

Am I the only one thinking of a teddy bear?

Nest Growing

2011-06-05T04:13:00.000-07:00

The nest is developing quickly now there are workers to help:

Privet Hawkmoth

2011-06-04T04:18:00.000-07:00

Found this 59mm monster Privet Hawkmoth (Sphinx ligustri) on my back gate today. Awesome!

Rare Wasp?

2011-05-31T04:31:00.000-07:00

I'm still waiting for confirmation but I believe this to be a female Odynerus melanocephalus a nationally "Notable A" species, seen today at Sandy Smith NR.

If anyone sees a wasp like this, with wings folded lengthways and white (rather than yellow) bands on the abdomen, please let me know, as it may be this species. It would be good to know where else it may be...

Red Admiral sets sail

2011-05-29T02:34:00.000-07:00

Greeted this morning by a fresh Red Admiral on the inside of my living room window. (Must wash it occasionally!). The caterpillar blogged on 17th May eating its last leaf has now passed through the pupal stage in just 11 days to become this fresh butterfly, now flying free in the great outdoors. The egg was laid just 36 days earlier.

Sleepy Bee

2011-05-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

Another photo of a bee resting by clamping its mandibles onto foliage, this time a wind-tossed grass at Fenlake Meadows.

Ton Up!

2011-05-23T11:24:00.000-07:00

Despite the recently gloomy weather construction of the wasp nest has continued. The entrance tube has now been shortened (still no idea what it was for) and work started on another layer of skin. I haven't watched the nest for a while so I don't know if this is still the work of the queen alone or if she now has workers to assist. (Its too cold today for any activity to observe).

Apparently this is my 100th Blog entry! Its amazing how time flies when you are having fun!

Army or Air Force?

2011-05-22T14:18:00.000-07:00

Soldier beetles made a fun target today on Maulden Heath despite the wind playing havoc with close focusing. This first one looks like a base-jumper...

Daily dose

2011-05-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

Needed my fix of macro but left it a bit late, diving into my front garden for the final rays of sunshine. Bombus pratorum workers were busy on the blue salvia making a colourful combination:

Then in deep shade spotted this amazingly coloured beetle with its head buried in a mint, so you'll have to make do with a close-up of its bum...

Clutch of Eggs

2011-05-18T13:25:00.000-07:00

Spotted this clutch of eggs on blackthorn at Mowsbury Hill this evening. After Andy and Melissa thought they weren't a moth's I then asked Bernard and Sheila if they had a notion. Bernard came up trumps with an identifcation of Troilus luridus, the Bronze Shieldbug...

Nice syrup

2011-05-17T12:47:00.000-07:00

On these cold gloomy days I've taken to grovelling around in the undergrowth looking for micros (honest officer!), David Manning then being kind enough to confirm my IDs, or provide them for those I struggle with (which is most!). These especially small ones at Mowsbury Hill today were confirmed as Micropterix aruncella.

At least they move more slowly in the cold weather, if only it was a bit brighter so that I didn't have to resort to ISO 1600!

Last Meal

2011-05-17T02:47:00.000-07:00

Remember the Red Admiral egg posted on 27th April? Three weeks later the caterpillar is now getting through a leaf per day, finishing off one here...

Off to find another...

Then sewing the leaf into a tent inside which it then started to feed again.

(Wish it had done this on a sunny day. The gloom meant using flash, which this camera doesn't do well with macro).

This turned out to be the final leaf. It has now sewn up one more inside which it is starting to pupate exactly three weeks after the egg hatched, all this occuring on my living room window sill. (Some people have house plants I understand?)

Sandy Smith NR insects

2011-05-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Despite the cold blustery overcast conditions managed to find a few interesting things at Sandy Smith NR today.

Alabonia geoffrella:

Male Oedemera nobilis:

Exuvia of a Chaser atop a horsetail:

Zzzzz...

2011-05-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Do bees sleep? Yes, well maybe, they certainly roost, sometimes communally. Here's a male Nomada hanging from the tip of a bramble leaf by his mandibles, waiting for better weather at Sandy Smith NR today. (Many bees grasp foliage in their mandibles when they roost out in the open like this). Imagine if it started raining, he would have a torrent in his face!

While photographing it in gloomy blustery conditions the sun briefly came out and he twitched his legs as though coming out of a deep sleep, then it clouded over and he went back to his Zzzzs.

Mis-connections

2011-05-10T14:40:00.000-07:00

Its funny, I had been expecting to ask if you knew the connection between these three photos (other than all being taken at Sandhouse Lane NR today):

The top one is Chrysis viridula, a cuckoo wasp of the ground-nesting species Odynerus spinipes and Odynerus melanocephalus.

The middle one is a chimney on top of a nest made by a female of one of these two Odynerus species, but I don't know which as I didn't see a wasp using it.

I was expecting to say that the bottom photo was a male of one of the two Odynerus species, but when I checked the ID it actually keyed out as Gymnomerus laevipes a species that nests in stems like bramble and has no connection with either of the other two photos after all!

It just underlines the need to check details closely and not jump to conclusions. (Hopefully I have these IDs right and won't find that I actually needed to check them even more closely...!)

Nectar Thieves

2011-05-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Plants like comphrey have such long flowers that only long-tongued bees can reach the nectar. Some bees therefore cheat and bite a hole in the petals to get at the nectaries. These honey bees at Rowney Warren today weren't actually making holes, but were taking advantage of pre-created ones. I wonder which species of bee made them? These particular flowers weren't being pollenated anyway.

Old Warden Tunnel - TL113446

2011-05-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you stand still and look carefully there's an awful lot to see. Everything below was found within a small portion of TL113446 today...

Silver-ground Carpet:

One of the Nomada species of cuckoo bees (difficult to ID without putting under a microscope). It is a female though (12 antennal segments):

A Chrysopa perla lacewing:

A Helophilus pendulus hoverfly:

Anaglyptus mysticus longhorn beetle:

Possibly the tiny Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciella on a speedwell flower:

Whilst at ground level took an arty pic of a species of Veronica (a speedwell sp.)

She's added a porch

2011-05-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

My prediction of yesterday was wrong. The tube wasn't flared or joined to the new skin, but was actually extended into this very long tube. I've since read a little about this species and this is normal in these early stages, but no-one seems sure what it's for:

New neighbours

2011-05-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I spotted the beginnings of a wasp nest hanging from my eaves. There was an inverted "bottle-kiln" shaped covering with the entrance at the bottom. Construction of a larger outer skin had started.

I could guess the species from the shape but couldn't confirm it until today when I had a bit of time to watch. By now the outer skin was complete and work on re-shaping the entrance into a flared funnel was underway.

The queen walked backwards dribbling more liquid paper and shaping it with her mandibles. Round and around she went, first one one, then the other, and within a few minutes a few mm of soggy paper tubing had been constructed. You can see the damp ring on these two photos.

I'm guessing this flared entrance will next be connected to the new covering, but I'll have to wait and see. I wonder what happens to the old surface which is now inside. Is it removed and perhaps recycled into the next outer layer? Somewhere inside are cells in which the first-born will be developing. It's amazing what a single insect without any plans to work from can achieve!

The queen hasn't been bothered at all by me hanging out of the spare bedroom window photographing her. The lighting is terrible - shadowy eaves, bright sky. Still trying to discover the optimum settings.

I had a wasps nest inside the roof on the other side of the house a few years ago which proved to be no problem. I hope this one will be as benign...

The species? Dolichovespula media.

Red Admiral egg 2

2011-04-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

Four days later and the Red Admiral egg is developing nicely - the hairs on the tiny caterpillar inside can just about be seen. The egg is approx 1mm high. (Wish I had a better macro set-up - sorry about the quality).

LRD hunt

2011-04-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Walked the banks of the River Ivel today looking for Large Red Damselflies for the current survey. Found quite a few. Here's an arty view of a female with eyes like Jupiter complete with red spot.

Anthophora plumipes

2011-04-25T12:26:00.000-07:00

You need a long straw to drink from comphrey flowers...

Anthophora plumipes carries its own, here in action on the banks of the Rivel Ivel north of Sandy.

Autumn Colours

2011-04-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

The copper beech by the river in Blunham is currently in flower and the back-lit colours are stunning!

Location, Location, Location

2011-04-25T04:43:00.000-07:00

Last spring a bee hotel that I built on the wall next to my back door went largely unused, but this year competition by Osmia rufa is keen. About 11 holes are already sealed with mud and more nests are being constructed as I type. I had wondered last year if the east-facing nature had put them off, being in shade from about noon, but in this hot April it doesn't bother them at all as they are busy into the evening.

With a mixture of holes sizes some are more desirable than others, these two going head to head over this one. Approx 7mm seems best for this species, but other species may have different preferences.

This one is just moving in, removing a wood shaving that I'd thoughtlessly left inside the hole.

A stack of south-facing logs at the bottom of the garden with 7mm holes drilled in them is also proving popular this year with a total of 13 holes already filled. It only takes a few minutes to make a bee hotel this way - give it a go!

Banded Demoiselle

2011-04-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

My first Banded Demoiselles of the year were also at Begwary Brook, this stunning male eventually conceded to be photographed.

Natrix ex-natrix

2011-04-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

I would normally be thrilled to see a grass snake this closely, sadly this one had stopped working and started smelling.

There was a suspicious bulge half-way along, presumably its last meal. At Begwary Brook today.

P.S. I reported this to Helen Muir-Howie and she wondered if it had eaten either a Common Toad or a Great Crested Newt, either of which apparently can kill a grass snake.

Red Admiral egg

2011-04-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

I found this Red Admiral egg in a large nettle patch at Begwary Brook NR today

Trickier than they look

2011-04-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's only when you try to photograph some things that you get a better appreciation of them. I'd rather regarded these "longhorn" moths of species Adela reaumurella as being gangly and bumbling, but they actually zip around after each other in a very skilled manner, and can shoot out of the frame faster than I can press the shutter. So it was back to the old "point and hope" technique to capture these images near Old Warden church, the best of a about a hundred:

Micro cloud

2011-04-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

Managed to snap one of a small swarm of micros around a gorse bus at Rowney Warren. The ID, beyond me, was provided by David Manning as Cydia ulicetana who also added that it was a new 10km square for the species which feeds on gorse.

Another first at Rowney Warren

2011-04-19T11:59:00.000-07:00

After unstimulating visits in the hot sunshine to Cooper's Hill and Maulden Heath (though I did have a refreshing cat-nap by Tom's Pond!) on returning through Maulden Church Meadow there were Large Red Damselflies emerging from the main pond, my first of the year

Then off to Rowney Warren which has some nice habitats along the SW edge. Another colour form of the Crucifer Shieldbug was prominent on the garlic mustard

Also on the garlic mustard was an Eyed Ladybird (Anatis ocellata) the first I'd seen for a long time

A queen Bombus hortorum was busy gathering food and materials for her nest

Just when I was thinking that I wasn't going to see anything new today I stumbled across a spectacular Corizus hyoscyami on the way back to the car park.

Rhopalus subrufus

2011-04-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

A rather nice-looking bug, also at Rowney Warren, Rhopalus subrufus

Another Black and White Bee

2011-04-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

As light began to fail (hence the grainy photo) I stumbled across another beautiful species of black and white bee at Rowney Warren today, this one being an especially boldly marked Melecta albifrons (probably). Will need to return in better light to get a better snap.

They aren't as beautiful in behaviour however as they are cleptoparasites of the common bee Anthophora plumipes snapped earlier at Fenlake Meadows

Unwanted attention

2011-04-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

This female Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) was trying to get on quietly with the job of laying eggs on garlic mustard at Rowney Warren but was being pestered by two males.

There is an orange egg in this picture too, which must have been laid a couple of days ago as they start out white.

She eventually got fed up and signalled them to go away by raising the abdomen. (Several butterfly species seem to use this method, especially the whites). It did the trick, they left immediately.

Crucifer Shieldbug

2011-04-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

The garlic mustard at Rowney Warren had quite a few crucifer shieldbugs (Eurydema oleracea) on them today, including several pairs. Here is one of the colour forms

More bovver with a hover

2011-04-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Still trying to develop a technique for snapping hoverflies in flight. Even at 1/3200 second their wings are still a blur. This one was in Fenlake Meadows this morning.

Thanks to Stephen Plummer for its identification - Eristalis pertinax (pale front feet; pale patch on hind tibia)

Love is in the air

2011-04-12T09:45:00.001-07:00

This pair of Speckled Woods (Pararge aegeria) were in a courtship spiral in Chicksands Wood today. Very lucky to capture them both (almost) in focus!

Push-Me Pull-You

2011-04-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

There are plenty of bee-flies (Bombylius major) around at the moment, this pair in Chicksands Wood intent on producing more.

They flew together across the ride, not sure who was steering.

Lashings of Ginger Bees

2011-04-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

A Bombus pascuorum queen topping-up on cowslip nectar on Sharnbrook Summit NR (south side, the north side is closed at the moment)

This gorgeously furry female Andrena fulva was nectaring and gathering pollen nearby

Later, at Brown's Wood, was what I think is a female Andrena haemorrhoa, but I'm still unsure about my bee IDs.

Green Hairstreak

2011-04-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

As the season is advancing apace in this fine weather I went looking for Green Hairstreak at Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. It took about 5 minutes at a spot I find them each year.

Looked then for Grizzled and Dingy Skippers to no avail.

Cooper's Hill

2011-04-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

A quick lunchtime visit didn't reveal anything special but I did see my first Dolycorus baccarum (Hairy Shieldbug) of the year.

Prey and cleoptoparasitoid

2011-04-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

The pit at Sandy Smith NR was buzzing today with (I think) Andrena flavipes bees nesting in the sand (not a great pic I know)

But there were also plenty of Nomada (possibly Nomada fucata?) checking out their holes, hoping to lay an egg on their provisions which their offspring will commandeer.

Bumblebee Husks

2011-04-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

Also at Rowney Warren, from beneath a large willow with nearly-finished blossom I picked up 19 dead bumblebees, every one missing the top of the thorax and tail segments and a completely empty husk. Here's a couple of photos:

After posting a query on the BWARs forum I was informed that Great Tits may well be responsible for the carnage.

Classy Dresser

2011-04-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

One of our smartest bees, Andrena cineraria, a male in this case at Rowney Warren, dressed to impress:

Here be Dragons!

2011-04-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so they don't have six legs, but I'm allowed the odd quadruped. This common lizard was close enough to the brimstone in the previous posting to have watched me photographing it.

In-flight entertainment

2011-04-03T10:38:00.001-07:00

I've had a few stabs at photographing butterflies in flight without much luck, but today this male brimstone at Rowney Warren was kind enough to flap at the right time and place

..., Bees Do It, ...

2011-03-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

A moment of voyeurism at Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. Not sure of the species yet...

Light Orange Underwing

2011-03-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

The were quite a lot of flighty Orange Underwing grp moths flying at Marston Thrift today, but just a few allowed me to get close enough for a photo. This one confirmed as being Light Orange Underwing because of the antennae. Andy and Melissa confirmed this as the first record at the wood since 1976:

Horsehair Worm?

2011-03-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Rather an odd discovery, about 10cm long and less than 1mm thick, swimming in a wheel rut in Sandy, what I presume to be some sort of horsehair worm:

Rowney Warren and Sandy Smith NR

2011-03-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

A late morning visit to Rowney Warren was rewarded with sightings of all five species of over-wintering butterfly.

First was a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) refuelling on a willow:

A male Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) was more intent on subathing than anything else:

Then a treat to see a Peacock (Inachis io), a rarer-than-normal species after last year's poor breeding season:

Commas (Polygonia c-album) were in abundance (well I counted four anyway)...

Also had a couple of sightings of Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), but as at Cooper's Hill last week, they were camera-shy.

I also picked up a queen Dolichovespula saxonica wasp that was lying on her back twitching. I've tried some TLC at home, warming her under my microscope lights and offering diluted honey but there is no feeding response. It's a shame that she survived the tough winter only to probably die now the warmer weather is here, unable to start a nest. (I don't suppose all my readers will feel the same way about a wasp!)

Then on to Sandy Smith Nature Reserve where honey bees (Apis mellifera) were hard at work on a young willow:

First taste of spring

2011-03-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Its been a very long winter since my last posting, but at last insects are reappearing and the song of my camera shutter can be heard again.

A brief visit to Cooper's Hill in early afternoon was rewarded by a female Andrena clarkella starting a nest. (Thanks to Tim Strudwick on the www.bwars.com forum for the ID). Apparently they have an association with sallow catkins for pollen - I wonder if there is any in the wet bit by the rugby club?

A male minotaur beetle (Typhaeus typhoeus) usually nocturnal, out for a stroll. (There are quite a few expired ones laying around now if anyone wants any for a nature table). There must be quite a large population judging by all the holes.

A few Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris) had emerged and could be disturbed along the paths:

Even saw my first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), but it didn't hang around to be photographed.

A layer of altostratus then crept across the sky and put an end to the fun.

It's the way you crop them...

2010-09-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

Struggled today, coming back from Mowsbury Hill LNR with relatively boring photos, so put my arty head on and cropped as imaginatively as I could:

A seed-eating beetle:

7-spot ladybirds clustered in a medlar:

Why the long face? A scorpion-fly:

Stained glass effect of the thorax through the wings of a Common Darter:

A second crop from the same picture, of part of a compund eye:

Apple Mine

2010-09-04T12:19:00.001-07:00

There were around 25 Vespula vulgaris excavating into this single apple at Mowsbury Hill LNR.

Here's one making off with some pulp:

Red-legged Shieldbug

2010-08-30T08:22:00.001-07:00

A photogenically positioned Pentatoma rufipes dead centre of an angelica umbel at West Wood.

Wavendon Heath

2010-08-24T11:38:00.001-07:00

It was hard work today in the windy and changeable weather finding things of interest and it was only a small area of Wavendon Heath that caught the eye.

There was this rather nicely marked female Common Blue on the heather:

Some lichens of the genus Peltigera shaded by heather. (I had thought these to be liverworts, but thanks to Alan Outen for correcting me):

And thank goodness for fences, with a pair of robber flies

and a micro moth larva encased in twigs:

Hunting flies

2010-08-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

There was an abundance of flies feeding on mint at Sandy Smith NR, making it an ideal hunting ground for Mellinus arvensis wasps. It was interesting to watch them stalk their prey. This one got away:

but this one wasn't so lucky!

Here's a sequence of stalking,
stinging to paralyse

wrestling

shaking violently

and finally hugging

before eventually flying off with it to her nest.

Flying Wolf

2010-08-22T10:43:00.001-07:00

I love trying to show insects in action, but getting a decent picture rarely comes off. I spotted this female Philanthus triangulum, the Bee Wolf, coming towards me at Sandy Smith NR and grabbed a few shots, but only this one was vaguely in focus:

Then she turned sideways towards her burrow and I was able to grab a few as she went past:

The honey bee she was carrying was then buried as food for her young. Here the burrow is being re-opened on her return, having concealed it with sand when she left:

Blunham Lizard

2010-08-08T15:44:00.000-07:00

A lizard on a fencepost at Blunham actually turned its head sideways for the photo, its best side presumably.

Shame about the out-of-focus blade of grass in the foreground that I didn't notice!

Photo by Keith Balmer

Dolichovespula

2010-08-08T02:35:00.000-07:00

For some reason I'd been avoiding trying to ID social wasps until recently, but am now trying to get to grips. Here's a couple of Dolichovespula photographed in Chicksands Wood yesterday with ID tips added. There are only four Dolichovespula species and four Vespula species so there aren't too many to get to know...

Chicksands Wood

2010-08-07T01:52:00.000-07:00

I first thought this was a bishop's mitre but it didn't seem right so took a few pics which enabled confirmation as Eurygaster testudinaria the Tortoise Shieldbug. Bernard Nau and Sheila Brooke confirmed the ID, adding that they had recently found nymphs but this was the first adult record for the county.

Nearby was this stunning fly which deserved photographing. Many thanks to Stephen Plummer and John O'Sullivan for identifying as a male Phasia hemiptera tachinid fly.

Renhold Hedge

2010-08-01T01:51:00.000-07:00

In a hedge north of Renhold was a Magpie laying on Blackthorn

and buff-tip larvae on an oak...

Watch your weevil

2010-07-24T01:50:00.000-07:00

This Cerceris arenaria on Maulden Heath flies in with a weevil to stock her nest hole for her young to develop on.

However the hole had become obscured while she was away and she had to put down her prey to dig it open.
While her back was turned an opportunist Hedychrum niemelai (maybe) lays an egg on the weevil. Unless it was removed by the C.arenaria the ruby-tail's grub will kill the C.arenaria's grub and take over the food-store for itself

WLH laying?

2010-07-24T01:47:00.000-07:00

This female White-letter Hairstreak in Maulden Wood was walking along Elm branches and seemingly laying on buds, typically near the ends of the branches, but on close inspection afterwards I couldn't find any eggs. Still, it shows where on elms to look for them during the winter months...

Wilstead Wood

2010-07-20T01:46:00.000-07:00

A pleasant assortment of creatures at large today, beginning with an impressive Volucella inanis (I think, unless it is V.zonaria?)

Then a crab spider with the remains of a Barred Yellow:

The surprise of the day was a Red-tipped Clearwing. (There are a lot of goat willows in the wood on which it may have bred, which is why I was there looking for Purple Emperors (none seen)). It flew off immediately after this fuzzy banking shot, never to be seen again:

There was a nice selection of common butterflies (plus White Admiral and White-letter Hairstreak). Meadow Brown (female):

Ringlet and Small White:

Red Admiral:

Large Skipper:

Brown Argus:

Over-seeing it all was this five-legged Volucella pellucens (taken at 1/8000 second):

King's Wood, H&R

2010-07-18T01:46:00.000-07:00

Here are two of the 22 species seen this afternoon on a Butterfly Conservation field trip to King's Wood, Heath and Reach; two of seven Silver-washed Fritillaries and an obliging Purple Hairstreak:

Black Haistreak

2010-06-26T01:44:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to turn up at Marston Thrift today just as this Black Hairstreak was coming down to take moisture from a ride-side bramble:

Yellow-spotted Burnets

2010-06-24T01:44:00.000-07:00

Amongst the large emergence of "normal" Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets at Sharnbrook Summit NR were a couple of the form citrina:

Odynerus Chimney

2010-06-15T01:43:00.000-07:00

This mud chimney approx 1.5cm high was on the Greensand Ridge path on Maulden Heath just west of "Hagrid's House" and likely to be trodden soon. It was probably made by a wasp of the genus Odynerus, and quite possibly one of the rarer species, but will need to see the owner to confirm.

Staring Down a Hornet's Nest

2010-06-15T01:42:00.000-07:00

I realised that a hornet queen disappearing with food down a hole on Maulden Heath was a photo opportunity worth trying, but with return visits only about 15 minutes apart and no tripod to relieve tensed aching muscles, these were the best I could grab...

Poplar Hawk

2010-05-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

Roosting on grass stems at Sandy Smith NR today. Huge!

Sundog

2010-05-21T01:41:00.000-07:00

This Sundog, or parhelion, was seen from Mowsbury Hill LNR hanging over Claphampark Wood this evening as the sun was setting. They occur at the same elevation as the sun and 22 degrees from it, possibly one on each side of the sun, but tonight there was only one. They are caused by sunlight passing through horizontal hexagonal plate ice cystals, leaving by a face at 60 degrees to the one it entered.

Needles and Haystacks

2010-05-18T01:40:00.000-07:00

If you like a real challenge, try looking for Grizzled Skipper eggs. Here's two of three that I found today at Sharnbrook Summit on Agrimony. Sorry about the quality, but they are less than half a millimeter across...

Willington

2010-05-15T01:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it took me six or seven years to find a Grizzled Skipper in Willington, but at long last I did today:

Also in the area were some fresh Burnet Companions, very difficult to approach. It was only when the sun went in that I could get close enough for a snap:

Ahhhh

2010-05-15T01:38:00.000-07:00

At Sandy Smith NR on Saturday.

Marston Vale Millenium Country Park

2010-05-11T01:37:00.000-07:00

Along the SW shoreline of Stewartby Lake, in cold, overcast conditions I counted myself fortunate to find the following:

A Dingy Skipper and a Grizzled Skipper eating "bacon and eggs" together:

The unfortunate Grizzled was missing its entire right hind wing:

These two Dingys appeared to be flirting with each other until the sun went in and cooled their ardour:

Everything then started to wait patiently for the sun to re-emerge, except for me - I went home!:

This one in the "tree-hugger" pose that Dingys adopt when roosting:

In an earlier brief sunny spell this Green Hairstreak appeared to be laying on Bird's-foot Trefoil, but I couldn't find any eggs.

Green Hairstreak

2010-04-18T01:36:00.000-07:00

My first Green Hairstreak of the year at Knocking Hoe today:

Also a hoverfly that tried hard to avoid being snapped, but eventually succumbed:

Hovering Bee-flies

2010-04-11T01:35:00.000-07:00

I'm used to seeing bee-flies taking nectar or settling on grasses, but I hadn't noticed before that they (presumably males) also hold station above woodland rides like true hoverflies, chasing anything that comes near. They are really quite agile. Here's a poor picture of one doing this in Chicksands Wood today.

A sunny day on Cooper's Hill

2010-04-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome signs of spring...

Heather beetles were checking out each other - all males I suspect from the behaviour:

A couple of Heather Shieldbugs were sunning themselves:

A patch of bright-red Cladonia lichens caught the eye:

Nice to see the Green Tiger Beetles out again - always a challenge to photograph:

Flying Spiders

2010-03-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

The great thing about wildlife is not knowing what is going to catch the eye each time I go out. Today it was these little spiders on fencing at Strawberry Hill.

It was only when one "flew away" that I realised what many of them were up to. They climbed to the top of the fence posts, stood on tip-toe, raised their abdomen into the air:

and sprayed a loose bundle of silk (gossamer) into the light breeze:

then, when the tension was sufficient, launched backwards into the air. With limited depth of field and the rapid departure, unfortunately the only launch I managed to capture was out-of-focus. (Maybe next time?)

These two weren't interested in flying though:

Once finished, they tapped each other on the back with their forelegs and rapidly backed apart.

Photos by Keith Balmer

Common Wasp Queen

2010-03-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

A splendid Vespula vulgaris queen was skulking around in leaf litter on Maulden Heath on Thursday 18th March, preening and chewing a leg...

The Kiss

2010-03-19T01:32:00.000-07:00

A tender moment during the orgy at Tom's Pond on Thursday 18th March. Neither turned into a prince...

Photo by Keith Balmer.

Priory Bee Hotel

2009-06-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

Last spring I constructed a "Bee Hotel" at Priory Country Park (in the staff car park) and this season things are really buzzing especially with leaf-cutter bees using the 8.5-11mm range of holes...

By quickly tracking a female into the wildlife garden I was able to photograph the leaf-cutting process on a field maple, which amazingly took only 11 seconds. On average a female returned with a cut leaf only 45 seconds after leaving her hole, but on one occasion needed only 25 seconds.

One female was putting the final seal on a hole, requiring a considerable number of layers, and still unfinished when I left...

Ever-hopeful males were constantly harassing females, this frustrated male having just lost one down a hole...

The most interesting female was nesting in the centre of the top-left log with 11mm holes. She did her own leaf-cutting just like all the other females...

but unlike them, never collected her own food for her offspring. She simply raided the nests of those around. Here she is with a lump of a neighbour's bee bread!

Here is one of the honest bees, returning with a load of pollen on the hairs beneath, which is where leaf-cutters carry their pollen. (In case you are matching the markings on the logs and thinking that it is heading the for same hole as the above, you are right. She then realised her mistake and went into the one next door. (They quite often have to hunt around for their own hole).

It isn't just bees that use the hotel. This solitary wasp Sapyga quinquepunctata has just laid on egg in this hole. Her larva will destroy the egg of the owner-bee, and develop on the bee's food-store.

This mason wasp is provisioning cells in a piece of bamboo with bits of invertebrate, and will eventually seal the hole with mud, as has already happened with two nearby canes...

Photos by Keith Balmer

Bee-fly nectaring

2009-04-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Had another stab today at getting a decent shot of a bee-fly (Bombylius major) nectaring on ground ivy. These are the best of several hundred attempts. (Glad I wasn't using film!). Even at 1/4000 sec the wings are still blurred.

Pictures posted by Keith Balmer

Sexual dimorphism

2008-08-03T13:17:00.000-07:00

Male and female Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) butterflies in a set-aside field near Rowney Warren this afternoon, desparately trying to feel the warmth of the sun's rays on this very gloomy day.

Extreme Longhorns

2008-08-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

There were three Aromia moschata (Musk Beetles) on wild angelica at Priory Country Park this morning near the spit. I have regularly seen them there over the last couple of weeks. The males in particular are spectacular with bodies about 3cm long and antennae about 4cm long, making them one of the largest Bedfordshire beetles. (Their dimensions severly tested (and broke) the depth of field capabilities of my macro lens, failing to get everything in focus, in the gloomy light. Will maybe try again in sunshine when I can stop down further).

Wasp and brush up

2008-07-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

I think this is a Dolichovespula media a relative newcomer to the UK, seen this evening at Mowsbury Hill LNR. Here it is cleaning an antenna, while combing its hair and cleaning a wing, while standing on a tripod. Well, if you have six legs you may as well use them all...

It, and another similar wasp (this may even be the other one) repeatedly worked over the flowers of a figwort. On one occasion an unfortunate hoverfly was enountered on a flower and quickly dewinged and digested. (I'll spare you the photos).

Pulp fact

2008-07-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

This worker wasp, which, from the facial markings, I suspect to be a German Wasp (Vespula germanica) today repeatedly returned to chew dead wood from the posts that hold the handrails of the bridge that leads onto Biggleswade Common from The Lodge. The wood fibres are chewed with saliva to produce a pulp which dries to form the durable paper nests. (I expect some humans think we invented paper...)

Winter is coming...

2008-07-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

These newly emerged Peacock and Brimstone butterflies in College Wood today were busy laying down fat reserves for the coming winter. Within a few weeks the Peacock will already have gone into hibernation. The Brimstone may be active for a little longer, but will soon be tucked away in evergreens to await the cold...

Bee Wolves

2008-07-22T13:42:00.001-07:00

On the south-facing edge of Rowney Warren today the Bee Wolves (Philanthus triangulum) were very active; starting burrows...

Digging them out...

Flying in with honey bee prey...

and dragging them to their burrows...

Each wasp can deposit around a hundred honey bees down their burrow as food for their offspring. With around a dozen or so wasps active they will put a small dent in the local bee population.