AJCann

If we're now tasting Arthropods to see if the taste of aniseed this is turning into mycology...

They're tricky to separate in the field, the reddish spot in the basal part of the gaster (if present) is the best guide?

Peacock Butterfly, Aglais io

Two tatty overwintered Peacocks, Aglais io, chasing each other round the garden.

#Butterflies #VC55

Hi all, the next Leicester Peregrines watch is on Tuesday 10th March. Come and say hello to the group at the Leicester Cathedral gardens between 9.30am and 12.30pm weather permitting #ukbirding #peregrines #leicester @lrosbirds.bsky.social @leicsperegrines.bsky.social

👍

I see they'e arguing over the risk assessment.

Puccinia lapsanae, gall on young Nipplewort leaves.

Puccinia lapsanae, galls on young Nipplewort leaves.

Puccinia lapsanae, galls on young Nipplewort leaves.

#Fungi #VC55 #galls

Just a reminder, we have a Zoom talk this evening at 7.30 www.hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/winter-zoom..... Our branch recorder Andrew Wood will be talking about 'Butterflies in 2025 and can we predict long term changes?' All welcome and no need to book.

Oak Beauty, Biston strataria

I was fearful of a blank last night but my first trap of the year brought, alongside the Common Quakers, my first garden Oak Beauty, Biston strataria.

#VC55Moths #VC55 #moths

Agapanthus stalks and “skeletons” against a blue sky.

Before you cut everything back to make the garden look “neat” — pause.
Right now in Ireland and the UK, many insects are still overwintering inside last year’s hollow stems.
Most don’t emerge until temps are regularly above ~10–12°C (often late March–April).

“Tidy” can mean destroying shelter. 🌱🦋

Entomobrya multifasciata.

Asaphes vulgaris female

Asaphes vulgaris female

Asaphes vulgaris.

#Wasps #Hymenoptera #VC55 #Pteromalidae

Talk on Thursday 5th March, online or in person. All welcome.

YouTube video by Mercurialize Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish

An old favourite.
youtu.be/b6e_wdtBVW8?...

UK map showing overall distribution of Dark-edged Bee-fly (pale grey dots) and records so far for 2026 (black dots)

A very freshly emerged male Dark-edged Bee-fly, photo by Allan Burrows in Hertfordshire

Several more bee-flies seen today - hurray 😍 So far we have records for Surrey, Beds, Bucks, Kent, Herts, Middlesex and Guernsey. Where will they appear next? Please enjoy looking out for them and send in your sightings for #BeeFlyWatch - 📸 of the Herts bee-fly by @allanburrows.bsky.social

Ey up mi duck

#Birds #Lestah

Entomology Update - February 2026 February was a varied month, spring-like at times but mostly wet. I didn't get out much but made some interesting finds when I did.  Culture...

Entomology Update - February 2026
February was a varied month, spring-like at times but mostly wet. I didn't get out much but made some interesting finds when I did.
Learn more: ajcarthropoda.blogspot.com/2026/03/ento...
#Leicester #Leicestershire #environment #nature

Barn Owl and a Carrion Crow

Photo of the Month February 2026
The NatureSpot Photo of the Month for February is this image of a Barn Owl and a Carrion Crow, taken by NatureSpot contributor Marian Markham. Learn more: www.naturespot.org/node/264952
#Birds #Leicester #Leicestershire #Rutland #nature #UKWildlife

Pteromalidae, but I'm not sure beyond that.

#Wasps #Hymenoptera #VC55

Stenomalina, possibly S. gracilis ... ?

#Wasps #Hymenoptera #VC55

Quantifying the unquantifiable: why Hymenoptera, not Coleoptera, is the most speciose animal order We challenge the oft-repeated claim that the beetles (Coleoptera) are the most species-rich order of animals. Instead, we assert that another order of insects, the Hymenoptera, is more speciose, due in large part to the massively diverse but ...

“…if the micro-hymenopterists would get off their lazy asses and start describing species, there would be more micro-Hymenoptera than there are Coleoptera.”
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

All the scales look too healthy :-)

Can't find any in the garden, but drowning in Lichtensia viburni, although none of them seem parasitised.
This is interesting:
bsky.app/profile/norw...

Coccus hesperidum?
Would be good to get some males.

Microterys hortulanus female

Microterys hortulanus frontovertex

Microterys hortulanus ovipositor

Another day, another Microterys hortulanus - from a different site. This thing is clearly here in good numbers.

#Wasps #Hymenoptera #VC55

Bristly Ladybird, Rhyzobius lophanthae

The Bristly Ladybirds, Rhyzobius lophanthae, have survived the wet winter and are still kicking around in the conifers in good numbers.

#Beetles #Coleoptera #VC55 #OlympusTG6

Thanks! :-)

Pretty similar! Ovipositor not exserted (tessellatus) vs. hardly exserted (hortulanus).

I think this is right for M. hortulanus?

@arnoldtortoise.bsky.social

Thank you!

(Just as well, I managed to lose the single specimen, only a lone antennea remaining in the dish!)