Richard Ecclestone

Thought I would try to find a Picromerus bidens, the Spiked Shieldbug at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. It's the only one from last year I haven't found yet this year. Had no joy all day & came across this shieldbug on the footpath. Very happy to find a mid instar nymph of the Spiked.
#shieldbugs #macro

I was leaving a friend's house & found this Dorcus parallelipipedus, the Lesser Stag Beetle wandering around in his driveway. A really striking beetle & only my second one found. I'm a bit jealous that he has these beetles just hanging out in his front garden. Ashmanhaugh, Norfolk.
#beetles #macro

Thanks 😀 😊

I found this beautiful Ochlodes sylvanus, the Large Skipper flitting about the local meadow in Lakenham, Norwich yesterday. I've not seen this before in the meadow so really happy to see one.
#butterflies #macro #macrophotography

Found in the local meadow in Lakenham, Norwich. This is a Cerceris rybyensis, the Ornate Tailed Digger Wasp. Spotted flying around the wild flowers and nettles.
#wasps #macro #macrophotography

Another new shieldbug found at Ketts Heights, Norwich, that I haven't seen before. This is a Slender-horned Leatherbug (Ceraleptus lividus), first discovered in Norfolk in 1976. There have only been 2 other sightings in Norwich recorded, the last one 5 years ago.
#shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography

Another new find at Ketts Heights, Norwich. This is the the Forget-me-not Shieldbug (Sehirus luctuosus). I've not seen this one before. There were several running around in the wild flower boarders and hiding under the dried leaf debris.
#shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography

Another find from Ketts Heights, Norwich. This amazing Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis). What a stunning looking beetle, it seemed perfectly happy to climb on my hand for a closer look at it.
#beetles #macro #macrophotography

Found a couple of weeks ago at Ketts Heights, Norwich. A stunning Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata), found hanging around the herb gardens, could easily be mistaken for a butterfly as they fly during the day.
#moths #macro #macrophotography

I found this lovely Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus) at Sweet Briar Marshes, Norwich, yesterday while rolling logs by the woods. It was on the underside of the log rather than under it, new find for me, so I'm really happy to find one.
#beetles #macro #macrophotography

They are curious little spiders 🧐😁👍

About 60 here

Aren't they great, I'm on the lookout for some of the other jumpers, but nothing yet.

Another beautiful Zebra jumping spider (Salticus scenicus) decided to face me properly on Weds. They usually zip away when I try to take their pics, this one has finally given me a pic of its lovely face. Found on a post on the Bayfield Circular Walk, Glandford.
#spiders #macro #macrophotography

I've finally found one, been looking since I was told about them. This is Neobisium carcinoides, the Common Neobisid, a pseudoscorpion. Found last week on some bark debris in a former cattle field in Cringleford, Norwich. What an amazing little arachnid.
#arachnid #macro #macrophotography

Cheers 😀👍

Found this predatory Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) at Mousehold Heath last weekend. It was sitting at the top of a gorse bush on the lookout for a small fly to eat.
#flies #macro #macrophotography

😄 it does have a squidlike quality.

A very dusty Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis) found at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich last week. It was hiding in the engraving on an old gravestone. They've definitely have made the UK their home.
#cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography

Another spider found on the whitewashed crematorium walls at Earlham Cemetery, this is the Missing Sector Orb Weaver (Zygiella x-notata). I'm now making the crematorium one of my stops when I'm at Earlham. I'm always finding something new.
#cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography

This is Cyclosa conica, found in the woods last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. Looks like it may have caught a leafhopper of some sort. Odd looking spider, this one doesn't have a common name.
#spiders #macro #macrophotography

A tiny Sputnik Spider (Paidiscura pallens) found at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich, last week. It gets it name from its distinctive, white, sputnik-shaped egg cocoon. Found on the whitewashed crematorium wall.
#cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography

This is Apis mellifera, the Honey Bee. Found last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, feeding on the yellow gorse flowers. It definitely feels like Spring when you see the bees out and about, I spotted a Bumblebee as well, bumbling about.
#bee's #macro #macrophotography

Found this early hoverfly at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, last weekend. This is the Spotted Thintail (Meliscaeva auricollis). Wasn't bothered by me getting close at all.
#hoverfly #macro #macrophotography

It was lovely to see so many Seven-Spot Ladybirds at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, last weekend. Nice to see they are doing well there, I was hoping to find a Heather Ladybird but no joy.
#ladybirds #macro #macrophotography

Found my first Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) of the year last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. They're usually quite skittish and have a tendency to fly away, but managed to get this one on my hand for some great pics before it flew off.
#shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography

A lovely Pin-stripe Wolf Spider (Pardosa monticola). Found last week at Earlham Cemetery. A really striking spider with some lovely purple/pink colouring in its head.
#cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography

A tiny little Spotted Snake Millipede (Blaniulus guttulatus). Found last week at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich under a rotten log. I found quite a few under other logs I checked as well.
#cemeterylife #millipedes #macro #macrophotography

Found this spider wandering around our warehouse a couple of weeks ago in Norwich. Quick capture and put it in a cereal bowl for some pics and released into the grass outside. This is Alopecosa pulverulenta, the Common Fox-spider.
#spiders #macro #macrophotography

Found my second ever Eyed Ladybird (Anatis ocellata) at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich last week. Persuaded it onto my hand for some great pictures, this is the largest ladybird species in the UK.
#cemeterylife #ladybirds #macro #macrophotography