Windy Walk at Bev's. August 2012.

 Common Carpet Moth

My Dad joined me for a walk around Bev's, it was a walk looking mainly for Grasshoppers and Crickets in the hope of something new. The wind however was strong and playing havoc with spotting stuff. Insects were either sheltering lower down in the vegetation or once found would take flight and get carried off in the wind. I noticed 2 Common Carpet moths sheltering in the grasses and nearby an even larger Wasp Spider than the previous one located before. This time though I was able to get a shot of the stunningly marked upper body. The web mind you was small and there was no sign of the distinctive zig zag web structure.

 Wasp Spider

Noon Fly

 Mesembrina Meridiana

This fly above was spotted by my Dad resting on the sheltered side of a post, it is related to house and sweat flies.

 Dark Bush Cricket

We found a couple of Dark Bush Crickets, a lot quieter than the Roesel's and a lot more skulking.

 Long Winged Conehead

After finding one of these last time, this time round we found quite a few, and I grabbed a couple of better shots.

 Long Winged Conehead

 Short Winged Conehead

I was truly made up when I noticed this moving on thistle seeds amongst a large patch of nettles. Great to now have photographed both of the Coneheads at the same site, mind you it wasn't easy photographing it as the swaying plants made it tricky to focus. You can see just how short the wings are and the up curve of the ovipositor as opposed to the Long winged' dagger like ovipositor.

 Field Grasshopper

Unknown Cocoon

We found 2 of these cocoons, my Dad and I did not know what this was made by, although a small spider was seen in the second one found, but as of writing I am still unable to find out the species that built this amazing structure. I shall update it once found out.

"Hopping with Joy at Bev's". August 2012.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

After the last visit to Bev's, I headed back the next morning for more of the Grasshoppers and crickets. The weather was great and I was just concentrating on the 'hoppers, so I only had the macro gear which enabled me to roll around the ground as it were' and get some closer images. The most vocal, again, was the Roesel's Bush Cricket, but number wise I saw more Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers. 

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

This bright Lesser Marsh' let me approach nice and close, it then started to clean its eyes, captured below, I love the armour plating look when viewed up close.

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Field Grasshopper

Although seeing the Field Grasshopper last time I didn't actually get an image so this time I made sure I came away with some. Notice the long wings and red colouration to the top of the abdomen.

Field Grasshopper

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Long Winged Conehead

I was lucky enough to grab a couple of shots of this beauty before it jumped out of sight. A great new addition for the site. 

Long Winged Conehead

Wasp Spider and unfortunate Grasshopper

This grasshopper was less fortunate and ended up as dinner for a Wasp Spider. A colourful spider and on closer inspection of the web under the spider and in front/below of the grasshopper you can just make out the zig zag pattern which strengthens the structure, known as the'Stabilimentum.

New Moths Despite The Weather.

Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing

The end of July granted me a decent night to put the light out, it turned out quite a varied list too with 35 different species dropping in.

Clay Moths

Cloaked Minor (above & below)

These 2 images of the Cloaked Minor show the variety in their id.

Dwarf Cream Wave & Small Fan Footed Wave

Going into August and the weather warmed up, and a stint in the garden till 2am had 24 species drop in. And as in the last session, it was notable how well the White Satin Moth was doing this year alongside the equally numerous Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing.

Marbled Beauty

Tawny Speckled Pug

I had 2 Tawny Speckled Pugs on the August night a first for the garden and myself. Then to follow were two more new additions, with the Double Striped Pug and Barred Rivulet pictured below. The pugs are harder to find than the other moths as they tend to land on the walls and windows away from the light where the main action is. 

Double Striped Pug

Barred Rivulet

A misty start soon brought rewards at Bev's. August 2012.

 The morning started off very misty but the forecast was warm sunny skies so I headed off to Bev's and hoped it wouldn't take long to lift. It was very damp and with the bird life still very quiet I decided to opt for some insect recording, predominately Grasshoppers. There were still large groups of tufted duck young around, they didn't seem to of grown since the last visit, I saw one, now larger, great crested grebe young but did not see any of the others! A possible one other later but I hope they were more independent and away from the parents rather than taken.

Roesel's Bush-Cricket

 With the glimpse of the sun breaking through, the grasshoppers and crickets were very noisy and coming from everywhere, I set about photographing as many different ones as possible. The noisiest of all were the Roesel's Bush Crickets, they seemed to be wherever you turned. I had seen Roesel's before but these were more predominantly coloured in green, as opposed to yellow, around the edge of the pronotum(plate behind the eye).

 Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

Roesel's Bush-Cricket

 The grasses were full of younger ones but I concentrated on the larger adults to photograph and identify. I will make some more visits in the hope of as many species, but the Roesel's must be close to Lesser Marsh in numbers. They would jump as soon as I approached and it was funny to see them scurry down the grass stems backwards to hide, its easier at their level although I got stung a few times on thistles as I laid down searching.

 Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

 Meadow Grasshopper

This Meadow grasshopper above was a real beauty with such fresh bright colours.

Common Blue

 The morning was going well and really warming up, the shirt would of been off if I hadn't of been laying prone so much, there were quite a few butterflies around and a Common Blue settled for a record shot, but the most numerous apart from Large White were the Meadow Brown and Gatekeepers,seen below. But the new and best one was a butterfly which unbeknown to me was settled in front until disturbed by a Gatekeeper hence I didn't get a shot....it was a Marbled White, new for the site list and hopefully one I will grab a shot of.

 Gatekeeper

 Common Darters mating

I then focused on the dragonflies and with so many around and being so warm now, they were constantly flying about. Frustratingly another new site list species flew by only to be chased off by the territorial Emperor and so no photograph again, this time a Brown Hawker. But I persevered and got a few flight shots of the Emperor Dragonfly as it patrolled along its patch, chasing off anything that entered its airspace. Hopefully the weather will be warm and still next time out for some new images and additions.

Emperor Dragonfly