Members' Garden Photos

During this time of enforced isolation many club members will be restricting their outdoor activities to their gardens. This presents a fine opportunity for you to share some of the photos you take of any wildlife within or from your garden. Grab a photo of that visiting butterfly or bird. Seen an interesting insect and you don't know what it is? Share it here and I'm sure someone will identify it for you. Send your images to nmparker@virginmedia.com or robin.gossage@sky.com and we'll post them for you.

A big THANK YOU guys for all your images, please keep them coming.

If you have an image that could be used as a Quiz Pic please send to Nick or Robin. (Only local /Northamptonshire stuff please).


Dave Jackson has sent in this image of three Thick-headed flies and thought it might be good as a Caption Picture. So if you have a humorous caption please let us know and we'll publish them.
If you also have an image that might be good for a Caption, please send it in. Cheerz Robin.



Two's company three's a crowd .            DJ

Bob Gill says..................Come on and do the Conga !!

Robin Gossage................Me next, me next !



So since most of us have an avid interest in birds, I thought that maybe this quiz pic might fit the bill or is that mandible. 
In order to win yet another incredible prize just email me with your answer. Good Luck. PS this wasn't taken in Northants.


Okay Okay I thought that one or two birders might have deciphered what bird this might be. The most popular  answer was a Purple Sandpiper, not bad guesses but in actual fact its a ..........White-rumped Sandpiper! So no prize this time.





A couple more images from  deep, dark and dank, depths of Spratton.    David Arden

Probably Buff-tailed Bumblebee



White-letter Hairstreak.


Amazing stuff!


So something a little more difficult (but not that hard) for the latest Quiz Pic.  Can anyone identify this........




Another wonderful prize awaits the first correct answer, just contact Nick or myself (Robin).

Okay so maybe it's a little difficult to name so I'm going to award the prize to Andy Astill, who got the closest. Andy guessed it being the rear of a moth, so rotating the image 90 degrees anticlockwise it may seem a little more obvious. As for the species, well the rear might be the tip and the colour is buff .
Buff Tip......




Andy asked if the underrated and derided copy of Nocturnal Insect Excretia. the Field Guide by I.P.Nightly might be his prize.
The Hardback version is sadly no longer available so I  hope you will be happy with the IZAL paperback .

Well done Andy and i hope this should compliment your last prize winning book.

Many thanks to all those who entered, another Quiz soon.




Images from a Spratton Garden by David Arden.

The Emperor, one of our largest Hawkers ovipositing.






Flesh fly sp on Scabious


Cinnabar caterpillars on Ragwort



The finished article Cinnabar Moth.  Thanks David.


Andy Astill sent this interesting shot taken at Old Sulahay. I thought you might like.


The bug seems to have somehow latched on to the Bee's tongue, whilst the Bee is frantically trying to dislodge it. Thanks Andy.




Pond update.      Living the high life

Ya know Frederick, I can see for miles.                                   Robin Gossage




Images from Mr Gill

Reddish Light Arches



A rather nicely coloured Parasitic fly, Mintho rufiventris.


Forget-me-knot Shieldbug, final instar 


Phil Davies  possibly a pair of Chalcid wasps Torymus sp?


female, note long ovipositor




These are tiny (3mm) Parasitic wasps, with a beautiful green metallic colour and are mobile. Stunning little things, well photographed Phil.


Robin Gossage, running a moth trap can sometimes deliver something unusual like this 
lovely Summer Chafer.




Or a STUNNING Privet Hawkmoth



More from the Pond       Broad-bodied Chaser



Bob Gill


Garden Chafer

Bird's Wing

Small (but gorgeous) Ranunculus

Frank Smith
Oak Bush-cricket


Cinnamon Sedge Caddisfly
Thank-you Frank.


More from the Pond..

A Chorus of Frogs           Robin Gossage

Hi folks, another little Quiz, so can anyone identify this. Answers please to Nick or myself,  to win yet another fantastic prize



Amazing, well done Andy I really don't know how you managed to guess this, of course  it's a Bee Orchid. Your prize is the now out of print but highly sort book on Worm Cast's by I B Wriggly, Enjoy.



Andy Astill   Bee Orchid


A Hawthorn Shieldbug from Frank Smith.



Bob Gill with a couple of distant shots of Brown Hawker and he hasn't even got a pond.






So that's what they look like !   Nice shootin'

Robin Gossage


Marbled Minor


Marbled Minor


Salticus scenicus 'Zebra jumping Spider'


Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp, this male is just over half the size of the female

Common Shorebug Saldula saltatoria,  new for me around the pond

View from David Arden's kitchen window 


Bullfinch


Some Garden shot's from Phil Davies

One of Phil's nesting Blue Tits

Gaudy Starling


Weevil sp mating.

Any suggestion as to what species ?

Thanks Phil.


A few more moths from Bob Gill's Light trap    



Dichrorampha alpinana (Micro Moth Tortricidae)


Agapeta hamana  Micro Moth


Broad Centurion male (soldierfly) Females have bluish abdomen.


Common Footman


White Ermine


Campion


Rhyacionia pinicolana



Varied Coronet & Broad-barred White



Spinach



   Light Emerald


Robin Gossage


Eristalis pertinax

A common Hoverfly occurring everywhere, separated from E nemorum by yellow front and middle tarsi.



Early Bumblebee worker 

Helophilus hybridus
A common wetland species.

Blimey you can see the rictal bristles!





Carrion Crow
Wood Pigeon


Goldfinch
Blackbird



So, more images from Dave's garden 

Dave Jackson



Suillia variegata


Muscid Fly sp
Dasysrphus albostriatus
Ichneumon sp

Bob Gill



Fly Bug Reduvius personatus an Assassin Bug


Green Silverlines

Pale Tussock


Hawthorn Shieldbug


Shark
Not a Great White then?


Robin Gossage, (more tales from the garden pond).


While watching this frog it began periodically opening  and closing its mouth, I could see some mucus/saliva  in its mouth when opened. Having never seen the inside of a frog's mouth before, I thought this was normal. 
However the penny dropped as it  reached upwards stretching a membrane from the corner of its mouth  to the foot of its front limb. It was eating the shed skin from its body, akin to sloughing with snakes (but they leave their shed skin behind).




Add caption



Mating Pond Skaters




Clive Bowley

Queen Median Wasp

Big and beautiful, very much like a Hornet, but told by the yellow tick marks on the thorax.
As usual Clive nice pic.


Robin Gossage



Happy
Tiny flies (2-3mm) mating on exuviae (poss mayfly)
Ophion obscuratus

Bob Gill

Large Elephant Hawkmoth
Small Elephant Hawkmoth 
Two spanking moths Bob, great comparison.


Lime-speck Pug
Rustic Shoulder Knot
Green Furrow Bee Lasioglossum morio


John Showers




Cockchafer or Maybug
A large beetle up to 30mm, with feathery antennae


Red -headed Cardinal Beetle


Robin Gossage


Starling

upon reflection


Greenbottle










Teneral   Large Red Damselfly
Common  Backswimmer


Bob Gill

Eyed Hawk Moth.
Stunning moth.



Chinese Character
This small moth's defence is to resemble a bird dropping.


Eyed Ladybird.

David Arden




Broad-bodied Chaser, male.
Grass Snake
Grass Snake
Grass Snake
Bathing Blackbird 
Thanks for these David.



Clive Bowley


Dark-edged Bee-fly


Quiz Pic No 2. Can you ID this critter, again please send your answer to Robin.



So Clive Bowley correctly identified the above as a Garden Snail.

Well Done mate, you win a get out of Jail free card.


Bob Gill


10 Spot Ladybird
Cabbage moth
It looks nothing like a Cabbage ?


Hairy Shieldbug

Merodon equestris     Large Narcissus Fly
A Bumblebee mimic Hoverfly, colour form equestris


Wrinkled Snail
I seem to have heard that somewhere  before.


Anthocomus fasciatus (4mm)

A Soft-winged Flower Beetle, what a great find, thanks for these Bob.


Robin Gossage


Lime Hawk Moth

House Martin, my first just over a week ago.

Trametes Hirsutum, on an old work-top.

Amaurobius similis

Epistrophe elegans

Bob Gill

Pyrausta aurata


Bee Moth

Blue Mason Bee


Robin Gossage


Common Buzzard
House Mouse

Woodpigeon.


Muslin Moth.

Hedge Accentor.
Bob Gill


Nutmeg.
Fabulous intricate pattern.


Cinnabar Moth.

Many-plumed moth
Eristalis pertinax
Maiden's Blush.
Long time since Bob's done that !



Speckled Bush-cricket.  late instar.
Box Bug  Gonocerus acuteangulatus

My word another Box Bug, again with a missing leg.


Crucifer Shieldbug  Eurydema oleracea  in white form


and in red form
All you need now for the set, is the orange winter form !


14 spot Ladybirds mating. Propylea quattuordecimpunctata
Robin Gossage ........ (tales from the pond)


Take that and that

Har! har! missed me!


YUM,YUM.



Clive Bowley


Starling in all its glory
A Startling Starling Clive.


Philip Davies.



Blue Mason Bee Osmia caerulescens.

A good find Phil, the Five-spotted Club-horned Wasp Sapyga quinquepunctata is a parasite of these small Osmia Bee's. Memory serves you had them in your garden last year.


Red Mason Bee Osmia bicornis


Green Shieldbug Nazara viridula

Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly.



So a little Quiz, for all you budding naturalists.  I've taken a crop of the original. Can anyone ID it ?




Please send your answers to Robins email.



So the £10,000 prize winner is ....Bob Gill, who correctly identified a Slow-worm.

Well done Bob.





John Showers


Noble False Widow.
This little spider has recently been given a bad rep supposedly for biting. However it's quite harmless,
unless of course you corner it, then it will go for the throat.


Holly Blue.

Pine Beauty.

A beauty indeed.     Thanks John.

Robin Gossage


Blue Tit
Starling
Robin (taken thro' patio doors)



David Arden


Large Red Damselfly
Common Newt
David , has that newt been drinking?

A few Bits from Mr Gill as he now likes to be known,

Early Bumble Bee Bombus pratorum
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum.
Honey Bee  Apis mellifera
Yellow-legged mining Bee  Andrena flavipes
Buffish Mining Bee  Andrena nigroaenea
What a load of pollen.............you must have in your garden.


Gracillaria syringella

Argyrotaenia ljungiana

Cheerz Bob.

Phillip Davies













After finding one Phil and Sue eventually had three Hedgehogs visiting their garden. Looks like two parents and a youngster. Marvellous !


Clive Bowley



Dark-edged Bee-fly

These Bee-flies have a great way of putting their eggs into their victims nest. They are parasitoids of Solitary Bees and wasps. By weighting down their eggs with soil they then throw them into the nest,
using their under-carriage as a sling shot.


Pea-leaf Weevil,  Sitona lineatus

Dave Jackson

14-spot Ladybird.
Nomada marshamella,  Marsham's Nomad Bee
Dark-edged Bee-fly
Lots of these little critters about at the moment but keep your eyes open for the Dotted Bee-fly.
This replaces the dark edge on the wing with you guessed it, paler dots.


Robin Gossage 

During the excessively wet weather early on this year my small pond expanded exponentially. A Heron visited one day and regurgitated a small carp into my pond.

Several weeks later whilst looking out over the pond having my morning coffee I noticed this unbelievable site!


..............Or is it just a fishy tail ?

Aerial dog fight over the garden.






one plucky crow!

Bob Gill

Harlequin Ladybird







Carrion Crow

Jay



Long-tailed Titmouse

Cream-spot Ladybird
Blackcap




Andy Astill
















Another lovely shot of your Bank Vole Andy. He's so cute I think some one should name him.

Any suggestions ? ? let me know.

Close up of a Butterfly wing.

Andy Astill.

Phillip Davies

Box Bug

Box Bug 
Really good find Phil, quite an unusual and rare bug in the county and surrounding areas.
Just goes to prove what can turn up in your garden !


Large house spider Phil Davies.

Most of the spiders are quite difficult to I D, I'm going for Tegenaria gigantic. Please let me know
if you have an alternative.



Bob Gill

Waved Umber

Rosemary Leaf Beetle
A little stunner of a beetle.


Andy Astill

BankVole
Bank Vole

Super, Thanks for these Andy.
Clive Bowley


Possibly Eristalis nemorum. Clive Bowley
Having no bovver with the hover then Clive.


Bob Gill

Green-veined White.


Forget-me-not Shieldbug.   You Gripper.

The Mullein.   Bob Gill.

Tephritis neesili. 
Oh look it's waving at you.

Robin Gossage

Lily Beetle 

Frederic the Frog
Young Smooth Newt

David Arden

David was lucky enough to have a female Black Redstart in his garden for a couple of days. Lovely birds to see anywhere, but something special when it is in your own garden.





Stuart Mundy

Stock Doves are becoming more regular as garden visitors. Stuart grab a great photo of this visitor to his garden. Let us know if you see Stock Doves in your garden.



John Showers

Treecreeper


Bob Gill
Common Flower Bug Anthocoris nemorum

Comma
Lygus pratensis Capsid Bug.
Cereal Leaf Beetle.



The very smart Corizus hyoscyami,   Rhopalid Bug

Bruchus rufimanus Leaf Beetle

Common Toad
Green Shieldbug


John Showers

Goldfinch

Small White

Dark-edged Beefly
Clive Bowley




Woodlouse spider, six eyes and large fangs (chelicerae). Nice one Clive.


Bob Gill


Hairy-footed Flower Bee
and in flight.
Appearing early in the year until about May. Note legs, nearly as hairy as Bob's.


Hebrew Character, Bob Gill.

7-spot Ladybird, Bob Gill.
Some shots from Andy Astill. Dark-edged Bee-fly.




Bee-fly
Bee-fly
Bee-fly
and for those that like their macro a little extreme,




Chalcid Wasp (about 4mm) Andy Astill
Eye of the Fly, Andy Astill
Ant head Andy Astill

A 3mm Grass fly sp. Stacked image. Andy Astill.

Stunning Stuff !


2019  (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE).





Purple Emperor.  Tim Newton.
Fox.  Del boy.
Green Shieldbug nymph.   Andy Astill


Agelena labyrinthica with prey. Andy Astill.



Silver-wash fritillary. RDG.
Jumping spider.
Marpissa muscosa. RDG.
Long -horned Beetle.
Rutpela maculata Phil Davies (PD)
Probably Empis tessallata.  P D.
Blimey, what a feat making love with the wife scoffing a bug, all the time hanging  by two limb's.
Below, a favourite family of Flies for me, The Robber's, notice the white facial hairs.

Leptogaster cylindrica. PD.
Wasp beetle (Longhorn)  PD.

more images from Phil Davies.
Dark-edged Bee-fly.

Both Male, below and female, right, Tawny Mining Bee.



Appearing early in the year, with the gorgeous female sporting an orange abdomen and a red thorax.
The male, being smaller and quite dissimilar.

Many thanks for these images Phil.




Some cracking Fungi from Phil Davies,

Phallus impudicus,         Phil Davis
Stinkhorn,      Phallus impudicus

 wonderful stuff Phil.

Yellow Stagshorn     Phil Davis.
Fungi sp  Phil Davis.

Thank you Phil.

2018,

A nice change to have a couple of Mammals, firstly a Badger visiting Dave Jacksons garden. Lucky so and so !

Barry Brock. Dave Jackson.
Secondly a bright eyed and bushy tailed young Fox

Red Fox.  Robin Gossage.

A newcomer to digital photography Timmy "Carabid" Newton sent a couple of shots to share, taken on his new camera.
Probably imm Common Blue Damselfly. Tim Newton.
Devils Coach Horse, fabulous name and fabulous image Tim.


Keep them coming Tim.


A treat now for all you moth'ers out there, Stuart Mundy using pheromones catching some cracking Clearwings and others beside .
Orange Tailed Clearwing from near Bucknell wood Stuart Mundy.

Currant Clearwing Stuart Mundy

Raspberry Clearwing Stuart Mundy.
Red Belted Clearwing Stuart Mundy.

Red Tipped Clearwing Stuart Mundy
Yellow-legged Clearwing Stuart Mundy

Male Emperor Kingsthorpe allotments  Stuart Mundy

Emperor in flight Stuart Mundy.
Wow Stuart, some rarely seen  moths thanks for sharing.





From David Arden, some shots I would have loved to have taken. Grass Snake taken in David's pond.

Well hello szzzzz


Just taking a snifter 


Grass Snake David Arden.
Thanks for these David.



Nice to see some young Common Lizards lounging around.

Common Lizard   RDG.
Within a split second this Hornet veered, caught this unfortunate fly took it to ground and started to dismember it
It really is a dangerous insect world.
Hornet and prey.   RDG.

.
Trichrysis cyanea a beautiful small metallic green  cuckoo wasp, from Phil Davies
A Jewel of a Wasp


An uncommon Fungi, Mutinus caninas or Dog Stinkhorn.
A Dog Stinkhorn in its prime  RDG.

and sadly going over   RDG.


Although this species below wasn't found in the county, but just in Warwickshire its so good and close to Northants I thought it deserved to be shown.
It was caught and (sadly) pinned by Timmy, images from Bob Gill.
The Cimbex connatus (very similar to C luteus ) is a very large Cimbicid Sawfly a Hornet mimic, it is also very rare and harmless.
Add caption


Add caption
A couple of bits from Phil, I think the first image maybe of a Rove Beetle larva of some kind, but if you know different please let me know. the second image is a Broad Damsel-bug.

Phil Davies.
Broad Damselbug Phil Davies.


Thank-you Phil.

Some great stuff from Phil Davies including a rare ant like wasp.

 A stunning find, Black-headed Velvet Ant. Phil Davis. 

Black-headed Velvet Ant, a wingless wasp.. Phil Davis
Well found and captured mate, something I've never seen...


Grey Dagger Phil Davis.
Large Skipper Phil Davis.
Thanks for these Phil.

Several  Interesting and well taken shots from Bob Gill.

Voilet Black -legged Robberfly. Bob Gill
Don't you just luv a good Robber !

Yellow -legged Soldierfly Bob Gill
Not quite the brilliant colouration as some Soldiers, but a little cracker just the same !
Lovely image of this tiny fly.


Nomada Ruficornis, Fork-jawed Nomad Bee Bob Gill
Just look at those eyes...fabulous, nice shooting mate.


Chequered Click Beetle.   RDG.

Clytra quadripunctata. RDG.

From the depths of deep Spratton, thank-you David for reminding me what a brilliant reptile
this is.

Grass Snake David Arden
Some more captures from Phil Davis.

Five spotted Club-horned Wasp
This may be the male Phil as I can't make out the red band on the abdomen but needs to be
checked against the Club-horned wasp. Either way a good find you must be running a high
class hotel.


Five Spotted Club-horned Wasp

Good Stuff mate.



Umbellifer Longhorn Phytoecia cylindrica

Nomad Bee sp

Wasp sp    Ichneumon ?
Thanks Phil, the insects seem to be out with a bang now.

Some wasps are very tricky especially Ichneumons, any help with all IDs grateful, Robin.



 A Brilliant capture from Phil Davis,

Nomad Bee
Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria with dinner
Thanks Phil, nice shooting mate.

A couple of images from John Tilly, Stem (borer) Sawflies, these are rather slender bodied and
cylindrical with wasp-ish colouration.




Calameuta filiformis
Thanks for these John.


Acorn Nut-Weevil ...RDG




So the first images for 2018 supplied by Phillip Davis


Small soggy bee possibly Andrena sp
Fly sp

Birch Catkin Bug

Thanks for those Phil.


2017 images.

For those of you interested in moths Bob Gill has supplied a few recent images of some rather tasty
Micro Moths.

Rhyacionia panicolana
Argyrethia goedartella
Caloptilia Falchimiela
Acleris forsskaleana
Thanks for these Bob, some nice micro work.



A couple of interesting shot from Phil Davies, not sure what it is Phil, my guess is a Spider Hunter, your insect hotel is doing rather well.





A parasitic fly  Tachina fera about at the moment, its hosts being moth larvae .

Tachina fera Bob Gill
One of our arguably nicest Shieldbugs having head and scutellum being a lovely metallic coppery tone.

Woundwort Shieldbug Eysarcoris venustissimus

Some Ground-hoppers from Bob Gill, we have three Ground-Hoppers in Britain here are two photographed in Northants a 3rd Cepero's is not likely to occur here, but if anyone has an image of one please send it in.
These Hoppers  do not sing and are widely variable in colour tones.

Common Ground Hopper Tetrix undulata
Slender Ground Hopper Tetrix subulata

So as promised some more images from Bob Gill.

Leafhopper,  Cicadella viridis

Grey Dagger , moth caterpillar















Eared leaf hopper
Fly Bug Reduvius personatus











Hawthorn Shieldbug

Bronz Shieldbug



















Allygus mixtus Leafhopper
















Capsus ater,  Plant bug



















Terellia tussilaginis
















Thanks for those mate.


Some nice moth shots, from insectorist ( I made that up ) Bob Gill.    The Pine Beauty really lives up to it's name. Some more of Bobs shots soon.


Pine Beauty
Bordered Sallow


The spanking Burnished Brass



Coxcomb Prominent




















Buff Tip

Thanks Bob for this shot to complete the showing of the  Buff tip's life cycle. The camouflage of this moth really does look like the broken tip of a twig.


From Clive Bowley, The Buff Tip moth caterpillars and a wonderful close up of their eggs.
pupation takes place in autumn in soil, the moths emerge in May.
Clive Bowley

Phalera bucephala





















Anyone have an image of the moth ??
please share.









Two of our largest Hoverflies, Great Pied and Hornet, by Phil Davies.
Volucella pellucens
Volucella zonaria































An interesting Nomad Bee sp, from Phil Davies.



Day flying moth, Mother of Pearl,  Clive Bowley

Pleuroptya rural
Marbled White, refreshingly becoming more familiar these days and Six-sot Burnet on Devils bit Scabious from David Arden.

David Arden
David Arden.
A couple of shots from David's garden pond.
A female Great Diving Beetle, coming up for a breather.
The ribbing is for the male to gain purchase during courtship.
Grass Snake David Arden.

     
     Below stunning Parasitic fly, from Salcey Forest.

Phasia hemiptera  Robin Gossage.

A couple of images from Mark Williams from his garden.

This is a Thick Headed Fly one of only 2 species of 'Sicus' in Britain, using their doubled up
under-carriage to place an egg onto a bumble bee whilst in flight.

Sicus furrugineus

Sicus furrugineus Mark Wlliams
A good find Mark, thank-you for sharing.


A female, Broad bodied chaser, image from Phil Davies. Thanks for sharing Phil.




Out and about at the moment on an umbellifer near you, Strangalia maculata a Longhorn beetle.

Black and yellow longhorn Clive Bowley.
Notch Horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis,  nothing to do with last of the summer wine
Feeling the bite, Clive Bowley bravely persevered the biting to get this shot.

As they say no pain, no gain, did it hurt much Clive?


Two Variable Longhorns doing what comes
naturally

Robin Gossage
Robin Gossage
A beautiful Click beetle Ampedus elongantulus

Araniella cucurbitina, a common and widespread spider but non the less a lovely arachnid from Phil Davies.



A widespread but very variable spider from Phil Davies, Nuctenea umbratica, sometimes called
Walnut Orb Weaver but I like the name Toad spider.




Probably our tiniest mammal, the cute Harvest mouse, from Martin Swannell. Taken in his back garden! Thanks for that Martin.

Young Harvest Mouse.

A super cool bee from Dave Jackson taken at  Clifford Hill.

Sharp Tailed Mining Bee Coeloixys conoidea

A couple of nice images from Phil Davies, of possibly Ashy Mining Bee, being taken from Phil's
insect hotel. Thanks for sharing Phil. (any bee experts out there?)




Phil Davies

Grey Squirrel Phil Davies.

Some great insect shots from Clive Bowley, I particularly like the kissing picture winged flies.

Nursery web spider
Rosemary beetle

St Marks fly



I said no tongues.  Picture Winged Flies.

Sphecodes Bee   Sphecodes ephippius ?






HARE RAISING shots, Jacob Spinks. Pitsford.






PURPLE EMPEROR   Fermyn Wood. David Arden.
















                   














OTTER Ravensthorpe Res. David Arden.










No comments:

Post a Comment