Insect of the Day

Pete Collins · #**751** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 02:22 PM

I thought it was a little late for butterflies, but I saw a nice Brimstone yesterday. It was at Parslow's Hillock, on the edge of the Chilterns near Princes Risborough.

aeshna5 · #**752** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 05:37 PM

Nice to see an Adonis Ladybird today as well as the more regular 7-spot + Harlequins.

Jason Claxton · #**753** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 05:53 PM

I saw 3 Scarce 7-spots today,but loads of Harlequins also.Adonis is a nice nb ,Aeshna,in Southampton we are seeing more of them than 11-spot,another low dwelling species,you'd might expect to find with the Adonis.The 11-spot being less seen by me around here for some reason.Cheers Jason.

aeshna5 · #**754** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

I saw 3 Scarce 7-spots today,but loads of Harlequins also.Adonis is a nice nb ,Aeshna,in Southampton we are seeing more of them than 11-spot,another low dwelling species,you'd might expect to find with the Adonis.The 11-spot being less seen by me around here for some reason.Cheers Jason.

Have seen a lot of Adonis this year around London. 11-spot I don't see.

Jason Green · #**755** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 09:14 PM

- where's the Adonis, Aesh?

Jason Claxton · #**756** (**permalink**) 27-10-2009, 09:45 PM

Um although I dont know where the Adonis LB are in London,Jason,I can give you a few pointers as to finding them.Pick a nice sunny day, crouch and stare at bare waste ground or gravelly areas ,even lightly used gravel car parks! sometimes.Look directly at the ground.You may also get a Scymnus frontalis micro LB or an 11-spot this way.

Also think of the bare terrain around gravel extraction sites .Good luck.Jason

Jason Claxton · #**757** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 09:41 AM

Its the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird , Coccinella magnifica ,for me today.

Jason Green · #**758** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Its the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird , Coccinella magnifica ,for me today.

Excellent find there, Jason.

Jason Claxton · #**759** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:30 AM

Oh P.S I did flip it over,and did indeed see the additional pair of white spots near the base of the hind legs.The central spot being much larger than the side spot below ,is still a useful feature,but all need to be determined by looking at the underside of them.

Jason Green · #**760** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:33 AM

Agreed. I found a few 7Ss with large spots in the said place with the tiny shoulder ones too - but alas lacked the additional markings below

Do you have a photo of the underside?

Jason Claxton · #**761** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Excellent find there, Jason.

Thanks Jason ,I did try to photograph it on its back,but it didn't like it for some reason,and flew off,any luck with the Adonis, Jason?

Jason Green · #**762** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:37 AM

No, not yet. The weather should improve for tomorrow, so maybe then...

Jason Claxton · #**763** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Agreed. I found a few 7Ss with large spots in the said place with the tiny shoulder ones too - but alas lacked the additional markings below

Do you have a photo of the underside?

I will try and find another though,and photograph the underside for WAB.Cheers Jason

Jason Claxton · #**764** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

No, not yet. The weather should improve for tomorrow, so maybe then...

Adonis is most likely dropping off now,the sun will be more important than ever ,they are past their peak I think,but its still worth looking,Good luck

Jason Claxton · #**765** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Agreed. I found a few 7Ss with large spots in the said place with the tiny shoulder ones too - but alas lacked the additional markings below

Do you have a photo of the underside?

Here is a record shot of the underneath of the Scarce 7-spot Ladybird,I cannot get them to stay still for a photo on their backs,but this picture should help Jason

Jason Green · #**766** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 05:00 PM

Thanks Jason, very helpful

JRsbugs · #**767** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 05:49 PM

Nice find Jason, I had one on Ivy for a long time on the same flower head. It lifted it's elytra quite often, maybe trying to soak up some warmth. I got a pic of the underneath on one side too as it was quite high and visible.

I checked my pics, the first I took was on the 16th October, last on 28th! It moved after that, I was beginning to think it was parasitised but couldn't see anything.

Janet

Jason Claxton · #**768** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 06:09 PM

I went for a while without seeing any Janet,but I am now finding a fair few more on Gorse ,where they stand out easily ,a bit prickly though.I found one in January, a few years back ,tucked up on a Douglas Fir near to some Pine Ladybirds,also my first ever was on a Monterey Pine.They seem to be rousing quickly at the moment ,so I might do a bit better photo-wise when it gets colder,that my excuse anyhow

.How did your pics come out Janet?

JRsbugs · #**769** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 06:21 PM

My pics came out well Jason, I'll upload some (before I work on the 202 pics I took today!

). I had to collect them from different folders, can't keep up with them!

I'm sure I got pics of more earlier, I even tipped one which crawled out of my grapes upside down as it looked very rounded and very red with big spots. I took pics of that but couldn't see the extra white spots, however it had it's legs down and I wasn't sure where to find the white marks. The one on the ivy had the white behind the leg.

A few years ago I wasn't even aware of the Scarce 7-spot, I imagine they have been around for a while!

Jason Claxton · #**770** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 06:29 PM

Yes I have seen them active in March as well.Yes I know what its like with photos ,before you know it you've got loads of 1Gb or more sized files.Are you near somewhere near Wood ants then?

JRsbugs · #**771** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

Yes I have seen them active in March as well.Yes I know what its like with photos ,before you know it you've got loads of 1Gb or more sized files.Are you near somewhere near Wood ants then?

Tell me about it, lol, since Windows Live took over my Pictures, around March to April I think, I edit and keep all the pics in the Picture Project (Nikon) folder within the Pictures that is now Windows Live, if you know what I mean (PP stopped working)! I can tally that as there is a total when I go to the WL Photo Gallery which is separate, it gives in Picture Project folder 13,334 pics and that's what I have kept after editing and deleting without todays lot! In less than 8 months, lol!

Forgot to say, I haven't seen wood ants yet.

Jason Claxton · #**772** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 07:10 PM

It would be a better record than mine then.As the majority are found near Southern Wood ants near me.I'm guessing that you know the area around you very well and that you haven't overlooked any Wood ants.The Ladybirds of Surrey by Roger D.Hawkins has just one record of C.magnifica away from Formica rufa ,here it was seen with the aphids tended by Formica sanguinea,I must admit that I do not know much about which species of ants are present near you.I do agree that from the pattern of the spots underneath that it is a Scarce 7-spot though,interesting indeed Janet

JRsbugs · #**773** (**permalink**) 03-11-2009, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Claxton

It would be a better record than mine then.As the majority are found near Southern Wood ants near me.I'm guessing that you know the area around you very well and that you haven't overlooked any Wood ants.The Ladybirds of Surrey by Roger D.Hawkins has just one record of C.magnifica away from Formica rufa ,here it was seen with the aphids tended by Formica sanguinea,I must admit that I do not know much about which species of ants are present near you.I do agree that from the pattern of the spots underneath that it is a Scarce 7-spot though,interesting indeed Janet

I think I would recognise wood ants if I saw them Jason, I don't go rummaging in the woods around me but I have just about everything come to my garden anyway. I think I have 5 different species of ants, not easy to give a name to them but Lasius niger I know I have, a yellow ant I found in the grass when digging the pond which could be Lasius flavus, and a small reddish one which looked different to L. niger. There's a big one I think is Formica fusca. Then I have an unusual orange one which runs around the pond and likes to eat other ants (I have pics of one carrying a damaged one!), another similar I got pics of which has a paler pattern on the abdomen.

Maybe I should put them on a thread sometime, no-one seems to be able to confirm the ID but I could put them on BWARS group which is where I had confirmation of L. niger, they have an ant expert.

Jason Claxton · #**774** (**permalink**) 04-11-2009, 08:41 AM

That is where my bravery ends with ants,Janet.I've only just started looking at them myself .BWARS may be your best bet then with these for a reliable I.d.So you definitely havent seen any 1/2m high writhing mounds of angry Southern wood ants then.There is a record on the NBN map ,which I think is near to you of Formica rufa though.Cheers Jason

JRsbugs · #**775** (**permalink**) 04-11-2009, 11:52 AM

Definitely not seen anything that big, lol! I checked the record, it isn't a millioin miles away and Lincolnshire is generally devoid of insects so well done whoever got the record!

I'm south of Lincoln and it's quite possible there's some in the woods around but I would probably be done for trespassing.

Actually, I know the location, the old malt kilns near Blyton, I used to live very close to there! Don't want the reminder though...

NBN Gateway - interactive species mapper

I think I have tracked down the orange ant to Myrmica scabrinodis, did some searching last night.