Wednesday 17th June 2026, Wildegoose
Nursery, Lower Millichope
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| photo: Keith Fowler |
I was absent for this trip, on a jolly in the
Land Of The Giant Earwig (see previous post). The below narrative has been
stitched together from the reports of those present, with some paraphrasing thrown
in. Thanks and apologies in equal measure to reporters, photographers and
readers alike for my shortcomings in this task!
Now, read on…
It was cloudy when we arrived and stayed that
way for most of the morning. The sun broke through as we had lunch and the
afternoon was sunny and warm. This brought out the hoverflies that will be mentioned in more detail below. Some flowers were buzzing!A Cream-spot Ladybird came out of one of the
hedges.
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| photo: Keith Fowler |
A White Plume Moth came from a vac done near to
the larger waste area
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| photo: John Martin |
and a Painted Lady was hanging around the area
where we had lunch.
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| photo: John Martin |
An interesting find was the Milichiid fly Desmometopa
sordida. This species is often a commensal of crab spiders (Thomisus
and Misumena species), riding on the spiders and sucking their prey.
Image of head attached. These tiny 2mm flies are rather distinctive with deeply
scooped out faces and are not often recorded.
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| photo: Nigel Jones |
A large migration eruption of hoverflies was
much in evidence throughout the day with most flowers being attended by
numerous hoverflies, mainly of the species Syrphus ribesii, Eupeodes
luniger, E. corollae and the Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus
balteatus. There was also a second county record for Eristalis similis. Other
flies, of the non-hover persuasion included male and
female Hybomitra bimaculata and the deer fly Chrysops caecutiens.
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| Marmalade Fly photo: John Martin |
In less positive news, what seemed to be a rare migrant
hoverfly turned out not to be, whilst our Dipterist fired the potential best fly of
the day out of a poly tunnel with deft net skills while trying to obtain it!
Lunch was in one of the most splendid locations
JoW has experienced.
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| photo: Nigel Jones |
After lunch some members of the group set out
on an expedition to the far corner of the walled garden, where rough growth and
compost were rumoured to be present. In these rougher waste areas we felt free
to do what we normally do, that is to say, attack the vegetation with beating
sticks and sweep nets. Elsewhere, much restraint was exercised! Our
Archnologist produced a fine array of finds for the day and this seems to be a
suitable point to include some of them. Among them is evidence that the
sometimes quoted method of identifying wolf spiders by the colour of their
egg-sacs, is unreliable at best.  |
| Araniella curcurbitina (f). Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Araniella curcurbitana (m). Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Pardosa pullata with buff egg-sac. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Pardosa amentata with blue egg-sac. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Pardosa amentata with white egg-sac. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Neottiura bimaculata. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Philodromus cespitus. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Pholcus phalangioides. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Nursery Web Spider. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
A nearby corner, by a wooden hut, produced the
bug Liorhyssus hyalinus, which is likely to be first county record for
this species.
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| photo: Keith Fowler |
Here is a selection of other species which attracted the attention of the photographers. Firstly, a couple of what used to be known as Arctiid moth species, but are now Erebids. |
| Scarlet Tiger Moth. Photo: Caroline Uff |
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| Cinnabar Moth larva. Photo: Caroline Uff |
Followed by some shieldbugs and allies |
| Tortoise Bug. Photo: Caroline Uff |
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| Hairy Shieldbug. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Green Shieldbug nymph. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Dock Bug. Photo: Keith Fowler |
The licheners took to sleeping on the job, or "inspecting lichens on paving stones" as it is commonly referred to in the lichen
trade...
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| photo: Nigel Jones |
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| photo: Nigel Jones |
The vaccers were diligent…
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| Deraeocoris flavilinea. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Callitula pyrrhogaster. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| 10-spot Ladybird. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
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| Sitona hispidulus. Photo: Nigel Cane-Honeysett |
…but the rest of the group tended to just stare at the
flowers and ignore the little beasties. Net swinging was definitely gentle and
beating restricted to gentle persuasion!!
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| Wool Carder-bee. Photo: John Martin |
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| Swollen-thighed Beetle. Photo: Keith Fowler |
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| Beautiful Demoiselle (f): Photo: John Martin |
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| Blue-tailed Damselfly (m): Photo: Caroline Uff |
At the end of the day great restraint was
exercised by some individuals, who managed to escape from the premises having
purchased only a few plants each.
A low-key day for once in excellent
surroundings.
But what of the bling, I hear you ask! Well, a
fabulous Calliphorid fly was spotted in the café, and here is the evidence...
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| photo: Nigel Jones |
Photographs © as noted.
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