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Totteridge Fields this weekend - 22 August 2010 |
As instructed, I photographed your tree trunk bee-hive from the front and the wasps' nest (can email you larger versions of photos if you wish).
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Tree-trunk Honey Bee hive |
Carder bumble bees were working hard on brambles |
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The wasps' nest in the field |
The pile of small stones to the right: did the wasps excavate them and carry them out? And where has the displaced soil gone? I suspect it was a weasel's hole that the wasps took over? |
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They are Common Wasps (anchor on face) |
Taking advantage of all the blackberries |
There were also Ichneumon Wasps/Flies (3 types photographed). |
There were some 40-50 native 7-spot ladybirds and only 4 Harlequin in the 0.5-1 hour I was there. There was also a 14-spot and another FIRST RECORD for the Fields: an Adonis Ladybird around the new grasscrete scrub area. The new grasscrete has created a new habitat for several new flora and fauna.
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7 spot ladybird |
on blackberries |
The ladybirds were well-camouflaged among the blackberries |
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Harlequin ladybird |
14-spot ladybird |
Adonis ladybird |
There were an unusually large number of Dock (Leaf) Bugs, some 30-40 seen, especially on the dock leaves by the new grasscrete but also on brambles.
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Dock Leaf Bugs at all stages from early instar nymphs to later nymphs and adults |
Nymphs |
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Adult Dock Bug |
Pair of adults |
Nymph, 3rd or 4th instar |
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The youngsters like to play football |
Adult |
Nymphs |
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There was still a Small Copper but I didn't visit the two areas where the Common Blues were previously. Also some faded Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods.
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Small Copper Butterfly |
Meadow Brown Butterfly (female) |
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Speckled Wood Butterfly |
Dark Strawberry Tortrix Moth |
Crambid Grass Moth (there were still many -- different species) |
Various flies, including hoverflies, spiders and other wildlife braved the damp weather
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There were some bugs other than Dock Bugs |
Still several Field Grasshoppers |
Fly or Froghopper? |
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Flesh Fly |
Yellow fly (half a dozen of these near main gate) |
Fly with most unusual pointed, coloured lower abdomen |
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Hover Fly |
Hover Fly |
Tachinid Fly |
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Hover Fly |
Hover Fly |
Hover Fly |
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Hover Fly |
Soldier Beetle |
Leopard Slug |
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White-lipped Snail |
Oak Gall (Knopper Gall) -- several |
Thistle Gall -- several |
Also Green Woodpecker and evidence of rabbits. Didn't spend long in the Fields today (half to one hour) and didn't visit Hen Mead field or the lower part of Nutt Field.
Liz