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Insects (assorted) Page 16

Image Taken on 28 Jun 2013 at 15:03    Image of day on 11 Aug 2013

Robins are breeding all over the plot - we haven't looked for the nests but see all the activity we expect.
Any volunteers to be a little green grub - the favourite pick by the parents to feed to the nestlings.


Ref: 20130811_d5c_20130628_1503_034_fb2 robin on log with caterpillar in beak(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 04 May 2015 at 09:44    Image of day on 27 Jun 2015

The posts supporting about 100 Lombardy Poplars along the farm road are starting to get used by the wildlife. We caught this robin stopping off for a moment presumably on his way back to the nest. Talk about 'overloaded'.


Ref: 20150627_df3_20150504_0944_009 robin on tree stake with 3 different caterpillars held by beak (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 24 Apr 2006 at 06:24    Image of day on 29 Apr 2006

Looks like these robins have a family to feed. A small caterpillar we guess is destined for a small beak. This was one of a number of visits.


Ref: 20060429_d3e_20060424_0624_066 fb1 robin with caterpillar(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 04 May 2015 at 17:41    Image of day on 27 Jun 2015

A Robin with a caterpillar in the beak. We are seeing Robins all round the site collecting insects & grubs.
Youngsters to feed already we think.


Ref: 20150627_e62_20150504_1741_017_fb5 robin with caterpillar in beak(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Aug 2013 at 11:07    Image of day on 19 Oct 2013

Neither of our aging ears can hear the chirp of crickets anymore, but we spotted this female Roesel's Bush Cricket low on the ground looking wonderful in the sunlight. The antennae are at least as long as the body of the insect and would probably have carried on out of this crop if not hidden by foliage.


Ref: 20131019_df1_20130823_1107_084 roesels bush cricket female in meadow grasses (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 15 Jul 2021 at 16:03    Image of day on 25 Aug 2021

A Roesel's Bush Cricket we found on a garden bench Note the very long antennae sported by Crickets - Grasshoppers sport much shorter antennae.


Ref: 20210825_d73_20210715_1603_005 roesels bush cricket of garden bench (orig)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Oct 2008 at 11:04    Image of day on 22 Oct 2008

In some long grass we came across this cricket, body about 2cm long. One of our e-mail recipients suggests that is a Roesel's Bush-Cricket (Metrioptera roeselii) which seems to be correct and is a new sighting this year for this area.


Ref: 20081022_da1_20081010_1104_020 roesels bush-cricket (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Sep 2014 at 15:48    Image of day on 20 Nov 2014

We put the insect in the longer grass, and then struggled to get a good image! One antenna goes up and left, the other is bent down to the right.


Ref: 20141120_df2_20140910_1548_090 roesels bush-cricket in rough grass (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Sep 2014 at 15:49    Image of day on 20 Nov 2014

To our horror it then leapt off towards the pond, and jumped right in. We grabbed a hat to scoop it out, but it was managing perfectly fine on the dense weed, so we left it in peace.


Ref: 20141120_df2_20140910_1549_092 roesels bush-cricket on pond weeds (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Sep 2014 at 15:47    Image of day on 20 Nov 2014

We picked up this Cricket on a path before it got trodden on, and photographed it 'in the hand' - for scale this is the base of an adult's thumb. The Antenna rising upwards continues for about another frame height - we didn't want to lose the detail of the insects body by shrinking it.


Ref: 20141120_df2_20140910_1547_074 roesels bush-cricket on thumb joint (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 11 Apr 2022 at 10:02    Image of day on 12 May 2022

Next day a trail cam catches this Rook picking up a long piece of Blackthorn twig way out of balance for the bird to fly with.
Elsewhere we watched how a Rook managed unbalanced loads. About 10 times a Rook picked up a long twig away from the balance point, drop it, and immediately pick it up again. About the tenth attempt found a reasonably central point and the Rook flew off with their prize. It would seem that Rooks can't estimate where the centre of balance is, and substitute persistence as a means of getting the job done!


Ref: 20220512_bu7_20220411_1002_005 rook picking up blackthorn twig but too unbalanced to fly yet(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Jun 2019 at 12:52    Image of day on 15 Aug 2019

The unexpected re-appearance of this 'antique' rose complete with a 'Marmalade' Hover-fly. Many modern roses are useless to the wildlife, but this old cultivar obviously has lots of goodies on offer.


Ref: 20190815_d72_20190630_1252_014 rose cultivar with marmalade hover-fly (crop 1)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Jun 2019 at 12:52    Image of day on 15 Aug 2019

Detail from the above ...


Ref: 20190815_d72_20190630_1252_014 rose cultivar with marmalade hover-fly (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 Jun 2017 at 17:48    Image of day on 16 Aug 2017

A Rose of Sharon flower with a Bee collecting the pollen.


Ref: 20170816_df3_20170625_1748_053 rose of sharon flower with bee(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Jun 2010 at 12:52    Image of day on 25 Jul 2010

A pretty medium sized beetle called a Rustic Sailor Beetle.


Ref: 20100725_db1_20100617_1252_039 rustic sailor beetle (cantharis rustica)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 24 May 2019 at 10:56    Image of day on 28 Jun 2019

A rather magnificent little Beetle on a folded over Iris leaf.


Ref: 20190628_df5_20190524_1056_064 rustic sailor beetle (cantharis rustica) on flag iris leaf(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 19 Jun 2011 at 10:21    Image of day on 02 Aug 2011

3 in one
Although this is a montage its real - 2 frames taken in a few seconds with different choice of focus combined to get them all sharp.


Ref: 20110802_df1_20110619_1021_243+249 rustic sailor beetle (q) + 7 spot ladybird + bumble bee on same thistle (montage for focus)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 29 May 2022 at 09:31    Image of day on 11 Jul 2022

A female Scorpion Fly - so no 'scorpion' tail.


Ref: 20220711_df3_20220529_0931_035 scorpion fly female(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 18 Aug 2021 at 16:15    Image of day on 02 Oct 2021

This years appearance of Scorpion Flies has started. This is a female - who doesn't have the 'Scorpion like' tail that gives the species it's name.


Ref: 20211002_d73_20210818_1615_235 scorpion fly female(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 17 Jun 2010 at 12:58    Image of day on 25 Jul 2010

Female scorpion fly, which doesn't have the curled up tail of the male. There are a pair of pics in flight in the Archive for 8 June 2009 about 2/3 down.


Ref: 20100725_db1_20100617_1258_069 scorpion fly female(r+mb id@576).jpg


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