C is for craneflies

08 Wednesday Dec 2021

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British craneflies, cranefly, Tipula oleracea, Tipula species

The cranefly family of insects is another I have often overlooked as I mostly see the same species in my local areas. But, with some more thorough investigation of different habitats, I think I should be able to expand my list.

211208 cranefly

I thought craneflies would long since have disappeared so this little beauty, possibly Tipula oleracea, was a surprise find during last Saturday’s (4 December) walk. But, as a spokesperson for the Cranefly Recording Scheme kindly explained: ‘Potentially you can see Craneflies during any month of the year. Last Christmas I was doing the washing up and one flew by the window. Climate change has extended and altered the seasons for these flies.’ So, do please let me know if you too have a cranefly Christmas!

B is for Brimstone

07 Tuesday Dec 2021

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Brimstone, Brimstone butterfly, Brimstone caterpillars, Brimstone eggs, British butterflies, butterfly

Of course, my end-of-year countdown has to include butterflies. Today it’s the Brimstone – there may be others.

211207 brimstone

I was thrilled this year to discover more about the life cycle of this exquisite butterfly. In May, after watching a female laying on the leaves of Buckthorn saplings, I found my first Brimstone eggs and, after that, knowing what Buckthorn looked like, found many more and, of course, lots of lovely caterpillars in various stages of development. I’ve yet to find a chrysalis though – maybe next year.

A is for aphids

06 Monday Dec 2021

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aphids, aphids on salix species, British aphids, Giant willow aphid, Tuberolachnus salignus

This year I thought I’d finish 2021 with something different, an A-to-Z 26-day countdown to the end of the year. So, first up, A is for aphids, a family I intend to look closer at in the coming year. Many species look very similar to each other and so are hard to identify, like these.

But there are other species that are specific to particular plants, like the one shown below. Though my finds haven’t yet been confirmed, from their relatively large size, the fact that I’ve found them twice now on Grey willow, and their markings and the distinctive horny bumps on their rear ends, I’m fairly sure these are Giant willow aphids (Tuberolachnus salignus).

211206 aphids (4)

Leafmines: Stigmella microtheriella

29 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects, leaves, trees

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British leafminers, Hornbeam, leaf-mining moths, leafmines on Hornbeam, leafmining moth larvae, Stigmella microtheriella

Hornbeam is a tree that’s somehow escaped my attention but, at this time of year, when its leaves turn gorgeous and vibrant shades of yellow, I can’t help but notice how widespread it is and, while admiring its autumn colour, I’ve also spotted some leafmines on its leaves.

211129 Stigmella microtheriella (1)

Reading the mine description on the British Leafminers website, I thought I had found Stigmella microtheriella (egg laid, so mine starting, on or near a vein but not in the axil) but, as there was potential confusion with another moth, Stigmella floslactella, I checked with the experts. Rob, one of those behind the British Leafminers website, kindly confirmed that my identification was correct and also commented that ‘Although S floslactella is said to mine Hornbeam I don’t know anyone who has found it on that host. It’s a very doubtful record.’ Now I – and you, if you see mines like these – can record them as Stigmella microtheriella with confidence!

Oozing brackets

26 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in fungi, insects

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Alder bracket, bracket fungi, British fungi, Fungus gnat larvae, Inonotus radiatus

It was the weak sunlight filtering through the almost-leafless overhead branches that drew my eyes to these fungi, their droplets of oozing liquid glinting as the light fell on them.

211126 alder brackets (1)

These are Alder brackets, Inonotus radiatus, a common species which, as you might expect from the name, is most often found on dead and dying Alder trees, though it does also grow on other species of hardwood trees.

211126 alder brackets (2)

According to the First Nature website, ‘Inonotus, the genus name of the Alder Bracket fungus, comes from ino– a prefix meaning fibrous, and ot which means an ear; the ending –us merely turns it into the form of a Latinised noun. The specific name radiatus comes from the Latin radi– meaning a ray, spoke or plate, and it is probably a reference to the radial wrinkles that are often evident on the upper surfaces of mature Alder Brackets.’

211126 alder brackets (3)

As you can see from my last photograph, these particular brackets were also home to several tiny larvae, perhaps of fungus gnats, though I can’t be sure of that.

211126 alder brackets (4)

A Barkfly

24 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in insects

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Barkfly, British barkflies, British insects, Valenzuela flavidus

Looking for leafmines has had all sorts of spin-off benefits this year, as I’ve learned to recognise more tree species and encountered creatures I’ve never seen before. This little creature is a prime example: it has been confirmed as the Barkfly species Valenzuela flavidus.

211124 Valenzuela flavidus Barkfly (1)

Perhaps due to their tiny size (this one’s c.3mm), Barkflies are much under-recorded – I’d never even heard of them – but, as the Barkfly Recording Scheme website notes ‘The lack of recording ensures that even casual recorders of the group have a good chance of making significant finds. Wherever you live you are likely to turn up species previously unrecorded in the area and may even find species new to Britain.’ Seven new species of Barkfly have been discovered in just the past 10 years. So, that’s another insect group to keep a look out for.

211124 Valenzuela flavidus Barkfly (2)

Leafmines: Bucculatrix thoracella

22 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in insects, leaves, plants

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British leafminers, Bucculatrix thoracella, leaf-mining moth, leaf-mining moth larvae, leafmines on lime

I found these mines on Lime leaves a few weeks ago but they will still be visible on the yellowing leaves, just not occupied any more. The tiny white tick shape is distinctive, making it easy to identify these as the mines of the little brown and yellow moth Bucculatrix thoracella.

After the ‘tick’ has been formed, the moth larvae graze beneath the leaves, creating small bare areas known as feeding windows. When they moult, the larvae retreat to cocoons – one of the leafmining experts calls them ‘cocoonets’ (shown below), but their final cocoons can be found either in the leaf litter below the tree or on the Lime’s trunk. I’ve yet to find one of those.

A bonus butterfly

18 Thursday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in autumn, insects

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autumn butterfly, British butterflies, butterfly, Red Admiral

During yesterday’s meandering walk around north Cardiff, surveying for one particular leaf-mining moth, I almost stepped in front of an oncoming car, such was my delight at seeing this butterfly flutter up from the pavement in front of me and head across the road. Fortunately, it was a quiet no-exit road, the car driver was going very slowly, and kindly waved me across in front of him. Fortunately, too, the butterfly, this glorious Red admiral, had settled on the roadside hedge opposite so I was able to enjoy watching it enjoy the autumn sunshine.

211118 red admiral

Doomed

16 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in insects

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British hoverflies, Epistrophe grossulariae larva, hoverfly larva, parasitic wasp, wasp parasitising hoverfly larva

During Sunday morning’s meander around Cosmeston, I watched this little drama play out on a fence post: the larva of one of the Syrphus* species of hoverfly was being injected with eggs by a parasitic wasp. The poor larva was bucking about, desperately trying to get rid of the intruder, but to no avail. The wasp’s ovipositor was firmly wedged into the hoverfly larva, pumping eggs into its body. The larva will be eaten from the inside by the wasp’s larvae when they hatch.

*My ID was wrong. When I recorded this find, I got the following message from national recorder Geoffrey Wilkinson: ‘This is a small 3rd-stage Epistrophe grossulariae – the rear breathing tube is longer than broad and is two-toned in colour (brown tipped, clear base). Although the colour pattern has yet to fully develop you can just see the fish-bone pattern of green and make out the black dorsal dashes.’

Leafmines: Scrobipalpa acuminatella

15 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in insects, leaves, plants

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British leaf mines, leaf-mining larvae, leaf-mining moth larvae, moth larvae, moth larvae in leaf mines, moth larvae on thistles, Scrobipalpa acuminatella

This week’s mines can be found on thistles, on species of both Cirsium and Carduus – in my case, the plant is Creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense).

211115 Scrobipalpa acuminatella (1)

These mines have been made by the larvae of the moth Scrobipalpa acuminatella, the adult of which can be seen on the UK Moths website. As the website points out, these moths have two generations each year, so we get two chances to see the mines.

211115 Scrobipalpa acuminatella (2)

These moth larvae make their home in the midribs of thistle leaves, venturing out to eat during the night and making blotches as they do, then returning to the midrib to shelter during the daytime.

211115 Scrobipalpa acuminatella (3)