18th May 2024
An enjoyable visit to the nature reserve at Dickleburgh Moor with the Norfolk Fungus Study Group, seeing a good mixture of insects and fungi. Invertebrate highlights included the hoverfly Chrysotoxum cautum, the weevil Dorytomus hirtipennis and a psyllid new to Norfolk, Aphalara maculipennis, whilst in terms of fungi the rust Puccinia conii on Hemlock and Woolly Woodwart were both new for me.
27th May 2023
Brachyopa is an interesting genus of small hoverflies that at first glance look more like fruit flies than hoverflies. They are often found around sap runs on tree trunks rather than visiting flowers. They can also be tricky to separate, with ID based on a combination of scutellum colour and the presence/absence/shape of a small pit on the first antennal segment. Earlier in the month Vanna Bartlett had noticed several Brachyopa visiting a tree in Earlham Cemetery and managed to confirm that they were Brachyopa insensilis. Having only ever seen one Brachyopa before (and not confirmed that to species), I gratefully accepted directions and spent some time near the tree in question. During my stay I saw two individuals coming and going, completely non-plussed about my presence.
Late August 2022
An hour spent at Buxton Heath is seldom wasted. I spent a bit of time watching ants running up Oak trunks in the hope of seeing a rare aphid, Stompaphis quercus, but had no luck (I did find a couple of bugs though). As the hot weather had parched the heath I then headed to the mire, where the course of the stream was very obvious!
I managed to find some interesting bits and pieces. I was probably most happy with a Didea fasciata hoverfly, a fairly common species but one I'd not seen before, along with a Helophanus spider. There are two similar species, but I have a soft spot for the Salticidae (jumping spiders) and had wanted to see one of these tiny yellow palped species for a while. I found it completely by chance whilst checking heather for Heather Ladybird, a long-term target that I once again failed to find.
Other finds included a Wasp Spider (now common in Norfolk but I'd not seen one at Buxton before), Buff Birch Case-bearer (Coleophora milvipennis), Wood Grass-veneer (Crambus silvella) and a gall on Fen Bedstraw caused by Dasineura galiicola.
Mid August 2022
A brief visit to Thorpe Marshes began with an interesting gall on Walnut. As well as the usual blister galls caused by Aceria erinea I noticed some small pimple galls caused by Aceria tristriata. There are no records of this latter species on the county database or in the two books about Norfolk galls, although I found out that it has been seen before in Norfolk - I've written a bit about this for the next NNNS "Natterjack".
Looking into one of the pathside ditches I noticed a Water Scorpion. On closer inspection it had just caught a Pond Skater, which I manged to get good enough pictures of to confirm as Gerris lacustris. There were two particular highlights of the visit, firstly a new sawfly for me, Tenthredo omissa (previously recorded here by Vanna Bartlett). The second was Tasteless Water Pepper, Persicaria mitis. I had seen water pepper here before, but something about it looked a bit different to usual, and as it didn't taste peppery I checked a bit with Jo Parmenter, who was able to confirm it was the much scarcer alternative species. Two Dasysyrphus tricinctus hoverflies were also of note - I have seen this species before, but only at this site.
Mid August 2022
A few years ago the scarce hoverfly Sericomyia superbiens was discovered at a small nature reserve in central Norfolk. This summer I finally got round to going to see if it was still present, bringing Jeremy, Vanna and Ian along to help look. Initial signs weren't too promising as the site looked quite dry and the target species apparently preferred wet areas with lots of Devil's-bit Scabious, however further along there were some damper bits. Ian found some of the scabious with white anthers infected by Devil's Bit Scabious Anther Smut (Microbotryum succisae), which was a new species for me. After a bit of searching I managed to find two Sericomyia superbiens, one of which hung around long enough for some photos.
After lunch we explored a bit more of the site and a nearby footpath. Vanna noticed a bolete growing along an old bank, which turned out to be the first Norfolk record of Boletus rhodoxanthus. Another new species for me, also found by Vanna, was the small conopid fly Thecophora atra.
Other interesting sightings included Pale Tussock Moth caterpillar, Mint Leaf Beetle, Yellow Pimpernel and Hazel Leaf Roller Weevil.
Late June 2022
Towards the back end of the month Vanna Bartlett found a rare hoverly, Mallota cimbiciformis, around a rot hole in a tree in Earlham Cemetery, probably only the third Norfolk record. As it was a male there was a strong possibility it would be 'guarding' the rot hole, and this turned out to be the case as Vanna went back and saw it there the next day as well. I visited a couple of times, seeing nothing on the first occasion in windy conditions, but getting brief views the second time as it flew in, inspected the rot hole before disappearing up towards the canopy.
Whilst standing waiting near the chosen poplar tree I noticed a couple of leaf mines of the nationally scarce Winter Poplar Midget, Phyllonorycter comparella. This was only the second VC27 record (see https://www.norfolkmoths.co.uk/micros.php?bf=3650). Across the other side of the cemetery I found a tree with a large number of mines, so I took one home to rear through, and a few weeks later was pleased to see an adult moth had emerged.
Late May 2022
A family visit to Hickling Broad, and despite several squally showers we managed to see two Swallowtails, the latter of which flew through the garden near the visitors centre. My elder daughter enjoyed looking for caterpillars as we went round, with over 20 Garden Tiger and 12 Drinker moth caterpillars found. It was also a good day for Black Colonel soldierflies, whilst new species included Creeping Thistle rust (Puccinia punctiformis) which was abundant on thistles along the long track to Whiteslea Lodge, a case-bearer on willow Coleophora lusciniaepenella, a mating pair of Platychierus fulviventris hoverflies and the psyllid Chamaepsylla hartigi on birch.
.JPG)
Late August 2021
Having been thinking of places to go for walks, we decided to try the Beowulf and Grendel trail at West Stow Country Park. This wasn't quite as well signposted at various points as most trails are, but was enjoyable and I do like a good dragon.
The lush vegetation alongside the river was particularly productive for insects, with one section in particular hosting Net-winged Beetle (Platycis minutus), Tree Damselbug, Xylota sylvarum and Xylota segnis.
