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25/Apr/25 - Week 16 of 52
The sun is being too compliant right now...
Maybe I won't get as many of the springtails I was hoping for until later in May, but the warmth has it perks too, get ready for plenty of bees and butterflies I suppose! This entry is quite a good one, with the first truly big walk of this year, get ready for more soon!
I am a little annoyed though as one of the events I had lined up, which would make for some nice content on here, is postponed. Won't get into it too much now in case I can still spin something from it later on, but stay tuned there.
Also, this song is incredible, this kind of release doesn't happen often, so glad we have kdot back again now.
Notable Observations
Total Observations: 147
Most numerous species: Small Copper (10 observations)
Individual Interesting Observations
Bugle (Ajuga reptans)
Tuesday (Apr 15th)
Funky little wildflower to start the week off! Apparently the name comes from its flowers, which are supposed to look like tiny bugles, but I don't see it...
Lonchoptera sp. larva
Thursday (Apr 17th)
Very odd little larva, one of my favourite things about flies is their very variable young. Mistook for a woodlouse at first, maybe one with some rather long eyelashes. And ass hairs. Now that I mention, I'm not exactly sure which end is head and which is rear.
Malmgren's Springtail (Sminthurides malmgreni)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
Though clearly despite the warmth, I'm still finding a few springtails! One of the tinier of the Symphypleona - that's the springtails which look the most rotund - but very cute!
Heath Bumble Bee (Bombus jonellus)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
One of the slightly nicer bumblebees! Still one of the more common species, but not one I see as much. Not to say any bumblebee isn't nice.
Melinopterus prodromus
Thursday (April 17th)
Scarab beetle, literally eating shit after a botched landing on some cow dung. Brill!
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Thursday (April 17th)
Swallows are back! This was one of 3 or 4 flying around, hopefully I'll see more of these, plus the martins, later in the year
Leptothorax acervorum
Thursday (April 17th)
Quite like how this photo of some ants transporting their larvae to safety after I rudely interrupt them turned out :)
Thursday (Apr 10th)
Rip to the snout mite and all, though somewhat of a skill issue, springtail gang clearly doesn't face the same perils, so graceful.
Small Copper Caterpillar (Lycaena phlaeas)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
Not the last you'll be seeing of this one!
Common Fox Spider (Alopecosa pulverulenta)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
Quite a tricky one to photograph, very fast moving! This specimen is especially striking, love tnhat black banding.
Common Green Grasshopper (Omocestus viridulus)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
First of the year for me! Well technically 2nd, but the first was about 5 minutes previously at the same site, so it counts.
Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
One of the prettiest mining bees! Though I'd argue not truly tawny, maybe the thorax is a little but the rest is just plain old orange to me.
Weasel (Mustela nivalis)Thursday (Apr 17th)
Yes!!! The 3rd mustelid I've ever seen, both in terms of species and actual examples. The first I saw was a Pine Marten up in Scotland, though this is far closer to home! Also, it's not a mink, so there's that. And the other was a badger, though I'm more excited about the other two TBH, no shade to the badgers.
Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
I often struggle to tell these from Chiffchaffs, though this one was clear as day based on some of the beautiful song it gave us
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Thursday (Apr 17th)
Told you it wasn't the last you'd see of this species! Very dainty little things, this one was remarkably still, gathered round to watch it for a good 6 or 7 minutes
Nomada sp.
Thursday (Apr 17th)
I've been trying to share one of these with you guys for a while now! They're just so difficult to capture. One of the most mistaken animals in the world I reckon, alongside a few hoverflies, because despite being bees I see so many people think they're wasps! They're often kleptoparasites of mining bees, so a good sign to see lots of them around, even if I can't photograph them...
Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Saturday (Apr 19th)
Comical
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)
Saturday (Apr 19th)
If I had the time, I'd absolutely love to stake out this peculiar little nest, filled with lichens, moss, and a surprising amount of grouse feathers. These nests make for some very cute moments!
Neanura muscorum
Saturday (Apr 19th)
And to close off, we have THE poduromorph springtail. The glub. The podger. Goddamn legend.
Breakdown
Goal Progress
All Spp. (368/1000) ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱
Bird Spp. (53/100) ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱
Did you guys do your homework? One week extension if you didn't. Go get some nerd stuff from me out in nature, and report back. Five species of isopod if you can, remember! To to see all my observations for this week logged on iNaturalist, click here.
To see all of my observations for the year to date, click here.
What did you see this week? Let me know in the comments!
Comments
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Erah Mar
Wow, what a notable week! Lots of new faces!
Very excited to see the adorable bees and that WEASEL!! ^///^
This week I haven't seen anything new to me, but my cats have discovered they can watch the birds that live in my backyard through the window, so they are enamoured. Honestly, I am, too. It's my office window, so I can sit at my desk and watch them, too (I can see one as I type!).
Can't wait for your next update! (Which considering how late I am, will probably be quite shortly.)
Chris
i am SO bad at keeping up with these!
the coolest insect i saw today was a Pidgeon :)
also i DID do my homework thank you very much.
i fw the small copper very much, i swear iv'e seen that butterfly on a dogs nose before...