Welcome

" Welcome to the florafaunauk site , hope you enjoy the pictures and posts giving a detailed insight into the Natural History of our Country throughout the seasons and year "All that the Sun Shines on is beautiful, so long as it is Wild" John Muir "



Saturday 9 November 2013

Do your Books Do This ?


Do your Books Do This ?





Helping our small birds over winter .

Blue Tit 4977


Robin 6173

Bringing Books To Wildlife..... Bringing Wildlife To  Life 

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Another Hopper Conomelus anceps


Conomelus anceps A common Plant Hopper on Rush this on is Brachyopterous partly winged   usually  Common species on Juncus and damp habit Adult June - November circa 4 mm


Conomelus anceps 22942

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.

Friday 4 October 2013

Farewell to the Mirids - Common Green Capsid - Lygocoris pabulinus

Farewell to the mirids at lleast for another year till temperatures get warmer again ( Adult June - October circa  5.5 - 7 mm ) Found on Nettles and other green herbage

Common Green Capsid 22787

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.



Monday 30 September 2013

A Crab Inland ? Crab Spider Xysticus cristatus

Crab Spider Xysticus cristatus

So called for its crab like movementThe position of the eyes allow this species of spider to see behind it !!

Xysticus cristatus 22924

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.


Wednesday 25 September 2013

Thick Headed Flies Conopidae - Conops quadrifasciatus


Thick Headed Fly Conops quadrifasciatus

Larvae are   parasites of Bumblebees

Long proboscis long pointed anal cell near the hind edge of the wing are features that characterise this family. Hind femora  are yellowish brown,

Conops quadrifasciatus 22318

Conops quadrifasciatus


National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.


Thursday 19 September 2013

View From The Grass - Harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis and Limonid Cranefly Rhipidia maculata



                                         Harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis     


Paroligolophus agrestis 22866


Limonid Cranefly Rhipidia maculata


Rhipidia maculata 22882

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.




A Frit Fly - Chlorops calceatus

The Chloropidae are a family of flies commonly known as frit flies or grass flies.  

Chlorops 22860

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.



Sunday 15 September 2013

Knock Knock - 385 Nettle Tap Anthophila fabriciana

Sill Around about nettle clumps


Nettle Tap 22688


National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.

Monday 9 September 2013

Finding Things !!!! Toads , Woodpeckers & Mice




Check out this great blog by someone very good at finding things

Alexandras Blog

464 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella

Taken earlier in August at Rodley LNR

464 Diamond-back Moth Plutella xylostella

464 Diamond-back Moth 21434


464 Diamond-back Moth 21435



National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.



Autumn Approaching - 2117 Autumnal Rustic Eugnorisma glareosa 2232 Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra

Moth  trapping 125 MV Trap A cold Night following some mid week rain meant few moths

2117 Autumnal Rustic Eugnorisma glareosa



2117 Autumnal Rustic 22252





National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.


2232 Black Rustic Aporophyla nigra

2232 Black Rustic 22256


National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.
Moths

Why Do they Fly to Light ?

Phototaxis is an organism's automatic movement toward or away from light.Cockroaches are an example of a negatively phototactic organism.You've probably noticed how they scurry back into dark corners. Moths are Positively Phottactic   There is no definitive answer or combination of factors but some theories areA moth's up-down orientation might depend in part on the brightness of the sky relative to the ground.Moth Trapping also attracts Caddis Flies which look very similar to Moths

Are they attracted to anything else ?

Yes fruit odours or juices  in the form of "wine ropes"
What Kind of Light was the Trap  ?

Moths are more sensitive to some wavelengths of light -- ultraviolet, for example -- than they are to others. A white light will attract more moths than a yellow light. Yellow is a wavelength moths don't respond to. The MVL or Mercury Vapour Light emits a high proportion of UV or White Light it is worth noting that not all species are equally attracted to light and, with some, there is even a difference in attraction between the sexes too.

Do they stop Flying ?

In the main Moths can fly throughout the year but like all insects their movement is driven by Temperture , However The Winter moth and December Moth flies through the Winter and even has its own anti freezeeze to make this happen

What do they eat ?
What is more important is what do the caterpillars eat. Moths will avail of many nectar sources at hand from flowers but are very specific and like Butterflies many of the Caterpillar host plants have to be just right as the Moths ability to assimilate the host plant is geared to it

How do they see in the Dark ?

You might think a problem when breeding but moths have the ability to detect and follow chemicals called pheromones that females produce thereby making searching for a mate easier in the dark

Why study Moths ?

Because of the wide variety of species in Britain they are 2500 aprox Moths and their specificity to particular plants they are good Indicator Species of the state of the environment and ecology and reflect changes or problems in it if habitats are lost


Thursday 5 September 2013

Brown Eyed Girl - 2160 Bright-line Brown-eye

2160 Bright-line Brown-eye   Lacanobia oleracea
Wingspan 32-37 mm Habitat Gardens and waste places. Life History / Larvae The larva can be found in abundance on Orache, Goosefoot and Redshank

  2160 Bright-line Brown-eye 22023


National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.

Thursday 29 August 2013

In a Rush...The Flowering Rush Butomus umbellatus

The Flowering Rush Butomus umbellatus 

Flowering Rush 22095

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.

Thursday 22 August 2013

Jump to it !! Leafhopper Anoscopus flavostriatus

Today some finds included

Leafhopper Anoscopus flavostriatus Family Cicadellidae

Anoscopus flavostriatus 22136

Also reported some good news on the Spiked Shieldbug  Picromerus bidens status.

Whilst we have not seen the return of the Spiked SB colony along the River Path after its planing some 4-5 years ago , a specimen has been found today on scrub Rosehip close to the ground , and in proximity to a Green Shieldbug Colony


Spiked Shieldbug 22147




National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.






Monday 12 August 2013

National Moth Night Friday 9th August 2013


Here are a few images from National Moth Night Friday 9th August 2013 weather Fine and Warm .



         2300 Old Lady Mormo maura         

2300 Old lady 21664

2318 The Dun-bar Cosmia trapezina


2318 The Dun-bar  21601


1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn Ennomos alniaria


1913 Canary-shouldered Thorn 21566


1887 Clouded Border Lomaspilis marginata



1887 Clouded Border 21589

2313 Angle-striped Sallow Enargia paleace


2313 Angle-striped Sallow  21649


1546    Brimstone  Gonepteryx rhamni

Brimstone Moth 10330


1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria


Early Thorn 21614


2003 Pebble Prominent Notodonta ziczac


2003 Pebble Prominent 21629


1439 Acrobasis advenella 


Moth 1585


Phytocoris varipes   Heteropteran Bug  Found on the Sheet


Phytocoris varipes  21653

Thursday 25 July 2013

Waisted Duck-hoverfly - Anasimyia contracta

Anasimyia contracta 19536

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.

Sunday 21 July 2013

The Black Dancer - Mysticides sp

Black Dancer Mysticides sp (M. Nigra or M. Azurea ) A Caddisfly or Trichoptera found alongside the River Calder

Black Dancer 19994

Saturday 20 July 2013

The Carnivorous lacewing larvae at work !!!

The carnivorous Lacewing larvae Chrysopa sp (perla)  is a voracious little creature below shows the exact moment it bit

Lacewing larvae 20058



Lacewing larvae 20055



Blue lacewing 16762

Tuesday 16 July 2013

A Summer of Swallows 1922 Swallow-Tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria

1922 Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria Wingspan 40-50 mm.Larvae feed on a number of trees and shrubs,  prefering  ivy (Hedera helix).

1922 Swallow-Tailed Moth 19974

Male

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.



Monday 8 July 2013

Saturday 6 July 2013

All Square - 1894 Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata


Wingspan 20-25 mm.


The larvae feed on lucerne (Medicago sativa) and clover (Trifolium).

1894 Latticed Heath Chiasmia clathrata

Latticed Heath 19366



Latticed Heath 19421
National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.




Saturday 29 June 2013

Small Bug - Big Name Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus

Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus Family Miridae

Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatu 18526

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .



VC 63 Distribution  Please Allow Time to Load
.



Thursday 27 June 2013

Seeing Red The Large Red Damsel Fly Pyrrhosoma nymphula

The large red damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula is a medium Damselfly found on the margins of ponds, lakes, ditches and canals and it can travel away  from the  breeding sites into  grassland and woodland

Large Red Damselfly 18334


7-Spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata

The 7-Spot ladybird Coccinella septempunctata  like much of our flora a little late this year


7-Spot Ladybird 18345