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 "



Tuesday 26 August 2014

Apolygus spinolae - A Capsid Bug

Apolygus spinolae A Capsid Bug Miridae

Apolygus spinolae 31986


Apolygus spinolae 31989


Apolygus spinolae 31988xx


Length 5- 6 mm

Phenology Adult: June-September

Description

The Genus Apolygus generally oval pronotom may have dark green marks and overall base colour paler than A. lucorum although this one appears darker than normal

Pale Brown Tibial Spines do not arise from dark basal area

Black tip to cunneus Differientiate Apolygus spinolae from A. lucorum

2nd antennal segment is generally shorter than the width of the base of  pronotum

Host Plants

A varied number of hedgrow plants  creeping thistle, meadowsweet, nettle, bog-myrtle and notably  bramble

Similar Species 

Apolygus lucorum , Lyocoris pabulosa.

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Friday 22 August 2014

2422 Green Silver-lines Caterpillar Pseudoips prasinana

2422 Green Silver-lines Pseudoips prasinana


Green Silver lines 31924

Green Silver lines 31933

Green Silver lines 31913

Development Link  Click To Magnify

Wingspan 30-35 mm.

Description   Common in wooded areas over much of England and Wales, less common in Scotland and Ireland.

Phenology   Flight period  June and July, it is often attracted to artificial light.


The short, stocky caterpillar feeds in August, mostly on oak (Quercus) and birch (Betula),and  other deciduous trees
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Monday 18 August 2014

Iassus lanio A Leafhopper

Iassus lanio A  Leafhopper TBC

Iassus lanio 31930

Iassus lanio 31928

Iassus lanio Leafhopper

Adult:      June to October
Length    6.5-8 mm

ID Points 

The  forewings present  in colour form  from pale brown  to Green   

 vertex, pronotum and scutellum have heavily dark-mottling. 

Vertex is uniformly narrow and rounded 

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Tachina fera - A Tachnid fly

Tachina fera  -  A Tachnid fly

IMG_1817


IMG_1818


IMG_1839

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Wednesday 13 August 2014

Aphrodes makarovi A leafhopper

Aphrodes makarovi A leafhopper  TBC

Aphrodes markovi 31626

Adult: June to October

Length 5.5-7.5 mm



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2306 Angle Shades Caterpillar Phlogophora meticulosa

2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa

IMG_1516


IMG_1553


Wingspan 45-50 mm.

Description Rests with the wings folded longitudinally, resembling a withered autumn leaf.

The adults generally fly between May and October, in at least two generations, but can be found in any month A common migrant occurring in numbers at coastal localities

Caterpillar  The larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants.

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Wednesday 6 August 2014

Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasine


Green Shieldbug Nymph Palomena prasina

A late stage Green SB Nymph


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NHMSYS0020109266

Long Jawed Orb Weaver Metellina segmentata/mengei

Long Jawed Orb Weaver Metellina segmentata/mengei


Metellina 31718


Metellina 31720

Likely segmentata or possibly mengei

Description M. segmentata may be slightly larger.than mengei.Males of M. segmentata have hairs on the underside of the first leg and M. mengei have none.


Habitat

Found woods, gardens and wasteland amongst any vegetation or structure where it can build its web
This spider spins orb-shaped (rounded) webs. During the mating season the male moves onto the web of the female.

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0411 Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella

 0411 Golden Argent Argyresthia goedartella

Argyresthia goedartella 31783


Argyresthia goedartella 31794


Argyresthia goedartella 31777

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Saturday 2 August 2014

A Straw Grass Veneer 1304 Agriphila straminella

Grass Veneer 1304 Agriphila straminella

Grass Veneer 31663


Wingspan 16-19 mm

Foodplants  Various grasses, especially sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina), where the larvae feed internally on the lower part of the stems.

Flight Period July and August,   a frequent visitor to light

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Friday 1 August 2014

A Sponge Fly - Sisyra nigra

Sponge Fly - Sisyra nigra

Sisyra nigra 31437


Sisyra nigra 31431

Thanks to Chris Brooks

The Sisyridae, commonly known as spongeflies or spongillaflies, They're active at night or twilight and are tiny, with a wingspan of 1 cm (0.4 in) across at most and sometimes less than half that. Their minute form retains the complicated, lacy wings and giant, sparkling eyes common among Net-winged Insects.Adult spongillaflies are crepuscular (Active at Twilight)  or nocturnal. They are omnivores, sometimes hunting small invertebrates, but mainly scavenging on such animals' carcasses, as well as on pollen and honeydew.


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