Thursday 2 September 2010

Like clockwork

On Monday I wondered when the parasites of the Nematus pavidus sawfly larvae would appear. The answer is: today.


This is the primary parasite: Campodorus sp. This specimen was examining the larvae very closely, but it's clear that they aren't large enough yet. I'd guess that Monday or Tuesday next week should see a flurry of egg-laying.


This exotic-looking Forest Shieldbug - Pentatoma rufipes - struck a striking pose, so I gratefully took the shot:


Another new moth for me: Small wainscot - Chortodes pygmina. The larvae feed on sedges and grasses, but the adults don't feed at all.

I wasn't at all surprised to see this migratory Silver Y moth after all the migrant hoverflies I've seen in the last few days.

Just for the record, the Frosted Orange - Gortyna flavago - emerges just as the leaves are turning brown:

2 comments:

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love that small wainscot - as much for its name as its appearance. Maybe it could be the key to helping me to overcome my phobia of moths. Lovely photographs as usual Stuart - are you now so familiar with the bug world that you can get them to pose for you?

Stuart said...

Weaver: I wish. It's just a matter of knowing how they behave and anticipating the next move.