A major milestone

I decided to update my Species Index with the sightings from 2013, since I calculated that I might be close to 1500 species. It turns out that I have now amassed a grand total of 1507 species on my websites, with number 1500 going to the Destroying Angel on August 27th.

The total at the end of 2012 was 1461, so I have added 46 species so far this year. Part of this number is due to the fact that I have been invited to a number of Bioblitzes this year, and I always find something new when I go to a new location, especially if the new location is on limestone. But a few are simply species that I have previously overlooked or not had the opportunity to take a photograph. The Silver-washed Fritillary from August 28th is an example of the later category.

Here's the annual graph so far:

Species 1507 is the sawfly Heterarthus aceris:

Mine of the sawfly Heterarthus aceris

This is a common miner of Sycamore (although I certainly haven't seen it before, and there are (were!) no records in the national biodiversity database). The mine is located at the bottom right of the image. The black dots on the leaf belong to the fungus Rhytisma acerinum - Sycamore Tar Spot.