At least 2 Locust Blowflies (Stomorhina lunata) on the Ivy yesterday (4.11.25) with a male and female and another in a different part of our North Northants garden. First ones seen on the 17th August.

After a terrible October with very hoverflies around it's good to see the sun again. 8 species again in our North Northants garden yesterday including this female Rhingia rostrata.

After so many grey days it was good to find at least 8 species of hoverfly on the Ivy yesterday, 1st November, including the largest - a female Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria).

This Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) nearly became a "squash bug" - almost trodden on, pottering about on the bedroom floor! Looks very smart in it's winter attire complete with red legs. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

The car roof is popular! Also found 3 lovely Hawthorn Shieldbugs (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) just standing about - probably dropped off the Ash tree above the car.🪲

Found this male Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) on its back with its wings stuck to the damp on the roof of the car. Rescued and placed on Ivy flowers and it started feeding straight away🐝

Good morning @lizlouise.bsky.social , @botanybeck.bsky.social, @jeremybartlett.bsky.social Wondered if you could help us id this fungi which we think could be an Armillaria species? Thanks.

A well marked Nursery-web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) found in the utility room and placed outside. Think the inverts have been watching the Harlequin ladybirds and following suit!

A final instar Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) found pootling around the bathroom and liberated. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

Haven't seen a Bronze Shieldbug (Troilus luridus) for a while but found this one today in the garden feeding on an unfortunate Scarlet Tiger caterpillar. Incidentally, we have literally hundreds of the latter in the garden this year! @rockwolf74.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social

Spotted a female Dark Bush Cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) just outside the landing window above the climbing rose "Blush Noisette". They are a great favourite of ours with their almost prehistoric amour plated appearance. 🦗 @vc40orthops.bsky.social

We spotted a Groundbug on a Rudbeckia flower (Compositae) and think it may be a Nysius senecionis? The 1st segment of the hind tarsus appears to be less than combined length of the 2nd, 3rd segment and claw. Help appreciated @britishbugs.bsky.social @willgeorge.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social

A male Locust Blowfly (Stomorhina lunata) blowing a bubble. After some research it appears flies do this to thermoregulate (cooling liquid and then ingest) and/or to aid digestion. Locust blowflies seen daily here on sunny days since 17th August. (3 males today) @suillia.bsky.social

You could imagine the Mottled Shieldbug thinking: blimey, what's that! - oh, it's ok, it's a very nice Eristalis intricaria hoverfly! Seen in the garden on Friday.🙂

It's that time of year with lots of handsome Garden Spiders (Araneus diadematus) around. This female is hanging in space just outside the back door.

We're still looking for presentations! Please share 😊

The Small Purple and Gold Mint Moths have had a good year here with many adults around. Spotted one of their colourful caterpillars on a mint on Monday.

Good to see a couple of Cinnamon Bugs (Corizus hyoscyami) in the garden on Monday. Like most bugs they seem to sit around a lot taking in the vitamin D when available!. This one was on the seedheads of a marjoram. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

Found this small being pootling around on the bathroom wall of all places! At c.3mm diameter we think it is a 2nd (or 3rd?) instar of a Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) which seems rather late in the season - what do you think @rockwolf74.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social ?

The first Twin-spot Centurion Soldierflies (Sargus bipunctatus) of 2025 in the garden yesterday and good to find 2 females and a male. (one of the females in photo). @uk-soldierflies.bsky.social @kitenet.bsky.social @sjbknott.bsky.social

Discovered a colourful character crawling up the bedroom wall yesterday - a Yellowtail moth caterpillar (Euproctis similis) probably about to make its hibernaculum for the winter. Thought it would be better off outside so placed in the wildlife hedge.

A Lacewing larvae photographed in the garden. These c. 5mm long aphid predators - note sickle shaped jaws! - use debris, including the remains of their prey, as camouflage on their back.

Not sure how many more nests she will make but this female Wood-carving Leafcutter (Megachile ligniseca) was diligently finishing off another tube yesterday. Think it is the latest we have seen a leafcutter.

Continuing the "Bug theme" we recently spotted this Hawthorn Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) on a Solidago leaf in the garden. Common but always a pleasure to see one. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

This one had us puzzled but it's the darkest Mottled Shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa) we've seen! In the garden yesterday and unusual to find one on a flower too - usually found on Cotoneaster leaves here. @rockwolf74.bsky.social @britishbugs.bsky.social @viccbrown.bsky.social

Can't find a collective noun for Bugs but these Dock Bugs (Coreus marginatus) were having a get together on the Meadowsweet in the garden on Friday! @rockwolf74.bsky.social

Large wasp mimicking Hoverfly, Volucella inanis, on Lilium Henryi. #macromonday

They have been around since early June and there still a few Large-headed Resin Bees (Heriades truncorum) nesting. They have had another successful season with over 100 nests in the garden.🐝

With its normal habitat the lichen covered trunks of tree this is a leafhopper species we have only found a few times - a nymph Eared Leafhopper (Ledra aurita) found yesterday on Rudbeckia and not at all camouflaged! @rockwolf74.bsky.social

This female Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis), seen yesterday, was the 3rd in the last couple of weeks in the garden. An annual occurrence now so guess they are breeding nearby.

Down to the last 2 leafcutter bees in the garden now with a female Patchwork (Megachile centuncularis) and a female Brown-footed (Megachile versicolor). Here's the latter waiting for the day to warm before setting off on more nest building.

A backlit Common Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum) on Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in the garden yesterday.

Locust Blowflies(Stomorhina lunata) are around for the 4th year running with 1st seen on the 17th & 3 (1 m, 2 f) in the garden today. Only a handful of sightings elsewhere in Northants, they must be breeding locally. (Until recently thought to be migrants only)

Having survived for 50 years since the arrival of the decimating Dutch Elm Disease it is sad to see this fine stand of mature "English" Elms near Barnwell, Northants are now succumbing...

Although they probably breed in our conifers we only find Juniper Shieldbugs (Cyphostethus tristriatus) once or twice a year in the garden. This one was on a patch of Goldenrod (Solidago) on Saturday. @rockwolf74.bsky.social @bugmanjones.bsky.social

A female Red Longhorn Beetle (Stictoleptura rubra) feeding on Teasel in our Northants garden last week. For #WildflowerHour

A Sawfly pretending to be a wasp - a Figwort Sawfly (Tenthredo scrophulariae) photo'd yesterday. They have been around for several weeks but have proved difficult to photo as they would not settle. This one did, for about 5 seconds!

Having only seen European Paper Wasps in Spain we were amazed to find one in the garden. It's a female Polistes dominula and is addicted to Eryngium (yes, that plant again!) and present since 28th July. Appears to be the 1st record for Northants.

Another good year for Mottled Shieldbug (Rhaphigaster nebulosa) with a number of instars around & this is our 1st adult - sunning itself after emerging from the bee nest box where it has taken up residence! Still appears to be only known site in Northants. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

Male Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) on the ever popular Phlox a couple of days ago. Its proboscis is like a coiled spring.

Another large and striking hoverfly in the garden on the 29th - Volucella pelluscens. They have been around since May and can be found until early autumn. Their larvae live in the nests of social wasps and bumblebees.

A late (5th) instar Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) on the forming seedhead of the ornamental clover Trifolium Rubens. In the garden a couple of days ago.

A new hoverfly species for us yesterday and in the garden too. A female Melangyna umbellatarum - their larvae, apparently, feed on aphids on umbellifers. Another lovely looking hover!

Appalling... disaster for wildlife and humans - and totally unnecessary. don't forget it leaches into our already beleaguered and polluted watercourses.

The UK's largest Hoverfly - the Hornet mimicking Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly). Their larvae feed on debris in social wasp and Hornet's nests. 2 in the garden yesterday with this one feeding on Marjoram.

A particularly colourful Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) found resting on a Viburnum opulus (Guelder Rose) leaf in the garden a couple of days ago. Called Parent Bugs as, unusually for Shieldbugs, the female broods and protects the eggs and young larvae. @rockwolf74.bsky.social

The Small Purple and Gold Mint Moths (Pyrausta aurata) are having a good year with double figure totals seen regularly in the garden recently. Photo on the ever popular Eryngium.

After a thunderstorm with torrential rain and hail on Monday the number of insects in the garden has dropped and we were concerned for the Humming-bird Hawkmoths as, after daily visits since mid June, none seen. Thankfully, back to normal service yesterday with 3 sightings. Photo on 21st.

Good to see the handsome wasp mimic Hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum again in the garden (on Eryngium). Their larvae are believed to feed on root aphids in ant's nests.