Norfolk: other insects (8 Viewers)

[Graham63]

Nomada

Could anyone tell me witch Nomada this is please.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Nomads online

They can be perused here [ https://www.flickr.com/photos/63075200@N07/collections/72157636934718926/ ]. (This is by the 'national expert'.)

There’s also a guide, by our own Nick Owens, to Nomada in County on the NNNS website: http://nnns.org.uk/sites/nnns.org.u...guides/other_bees/Nomada_species_accounts.pdf.

 

[Graham63]

Thank you John for your help

 

[Graham63]

Which Andrena

I was told this was a Andrena Nigroaenea but i don't think so any idea anyone please .

 

[James Emerson]

I was told this was a Andrena Nigroaenea but i don't think so any idea anyone please .

I'd agree with the original ID of Andrena nigroaenea. This is a male, many pictures on the web will be of females, which have dense buff hairs over the thorax, which might be why it doesn't look like pictures of this species you may have seen.

 

[Graham63]

Thanks James that is what threw me out

 

[Graham63]

Bug

Saw this in the village yesterday first one i have seen a Cinnamon Bug ( Corizus Hyoscyami )

 

[firstreesjohn]

And here're two from my 'back garden', engaged in some bizarre, reverse tug-of-war game !

 

[firstreesjohn]

Leucozona leucorum

One of this lovely, little Hoverfly (my first-of-year), at Holt CP, yesterday.

 

[James Emerson]

One of this lovely, little Hoverfly (my first-of-year), at Holt CP, yesterday.

I've seen a couple in the past week or so (Whitlingham and Wheatfen), so it would seem a good time to see them.

 

[Graham63]

Spider

Could anyone ID this spider please look like its enjoying its lunch

 

[James Emerson]

Could anyone ID this spider please look like its enjoying its lunch

It's one of the Crab Spiders from the genus Xysticus. I'm not familiar enough with them to guarantee it, but I suspect it is Xysticus cristatus.

Regards,

James

 

[Graham63]

Thanks James

 

[firstreesjohn]

Volucella inflata

For the third year running at Holt Country Park, yesterday.

This fresh specimen fed briefly in brambles in the NE edge of the car park.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Volucella zonaria

They're coming along like busses.

This so-called Hornet Hoverfly (aagghh !) was along the Sandy Wall at Strumpshaw RSPB, this afternoon.

 

[firstreesjohn]

***Wasp Spider***

I spied 'er on my patch (Gramborough Hill), this afters.

I never thought I'd find one of those there.

Note the silk-like, white spiral stabilimentum and prey.

 

[firstreesjohn]

Arachnids abducted !

The web, the mature female spider and her toy boy of a ‘husband’ seem to have been removed - presumably by human/s.

That is the only explanation I can furnish, as there is no disturbance of the vegetation such as a dog or deer would make and the Wasp Spiderhunter is unknown in Europe.

I’m afraid I will no longer be providing timely news of interesting sightings - this will now be posted well after the event.

 

[James Emerson]

I’m afraid I will no longer be providing timely news of interesting sightings - this will now be posted well after the event.

That's a shame, although an understandable reaction.

I've never heard of spiders being removed from the wild in Norfolk before, although with a large well-patterned species I suppose it could happen. This species is thought to be cannabalistic, so that could explain the disappearance of the male! You note that the web was gone - is there any signs of the vegetation being cut? That is the only way I could imagine a human removing the whole lot en masse. If not then that may favour an avian predator perhaps?

 

[firstreesjohn]

Spider-napping has, happily, not occurred !

I was mistaken. She’s still there, but has moved about 0.5m to the west and more in the shade. If She'd been there originally, I'm not sure I'd've spotted Her.

Apologies, therefore, to all you non-spider-abductors out there.

No sign of the first web, though; suspect it was someone getting too close to it, in the attempt at a frame-filling shot of Her fangs.

Her ‘Aragog’ (name of Bruno, of course) is growing by the day (RH shot) and, thus, can’t be too long for this world !

 

[postcardcv]

I've been looking at little critters more lately and was pleased to find a Eupteryx urticae in the garden(followed by three more). Clearly they are a common little bug but a stunner none the less.