RSPB Rainham Marshes 25th May 2018
A quick ten
minutes in the wildlife garden this afternoon saw me lurking in a non-sinister
manner around the raised flowerbeds where the humid air and late sunshine had
tempted some inverts to come out and play. The busy little Red Mason Bees (Osmia bicornis) have almost completely filled
one of the bee houses on the post and I spied a couple of adults feeding on the
Knautia along with two chunky Rhingia
campestris with that amazing ‘nose’ and drinking straw while Eristalis arbustorum became the 21st
hoverfly species this week.
 |
| Red Mason Bees (Osmia bicornis) |
 |
| Rhingia
campestris |
There were
several Orb spiderling balls glowing like tiny golden poppy seeds all huddled together
for safety with just a few adventurous brethren taking a chance to go it solo.
Wolf Spiders watched
me at eye level with almost simian faces and a couple of females were seen carrying
around a blue pearl of unhatched eggs. The feeling of being angrily stared at
was quite palpable!
 |
| Wolf Spider |
 |
| Even side on she turns her head to look at me - creepy... |
Similarly the
rather robust female Zebra Jumper (Salticus
scenicus) kept a wary eye or four on me and followed my lens round as we
stalked each other.
 |
| Zebra Jumper (Salticus
scenicus) |
I was pleased
to find several adult Rambur's Pied
Shieldbug (Tritomegas sexmaculatus) on the Black Horehound in the herb bed with shiny little Woundwort Shieldbugs
(Eysarcoris venustissimus) and a 22-spot
Ladybird for company.
 |
| Rambur's Pied
Shieldbug (Tritomegas sexmaculatus) |
 |
| Woundwort Shieldbugs
(Eysarcoris venustissimus) |
 |
| 22-spot
Ladybird |
 |
| Muscina prolapsa and thanks To Phil Collins for so quickly identifying this mystery Muscid too |
Too soon my tea was gone and it was back to my
oh so tragic view over the River Thames and 1000 acres of lush wet grazing
marsh – oh well – I would just have to put up with careening Hobbies and
stroppy waders for the rest of the day...
Spent many an hour in the Wildlife Garden Howard. A great spot and you have posted some nice pictures. Always nice to see a Pied Shieldbug. Lawrence.
ReplyDelete