Another day in my Strood garden - 9th April 2023

Easter is a funny time in the south-east with its millions of people.  It has been pleasant for two days now but the desire to try and drive out anywhere is tempered by the traffic and scores of people who feel the urge to visit the outdoors at this time, so as a rule I lurk at home.  The garden was neglected yesterday but today was the comforting place for this grumpy old sod, where I got on with some jobs that needed doing but with my camera with me at all times for once.

It was pleasantly warm and there were more insects to be seen around my wild spring flowers.  There were many more small Bees with countless male Andrena around the Willow and Ivy but I saw no females to try and narrow it down. I did however find one male that I thought was Andrena haemorrhoa with a little red tail tip.

It would appear that these are also Andrena haemorrhoa but just a little worn

Andrena haemorrhoa hopefully!

A single female Andrena flavipes was on my Dandelions and my first female Anthophora plumipes zoomed around along with several males.  Bombus hypnorum became my first of the year and I saw pascuorum and terrestris once again.

Anthophora plumipes

Anthophora plumipes

Andrena flavipes

A big Queen Common Wasp was nectaring on the Euphorbias and the Hoverflies were equally interested although only the Epistrophe eligans seemed to be feeding while the feisty Myathropa florea were using it as a look out!  Several Eupeodes and Syprhus ribesii were noted and I found Platycheirus albimanus and scutatus and a single Eristalis pertinax.

 Queen Common Wasp - Vespula vulgaris

Platycheirus albimanus

Platycheirus scutatus group

Platycheirus scutatus group - hair clump visible at the top of the front leg

male Eupeodes sp

male Eupeodes sp

Myathropa florea 

Myathropa florea 

Epistrophe eligans 

Epistrophe eligans 

Epistrophe eligans 

Syprhus ribesii

Syprhus ribesii - hind legs seen well

Eristalis pertinax - wave your hands in the air like you just don't care!

I was quite pleased with the single Yellow Dung Fly two days ago but today I found six males and a female around the Euphorbia so perhaps that is attracting them in.  I think I may have found another species too but I am not sure.

Yellow Dung Fly - Scathophaga stercoraria

Yellow Dung Fly - Scathophaga stercoraria

Scathophaga possibly furcata

There were a few blue bummed Calliphora around and a spiky Tachinid that I think I have seen before while the Dark-edged Bee-flies were doing what they do best while the tiny Sawflies were out gunned by the appearance of a monster decked out in shiny gold armour but even this can only be taken to two species without intimate examination!

Abia lonicerae or aenea -  a beast of a Sawfly

Macquartia sp - a Tachinid

Musca autumnalis  I think

Doing it like they do on the Discovery Channel

Calliphora vicina - Does my bum look big in this?

Calliphora vicina

Dark-edged Bee-fly - Bombylius major

Dark-edged Bee-fly - Bombylius major

Two Butterfly species today with a couple of Speckled Woods and single high speed female Brimstone and one tiny moth that I followed until it landed.  It would seem (thanks To Mr Wren) that it is a splendid no-hoper that could be one of three species and requires some ‘work’ to figure it out!

Mompha jurassicella – divisella - bradleyi -  take your pick!

Winter and summer coloured Green Shieldbugs were ambling around and a female Misumena vatia Crab Spider was my first of the year although she avoided my camera with that classic ‘spider roll’ off her chosen Dandelion.

Green Shieldbug

Not so Green Shieldbug

I sat and chilled for a bit and was surprised that no calling Med Gulls appeared and I have not had one over the house so far this spring. Perhaps they are not breeding at Cliffe Pools this year in any numbers?  The Starlings have cleared out their Swift box and are singing well with the male doing some fabulous Common Gull mewing in with his whistles and clicks.  The House Sparrows were singing from in the think of the Pyracantha and were looking particularly dapper while both Firecrest and Goldcrest were singing strongly once again.

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Robin

Blue Tit

Time for dinner and nice glass of wine…