Wakeham
Another miserable cloudy day and when is that wind ever going to stop.
Not much today with highlights being a Song Thrush singing close by and a Meadow Brown flitting around the courtyard.
Here are a few images from today:
This is a Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) and was introduced to the British Isles in the 1800's from Asia. It is a common pest of fabrics in the home and is regarded as a scavenging moth, feeding on fluff and detritus that accumulates around skirting boards and under heavy furniture etc. It is only the caterpillar that can cause damage.
A Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) visits the newly hung hanging basket.
Despite the miserable weather, it was a bit of a surprise to see these......
..........Semaphore Flies (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) around the pond.
My first thought was that this was the only female amongst 3 male Semaphores, but on closer inspection this is another male with the white wing tips.
This must be one of the most common hoverflies about at the moment. It matters not what the weather throws at us, there is always a Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) about. Even if it was rested up.
And one of may Leafhoppers in the garden and just about everywhere else.
Here are a couple of photos from the 7 July which I forgot to post.
There are six species of False widow Spiders in the UK and I'm going out on a limb here and suggest that this is a Cupboard Spider (Steatoda grossa), but there again it does look very similar to the "Bunny"** Hutch Spider (Steatoda bipunctata). So alas this will will have to be a Steatoda sp. More on False Widow Spiders on the Natural History Website Here. Incidentally they are not as harmful as the False Widow Spider (Latrodectus spp.), but can still give you a nasty bite.
Note: ** Its taboo to say the "R" word on Portland, hence "Bunny" Hutch Spider.
A green caterpillar. As to what it will turn into, I have no idea.