It's been a pretty poor spring so far for insects, with cold temperatures, heavy rain and strong winds. However, today has been a little warmer and sunnier and I got out onto site to do some long overdue recording. Here some of the day's finds....
Pyrochroa serraticornis, or the red-headed cardinal beetle. A common member of the Order Coleoptera (beetles) and Family Pyrochroidae (the cardinal beetles).
Sialis lutaria, one of the alder flies. This the commonest alder fly of the three UK species. They are members of the Order Megaloptera (alder flies) and Family Sialidae.
The familiar Coccinella septempunctata, the 7-spot ladybird. Very common members of the Coleoptera and the Family Coccinellidae.
Adela reaumurella, or the green longhorn moth. Look for them swarming around vegetation on the public footpath. This one is a female and they are members of the Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and the Family Adelidae.
Gastrophysa viridula, or the green dock beetle is a common member of the Coleoptera and the Family Chrysomelidae (the leaf beetles). This one is a gravid female, meaning she is full of eggs and it is the eggs that are causing the bulging of the abdomen that you can see pushing up the wing cases (elytra).
And finally....Andrena fulva, or the tawny mining bee. A member of the Order Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants) and the Family Andrenidae. They are social bees and nest in colonies underground.