Tuesday saw the arrival of Leptoglossus occidentalis, perhaps better known as the western conifer seed bug! OK, maybe not...
This impressive beast - similar to our shieldbugs - is an American species accidentally introduced into Europe. Now they're making their way across the UK, but ours was the first ever recorded in Bedfordshire!Other insects aren't finished for winter yet, either. On a sunny walk around the reserve you might be able to spot painted lady, small copper, red admiral and small tortoiseshell butterflies. And look out for common darter dragonflies perching on fences, bushes and trees - they'll be around until the first frosts.I mentioned the bounty of nuts and seeds a few weeks ago, but this week jackdaws have been seen helping themselves to sweet chestnuts from the trees near the gardens.
About a dozen visited the tree several times, with most carrying away single nuts but a few taking the whole spiky case too! Perhaps these were young birds, or maybe they realised that you can take several at once that way...Migration is still going strong. If you're sharp-eared you might hear siskins and redpolls calling, while starlings are also on the move. Keep your ears open for the calls of redwings and fieldfares as they fly over or stop to feed on the reserve. Sandy Warren is a good place to look, with the short grass providing a good feeding ground. A little owl has been seen here recently, too.