All about Insects 2019

What can I safely feed hedgehogs?

Hi, I think you must be new on here. Welcome to the mad-house. You may get more responses if you start a new thread with your question in the title. It's not easy to find your way around, but worth it in the end!
I'm afraid I can't answer your question, I've never fed a hedgehog.

Nigel, your insect haul is amazing. Such a huge variety & great pics too. Our pyracantha is covered in blooms, which may mean a hard winter next year, we shall have to wait & see.

Thanks Hazel. I barely had to move, everything just landed in front of me. There might have been more going on behind the tree but I was being kept too busy to look! I'm not going to consider winter just yet, no matter what your pyracantha says!

What a selection of insects Nigel, I have noticed the Hawthorn in full bloom too, and you certainly spent a well earned hour with your camera. I will have to keep this thread just in case I see any of the insects you have so thoughtfully named for us:-) I like the bees, took a photo this morning of one feeding from a Welsh poppy, not black and white though!!!

Thanks Gaynor

I think these little critters are always worth a second look. Jumping spiders (Salticidae) have amazing eyesight for such little things and watch with interest while you take their photo!

A pair of busy Pondskaters

I first thought this was a small Grasshopper that leapt into the pond to avoid me and then swam back. In fact, it is a smaller cousin, a Slender Groundhopper.

And it took me ages to find out what this is. I had assumed it was a beetle, but it wasn't, so I thought maybe a fly as it doesn't have antennae, but no, it's a bug … the last place I looked :( You'd've thought I would have got it sooner with the obvious name of Red-and-black Froghopper. I first saw one and then found dozens of them.

Here is the bee I took the other day on the Welsh Poppies

The picture is pretty bad I know but are those the pollen satchels on each side of the bee?

Gaynor

I think most people (including me) would struggle getting a bee in-flight, so no need to apologise for that. Normally if you see a bee with 'odd' coloured, bulky legs then it is because of the pollen they have collected, so I'd say 'yes'.
I think Jumping Spiders are one of the few spiders you could legitimately call cute! I used to see ones with big bright white palps and it looked like they were waving at you while wearing boxing gloves!

Thanks Nigel, it is unusual for me to have camera in hand for an action photo like that!! Today for instance I cursed myself for not carrying one as I saw a Stonechat male with two young, would have been a lovely clear photo - typical.
I am not averse to spiders and was the one person in the household that would pick up and put out by hand, but I am sure you get more wary as you get older, or that is my excuse for a pot with a lid to do the job these days:-)