Lots of spiders around, but this one caught the eye. I suspect it is a Walnut Orb Weaver and the white markings made it look quite sinister in the torchlight. it scurried away into the fencing when the flashlight hit it!
This ichneumon wasp was wandering around at the back of the garage and when photographing that I noticed the mating flies on the window frame. These don't look like the regular houseflies but show some similarities.
Hi Howard,
ReplyDeleteThe flies look like the Yellow Dung-fly, Scathophaga stercoraria. The ones which often sit on cow pats.
It's a shame Adam has left these shores as he'd probably be able to confirm the spider ID.
George
Thanks George.
ReplyDeleteNo sign of them now, but the flies certainly look very much like the pictures on-line so that is what I will log them as.
howard
Gone but not forgotten!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure the spider is a Walnut Orb Weaver, a nocturnal species, and very frequently found living in the gaps between fence panels. Probably a juvenile specimen as the abdomen isn't large enough for a mature female and the palps look simple from what I can see of them.
Thanks Adam.
ReplyDeleteThe spider does indeed live in the fence panels in the background to the picture. It has emerged each night since I first saw it, but I have as yet been unable to get an angle for a 'head-on' shot.
Howard