Finally dry enough to make a start on preparing the flower beds for the coming season.
Lots of Ground Beetle larvae in the flower beds and found a couple of (what look to be) White-legged Snake Millipedes under some plant pots on the decking. Digging in the raised beds disturbed a number of fast moving centipedes which looked to be of at least two different species - I managed to catch one of each for a closer look. Similar in colour but the first was approx 20-25 mm long with 21 pairs of legs, possibly one of the Cryptop species, whilst the other was 65-70mm long with 80 pairs of legs - not sure but, from the length and legs, this could be Stigmatogaster subterranea.
 |
| Ground Beetle larva |
 |
| White-legged Snake Millipede? |
 |
| Cryptops sp ? |
 |
| Stigmatogaster subterranea ? |
Also found this little beastie on the window. I think it is a Limonid Cranefly, and, with the dark stigmata and black bands above the knees and the green underbody, it could be Dicranomyia chorea.
Interesting, Howard. Do you submit such records (when confirmed to species level) to SEWBReC? The on-line system, SEWBreCORd is easy to use once the account is set up. http://www.sewbrecord.org.uk/
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, SEWBReC will try and assist with Id or at least will tell you who is the local expert. Clearly you have an interest, like me, in trying to ID and name everything!
Hi Paul. Yes I do use SEWBreCord, although I haven't started entering any of my 2016 records yet, and I get a lot of very useful feedback from the various people who check the records.
ReplyDeleteMy main interest is in visitors to our garden - a project which I started in 2013. So far I have logged, over 400 species, the majority of which are moths. I do try to ID and name everything but I fail miserably with a lot of the groups which can't be separated visually.
Howard - if the cranefly 'bounces' then that is apparently diagnostic for Dicranomyia chorea. Otherwise it's quitea variable species!
ReplyDeletehi Dave. I recall watching the little beastie flexing up and down 'at the knees' is that 'bouncing'?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like bouncing to me!
ReplyDelete