Enjoyable afternoon spent at Kenfig National Nature Reserve with @bennyhawksbee.bsky.social and @scotsguyinwales.bsky.social. The highlight was Black-headed Leafcutter Bee (Megachile circumcincta) - a pretty rare bee in Wales. We found at least two males patrolling patches of bird's-foot-trefoil.
Bits of ground like this. With bare ground/patches and common lawn weeds/wildflowers. Crucial
βοΈ π΄ππππππ π πππ‘πππ feeding on common Daisy on the lawn outside the Tate Britain.
It highlights for me, one of most important and overlooked habitats for the majority of our solitary bees and wasps: seemingly boring bits of patchy ground. These are invaluable for so many important species
Great to observe a mating pair of π΄ππππππ πππππππ (Gwynne's Mining bee) in Eden Nature Garden, Clapham, yesterday.
A species that nests in slightly looser sections of our hoggin paths and now in the mounds of sandy ballast we introduced (from skip salvaging)
The only thing 'trusts' can't be entrusted with... nature and a liveable planet.
π΄ππππππ πππππππ βοΈ
(Black Mining bee). This male was just about enough to separate from nigrospina.
A v.pleasing record from last 2 yrs.
We knew they were a few miles away but with the introduction of local, fine sands into the garden (natural soil is heavy clay), we now have them on site, it seems.
Last August I was fortunate to catch and release two of these magnificent little (~5mm) wasps from the inside window.
If my ID is correct, they are π΅πππβπ¦πππππ π‘πππππππ endoparasitoids of Burnett moth larvae. We have lots of Knapweed & Burnett moth on site, so it does make sense.
South Essex.
Precisely
Its Cuckoo wasp πΆβππ¦π ππ π£πππππ’ππ which came shortly after...
(First chimneys spotted June 7th.
Host spotted June 22nd, looking to be at the end of its life. Cuckoo spotted June 28th).
June 28th, 2024. Hilldrop, South Essex
πππ¦ππππ’π π πππππππ (Spiny-legged mason wasp) successfully nesting in our home-made 'cob gabion' in south Essex. My next post will cover the parasite that came a week or so later...
Saw some yesterday in Barnet, North London. In west dean arboretum
09.03.2025. Very nice aggregation of π΄ππππππ πππππππππ underneath a large Quercus robur at West Lodge arboretum, Barnet, North London.
First βοΈ π΄ππππππ ππππππππππ of 2025. 08.03.2025. Enfield, London.
7-spot ladybird plus 16-spot ladybirds (~500 overwintering on one old Hornbeam) in the under threat Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, London.
βοΈ π΄ππππππ ππππ£ππππ yesterday (07.03.2025) in South Essex.
Mine and @bennyhawksbee.bsky.socialβs episode of the Our Plant Stories podcast is here! π± Listen and read more about our morning spent meeting bees and celebrating weeds in a London community garden at www.ourplantstories.com/episodes/luc...
@theorchardproject.bsky.social @rhulbiology.bsky.social
One of the UK's snail-nesting bees.
ππ πππ π ππππ’πππ π (Spined Mason bee)
This one is a male and you can just about see the spine/barb on Sternite 1, on photos 2 and 4. It also has the 10+ little teeth on the edge of tergite 6.
Salisbury Plain. June 30th, 2024.
Jewel Wasp π
ππ ππ’ππππππ’π ππ’πππ‘π’π
August, 2024
Thanks, Sarah. I had a feeling it might be food-related π
Just found this is the kitchen, in a cereal bowl. π«£
2 mm long. 1mm wide.
Anyone have a rough idea?
ππ πππ πππππ’πππ ππππ (Blue Mason Bee)
Eden Nature Garden, London. March 30th, 2024
π»πππππππππ π£πππππππ‘π(Adonis' Ladybird) yesterday.
About to fly...
π΄πππππππ ππ’π ππππ‘ππππ (Rosy Woodlouse)
October 2024. Camden, North London, UK
A second individual
Jumping spider (Salticidae) on the lounge ceiling yesterday.
(Very likely to be a non-European species, I'm informed)
"it wasn't me..."
Wow. I've never seen any in the flesh. Where about's is this? (If you're happy to disclose location)? Many thanks
He's got a new one coming out
So sad isn't it. What things have gone?
Just a fleeting look at this guy so no opportunity to try and ID to species level