Bombus jonellus for me

A nice range of species seen in the western Mourne Mountains in Co. Down recently, including Andrena tarsata, Lasioglossum rufitarse and Dasysyrphus pinastri, which was a new one for me.

Hoverfly Epistrophe nitidicollis, a female egg laying around Aphis sambuci colony on Elder.

Hoverfly Epistrophe nitidicollis, a female egg laying around Aphis sambuci colony on Elder.

Hoverfly Epistrophe nitidicollis, a female egg laying around Aphis sambuci colony on Elder in Kildavin, Co. Carlow over the weekend. Only the 12th Irish record and first for Carlow.

Lasioglossum sp. female 👍

That looks like a Pemphredon wasp, but it's hard to tell.

Ancistrocerus gazella is likely, but it's too difficult to say for certain as there are other possibilities.

Yes, good find! Please record 😁

Always interrupt a phone call with your mother to investigate a black dot gliding down a downpipe. One day, it'll be something worth getting excited about that has you running for the camera. Saw my first ever Kidney-spot Ladybird tonight. It's just the second record of one for Limerick.

A bit on the early side, but only by a week or two 👍

Yes, once they find some mud with the correct moisture content they'll keep coming back.

That looks correct to me 👍

Phylan gibbus.

Melanimon tibialis.

Charagmus griseus.

Couple of beetles from the dunes at The Raven, Co. Wexford today. Phylan gibbus (Tenebrionidae), Melanimon tibialis (Tenebrionidae) & Charagmus griseus (Curculionidae).

That's odd, but they do tend to wander a bit.

Andrena lapponica female. Is there Bilberry nearby?

I'd agree John. The foodplant can also provide a clue. Do you know what it was on?

Great, thanks Philip.

It's the only Priocnemis species that flies in April. The rest generally don't appear until late May. Can you record it with NBDC?

The pompilid is Priocnemis perturbator

Buglife Events ~ Surveying for hoverflies and trees with Buglife NI Find out more about our upcoming events related to invertebrates, insects and bugs.

Join me on behalf of Buglife for City Nature Challenge 2025 in Belfast for hoverfly surveying

Lagan Meadows, 25th April, 12-2pm

I will be joined by Jen Farrar from BSBI who will be discussing all things trees!

@bsbiireland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

www.buglife.org.uk/events/surve...

I'd agree with Andrena scotica 🙂

Dark small fly sitting on a yellow flower of Potentilla reptans

This pic from a Cheilosia hoverfly unknown to me is from 14 May 2019. Sent the specimen to a specialist, who found to be an undescribed species. Ever since then I've named it 'Cheilosia new.sp'. Finally, I'm happy to learn that it has been already named for science (can't reveal the name so far) .

Congratulations Carlos! 👏

I'd agree with both Jimmy 👍

Yes I'd be happy with that. Nice find, not a species you see every day!

Large Sallow Mining Bee (Andrena apicata) female and male seen along the river Barrow in Carlow recently. An underrecorded species in Ireland, but the populations in this area seem to be quite strong and it was the most abundant mining bee during my visit. It's a willow specialist, peaking in April.

I'd agree with Andrena tibialis 👍 nice find

Cheers Jim, nice to see you here on the 'other side'!

Yes that's it 👍

A nice surprise this week was finding Andrena praecox locally in Co. Armagh. This is the second NI record of this early spring species, which is generally very scarce north of Dublin. It's probably underrecorded due to its early flight period and habit of foraging high up in willows.

Your other bee is likely to be Andrena scotica from what I can, but I can't rule out Andrena trimmerana.