Standing up for Nature
Paul writes: This is a butterfly I wouldn’t mind seeing in the UK, it just scrapes onto the British list as a very rare vagrant. It’s a mountain species that occurs in most of the larger mountain regions in Europe. Isolated populations in several of these areas have led to a lot of different races…
Paul writes: this is a dramatic-looking creature, unfortunately not seen in the UK. It is an Owlfly (Ascalaphidae), Latin name Libelloides coccajus. The body has an overall length of 25mm and a wingspan of up to 55mm. The size together with the black and yellow colouring make it difficult to miss. At first it may…
Paul writes: This was my favourite hoverfly sighting of last year, it was a first for me, it’s also one of the charismatic species that you hope to see in the right location. Eriozona syrphoides is a wonderfully furry bumblebee mimic with a black and white body and a yellow face. It is quite a…
Paul writes: This bright metallic coloured beetle is hard to miss when it’s out in the open. The Swollen-thighed Beetle is one of the many English names it goes by, its Latin name is Oedemera nobilis. Only the males have the swollen thighs but the female shares all the other characteristics, metallic green colour, wing…
Paul writes: the Great Pied Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens) is pretty easy to identify. It is one of the largest flies in the UK with a body length of 13-17mm and wing length of up to 15mm. The size, combined with the black and white body, a protruding yellow face and a beautiful dark wing patch…
Paul writes: on a warm summer evening I like to sit in my garden with a light on and see what moths will come in. One of the best to arrive is the Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor). It makes its presence known quickly. Most moths will spend some time flying around before settling on the…
Paul writes: The Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami) is a dramatic looking scentless plant bug and not usually confused with anything else in the UK. It’s about 9mm long and easily stands out against the green foliage it likes to feed on. It used to be quite rare and only seen in southern England but is…
Paul writes: Empis tessellata is a common fly and can be seen throughout the UK, it belongs to the family Empidae, also known as Dagger Flies. The family is quite distinctive, typically with a small head combined with long body and legs. There are several similar species, Empis tessellata can be told from its black…
Paul writes: Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) was a new butterfly for me last year. I knew they bred at Fen Bog, a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust reserve on the North York Moors, so I thought I’d see if I could spot one. Fen Bog is a moorland reserve with a large area of wet heath,…
Paul writes: Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris), with their elegant long legs, look as though they’re built for speed. They are one of the fastest beetles and can run at up to 60cm per second. They combine this with a quick low flight, so often when I find one I end up dashing along a…