Wildlife July 2013

[Peter Maguire]

Olga, your 'somebody's caterpillar' is the larva of the moth Cerura vinula - known in the UK as the Puss Moth, as the adult has a very hairy body, like a cat. They don't grow as large as the furry creature you pictured.  The larvae are generally greener than that, but I believe that they turn brown as they prepare to pupate.

Susann - I can't help you with any of yours, I'm still a beginner with most insects. However the moth that looks like a twig seems familiar, I'm sure that I should know what it is....
I like your little green beetle - some form of ladybird  (Coccinellidae) perhaps?

[Olga Bondareva]

Olga, your 'somebody's caterpillar' is the larva of the moth Cerura vinula - known in the UK as the Puss Moth, as the adult has a very hairy body, like a cat. They don't grow as large as the furry creature you pictured.  The larvae are generally greener than that, but I believe that they turn brown as they prepare to pupate.

Thank you Peter!
It was a very obedient photo-model. 

[Tim Ingram]

I'm even more of a beginner than Peter - but this little moth on Viola 'Boughton Blue' has ridiculously long antennae. I feel as though I should know what it is!

[Peter Maguire]

That's an easier one  - a longhorn moth, genus Adela, probably Adela croesella

Lovely Viola as well!

[Susann]

this little moth on Viola 'Boughton Blue' has ridiculously long antennae.

Tim, are you sure you are not just playing us a joke, having scratched the photo with your fingernail?

[Peter Maguire]

No I think he's serious. The long antennae show that it is a male. Inevitably........ 

[Roma]

Walking in a local wood on Sunday I came across a small pond in the hole left by the root of a fallen tree.  There were a number of these ?Damselflies mating and egg laying in the water.  The pictures are a bit blurry as they are substantially cropped.  The ground was too wet to kneel on so I was in a wobbly crouch and the damselflies were quite active so I didn't get as close as I would have liked. 

[ranunculus]

Me too, Roma ...

[Peter Maguire]

Roma, Cliff,

They're Large Red Damselflies Pyrrhosoma nymphula, generally one of the first species to emerge in spring.

[Susann]

Roma, beautiful picture!
In Swedish that genera is called Summergirl dragonfly. I have no pictures of them. But I have some pictures of Dragonfly. I bought a book about them a few years ago, to find out which species they are.  But I never came that far...

This one is always around my pond. As I live in the inland, here are only lakes and sweet water.  In my garden pond there are hundreds of hungry dragonfly maggots. They look VERY scary I think. If the fullgrown insect looks like an attack helicopter, the maggots look like stone eating monsters in their faces. At least as scary as Olga´s cat above.  I have red that it takes two full years for an egg to become a flying dragonfly. This spring I was protecting my frog eggs with a net so the birds would not eat them, not realizing that the real danger dwelled in the depth. ( I can understand how the dragonflies reaches my pond, but can anyone explain howcome there are two species of frogs and two species of Triturus? One is T cristatus, it looks like a minatyre Dinosaur. I have never seen Triturus outside of the water in nature, how do thet reach my pond? Do they secrety fly in night?)

This species was found on an island at the westcoast, where the water is salty. I do not know if it matters?

[Anthony Darby]

Susann, your three pictures seem to have a juvenile shield bug, a burnished brass (Diachrysia orichalcea) and a long horn beetle. The only orange one I know is Leptura rubra, but not easy to see head on.

[Susann]

Anthony, you did it again! You are right about the Diachrysia orichalcea and the juvenile Palomina prasina.  I could not tell you what is Mr Long horn is, so I totally trust you on that one too. All glory to you! Now, I have only one insect left to show,  a very nice furry little thing. Someone else will have to dare you after this one:

[Peter Maguire]

Susann,
I think I can help with your dragonflies - with the aid of a book! The first one in your garden seems to be Aeshna cyanea - known in the UK as the Southern or Blue Hawker (although they always have a lot of green on them). The second one seems to be Aeshna juncea judging by the slightly different markings on the face: I too have seen them in a similar location; two landed on my shirt, far too close for a photo, last year when I was on Vrångö Island, near Göteborg. If your island was similar, then there are small freshwater pools and marshy areas in hollows amongst the rocks which are sufficient for them to breed in.
Your frogs and Triturus (newt) species probably walked in to the pond at night, they can cover quite significant distances over land, even Triturus. We had frogs appear in a pond I constructed from a sunken half-barrel in the garden, and they presumably did the same thing from a nearby garden pond (we live in the city, no natural nearby bodies of water).

I like your latest posting of the small furry (bee?). Very cute, but no idea of what it really is though; once I'm trying to identify insects other than butterflies and dragon/damselflies, I'm 'out of my comfort zone'.

[Susann]

Peter, thank you for your help. The area where I met the second dragonfly was exactly as you described it. It was on the rather big island Tjörn next to Göteborg. I do not know how far that is fram Vrångö,.

But now I have another question: Ar you sure  that the Triturus come walking and not secretly flying in night,? They have so small legs? Are you sure they do not hide their wings in a pocket somewhere? Wouldn´t they get tired to walk long distances, I think it is a bigger effort than swim?

OK, to be serious; there must be many Triturus that walk around and do not find water and therefore die? I thought they need water to survive? Do you think it is possible for them to smell such a small amount of water as a regular garden pond from far away? Or how do they find it? Do they just walk around hoping to find a nice neighborhood, and if so, do they have the sense to return to wherever they come from before it is too late for them= too far away?  I always wanted them to come, of course, but I was very surprised when I found them when emptying the pond this spring. The other three-I found four altogether to the delight of the neighbor kids- are a different species, much smaller and darker.

I have to admit I know the genera of the furry insect, but I thought it would be more fun not telling it as you guys seem to be so good in identifying insects. ( I keep to my plants, keeps me busy enough). However, I do not know the species of our furry friend. The picture is taken in Czech Republic but the genera live here in Sweden too.

So you are interested in butterflies, Peter? Lets see if you know this one. Philip Duplock and I made the acquaintance this spring. ( Wow, Iwonder if I spelt that correctly?)

[Tim Ingram]

Great photos Susann - you are teasing us with the furry fly (only one pair of wings) - Bombylius major? - but does it pollinate pulsatillas! (probably not). My favourite has to be the Humming Bird Hawk Moth which likes salvia flowers amongst others, but I've never managed to photograph this.