wildlife

[Anthony Darby]

Il dort. 

[arillady]

A new joey to hop around the garden.

[Maggi Young]

This critter  pic passed via twitter- query is it a hornet?
In UK -



Some sort of fly?

[Guus]

Volucella zonaria?
Big hoverfly?

Greetings, Guus

[Maggi Young]

Looks like that , Guus, thank you.

[brianw]

This spring I planted a "Gorgeous" crab apple tree. It is now covered in fruit so heavy that the young branches are bent over, and I have had to tie one up to try and preserve a leader, but the other problem is it has no leaves left. A quick look this morning found the culprit.
Is my identification correct? It was 2 - 2 1/2" or so long. Coming home this evening it has gone so can't take any more photos.

[Anthony Darby]

I would say eyed hawk moth caterpillar.

[Guus]

I agree with the last diagnose.

Greetings, Guus

[brianw]

Thank you for the correction. I have not come across either before knowingly. Found it again this morning and have transferred it to a large old apple tree, with an endless supply of food for it.

[annew]

Good instructions for making bumblebee nests on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website here:
http://bumblebeeconservation.org/news/anthonys-blog/making-bumblebee-nest-spaces?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=E-newsletter+August+2014&utm_content=E-newsletter+August+2014+CID_5310cebc9e098397e5b419342bc92338&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Click%20here

Can I remind you with silly season coming up that if you enter Amazon (the web shop not the rainforest) through the BCT's site, 8% of the value of your total shop will go to the bumblebees! Use the link below, and use it as your link to enter Amazon. About time some of their profits went  to something useful!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=bumblebeecons-21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738

[johnstephen29]

Could anyone tell me what species this moth is please, it was on my window a couple of weeks ago. As you can see from the photo it has lovely markings, these moths give the butterflies a run for these money, there not all plain to look at.


image by johnstephen29, on Flickr


image by johnstephen29, on Flickr

[Matt T]

Hi John, your moth is a Light Orange Underwing Archiearis notha.

[Anthony Darby]

I would say red underwing (Catocala nupta). This is a seriously big moth.

[Guus]

I do agree with Anthony again.
Catocala species.

Greetings, Guus

[Matt T]

I clearly underestimated the scale of this beastie