my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

Scotch argus img 019. Brown argus checks survey, img 0144. Brimstone img 1638. Grayling img 3471.

[ian mcdonald]

Too much haste, img 3471 is an unknown beetle (longhorn?) Grayling is img 020.

[Anthony Darby]

Interesting stool the Scotch argus is sitting on. 

[Natalia]

Spring spider

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Anthony, it was left by a sheep, not me.

[ian mcdonald]

Could someone ID these dragons? img 1899, hawker? img. 1935, partner of the previous? img. 0182, chaser? img. 0180 ?

[Anthony Darby]

First one may be a male Aeshna cyanea and the second a female A. mixta and the last one a male A. mixta? Not sure about the third one. Either Pantala flavescens or Sympetrum flaveolum, which has yellow patches near the base of its wings.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Anthony, here are some caterpillars. img 3175, northern eggar? img 2820?    img 004, on hemlock water dropwort.   img 3973 on mullein.

[ian mcdonald]

Any answers to these? img 2814. img 2785. img 2861. img 001, slime mould?

[ian mcdonald]

Garden spider, Araneus diadematus, img 3320. Araneus quadratus? img 1480. Spider in pine wood, img 1057. Someones home img 1483.

[ian mcdonald]

Sunbathing snake img 00038. Inflated toad tries to swallow snake img 0052. Sober newt img 3301. We wondered why its mother only walked a few steps away and stopped, then we nearly stepped on the fawn. Dogs are allowed on this National Nature Reserve, img 039.

[Anthony Darby]

Garden spider, Araneus diadematus, img 3320. Araneus quadratus? img 1480. Spider in pine wood, img 1057. Someones home img 1483.

The home looks like an emperor moth cocoon.

[Chris Johnson]

Hi Ian

Yes to Northern Eggar
2820 - Dot Moth
Can't see enough detail on 004
3973 - Most likely Satyr Pug although other Pug larvae are similar.

[Chris Johnson]

Ian - When taking fungi it's helpful to included details of habitat and substrate.

2814 - Most likely is Meadow Coral (Clavulinopsis corniculata) although there are similar members of the Clavariaceae
2785 - Most likely  Redlead Roundhead (Leratiomyces ceres) (a shot of the stipe (stem) would be useful).
2861 - Ascocoryne cylichnium or Ascocoryne sarcoides. Needs microscopy to determine but tree species may help.
001 - Charmingly called Dog Sick Slime Mould - (Mucilago crustacea). The plasmodium stage which starts off white and turns yellow with age.

[Matt T]

Garden spider, Araneus diadematus, img 3320. Araneus quadratus? img 1480. Spider in pine wood, img 1057. Someones home img 1483.

Hi Ian,
Unlike your familiar A. diadematus and A. quadratus, most spiders are quite difficult to identify to species level unless you can examine a sexually mature specimen under a microscope. However, I'll stick my neck out here and suggest that your spider in pine wood is the nursery web spider, Pisaura mirabilis.