Wildlife mid 2009

[Armin]

The moth is a Large Thorn (Ennomos autumnaris), which I have not seen ins Scotland. The larvae feed on hawthorn. The fly is a fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), though why it's there is anyone's guess!

Many thanks for prompt IDs

[mark smyth]

Despite three weeks of sunshine over here I have seen very few butterflies.

Your clouded have very nice green eyes

[fermi de Sousa]

Here's something a bit bigger than a butterfly; our "friendly" echidna "Errol" (unless it's actually an "Edna") quite intriquing to young Lachie!






But this is the sort of damage he can do in the rock garden!




cheers
fermi

[Gunilla]

That is a funny looking animal  but shame about the damage in your rock garden, Fermi.    I hope Lachie is sensible enough to keep a safe distance to those spines.   

[fermi de Sousa]

  I hope Lachie is sensible enough to keep a safe distance to those spines.   

Yes, he lives up to his Scottish heritage by being very canny and careful and gave the pointy end of the echidna a wide berth.
cheers
fermi

[Tony Willis]

Tony,
nice shots.
The first hoverfly looks like Eristalis tenax (Mistbiene), the second Helophilus pendulus (Gemeine Sumpfschwebfliege).
Sorry don't know English common names.

Armin thank you,I do not know any names other than hover fly so every little helps

[mark smyth]

I dont know my hoverflies either.

About 15 years ago the insect expert in the Ulster Museum told me "forget bats and make a name for yourself studying hoverflies"

[Arykana]

[Ragged Robin]

After a quiet spell the butterflies are back looking for late flowers and finding Asters in my rockery. This Painted Lady was parading its colours and was so perfect it must have just hatched.... a Clouded Yellow is proving more elusive but is so fabulous I am hoping to see it again on the dark purple Aster 

[Maggi Young]

A butterfly is lovely from any angle, I know... but that side view where the colour patches and veining make it look as though it has been perfectly crafted in stained glass is just FAB!!

[Ragged Robin]

'Fab' is just the word to describe it Maggi - a word not used enough today!  This butterfly could have been strolling the day away down Carnaby Street and turning a few heads 

[Paddy Tobin]

Robin,

I have a photographs of a very young self, dressed ever so stylishly in purple flairs and purple turtleneck, walking down Carnaby St., late '60s or early '70s. Fab or what!

Paddy

[mark smyth]

let's see Paddy. I had red flares in the 70's, denim bell bottoms with an inset of a different colour on the bell, skinners, Birmingham bags, Gatsby Jumpers, yellow Paisley shirts ....

[Ragged Robin]

Paddy & Mark what Fab memories - I had to giggle    Flower Power is still here today - in our gardens 

[Anthony Darby]

I tried to thumb a lift from Stirling to Callander late one Saturday night in the early 70s (I'd already walked the two mile from the Westerton Arms in Bridge of Allan to Stirling). I was wearing a pair of high-heeled snaked skin shoes. I eventually took them off and walked in my socks because my feet were killing me! 14 miles and four hours later, at four in the morning, I got a lift for the last 2 miles from a couple of fishermen heading north. They apologised for being late, but they'd had a rest at Southwaite, otherwise they'd have been there a couple of hours earlier!