Wildlife summer 2012

[Roma]

The bats are back.  Living room windows all streaked with bat pee.

[Anthony Darby]

Reminds me of the robin moth Ron. I've bred most of the "Moths of the Limberlost", and one or two more besides.

[annew]

To my shame, I have yet to catch a narcissus fly. Is the slow approach  better than a quick swipe?
Good news - 3 swifts around yesterday, an 2 of them went into our boxes!!! We now have cameras in all our boxes, but they are not wired up yet...

[ronm]

Spot on Anthony, Hyalophora cecropia.

[Armin]

To my shame, I have yet to catch a narcissus fly. Is the slow approach  better than a quick swipe?

Hi Anne,
a slow approach is much better I found out. You can even put the fish net over the margerite flower with the narcissus fly feeding on without causing a flee reflex. A bit stupid behavior luckly
You can't do that with other similar looking insects i.g. Eristalis tenax. They flee immediately one approaches.
I caught another 14 narcissus flies in the todays early afternoon with the described method.
The flies are the most active in full sunshine.

[ArnoldT]

Eastern eyed click beetle
Alaus oculata

[Armin]

Arnold,
an interesting looking species.
Is it common or a rare one?
Which length does it have?

[Maggi Young]

Not something I am familiar with... so I go a -ggogling... and find very contradictory information.... see the two examples below.... 

http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek010515.html
Click Beetles--like bees, ants, butterflies, and some other insect orders--undergo a four-stage (complete) metamorphosis that includes the egg, larva (AKA "grub"), pupa, and adult. Although adults are harmless, Click Beetle larvae cause significant agricultural and horticultural damage. Click Beetle grubs--also known as "wireworms" because of their elongated shape and hard exoskeletons (above right)--live in soil or dead wood for two to ten years, depending on the species. During that time, they chow down on roots and stems-- including those attached to corn, potatoes, tobacco, turf grasses, garden ornamentals, and a variety of legumes.

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-52_big-eyed_elater.htm
Common Name:
Eyed Elater
Other Common Names:    Big-eyed Elater and Eyed Click Beetle
Genus / Species:
Alaus oculatus
Size:    Adults 1½ inch; larva up to 2 inches long
Type of Beneficial:
Insect Predator
Type of Metamorphosis:
Immature stages appear different from adults (i.e., complete metamorphosis)
Beneficial Stage(s):
Larval stages are predators
Prey:
Larva are ferocious meat-eaters that dines on many other noxious wood-boring larvae, including those of wood-boring beetles.

[ronm]

The larvae of Alaus oculatus are predators of other larvae. Other 'Click Beetle' larvae, such as Agriotes mancus are serious pests of crops.
I'd say some confusion on the part of the people at Hilton pond.

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Ron

[ronm]

Anytime Maggi,    ( Negastrius pulchellus is one that you might like to know )

We have a  good number of species here in the UK, and they even have their own website, 

Just click here, 

http://elateridae.co.uk/

[ArnoldT]

Of the question really is who is the beetle trying to look like with those spots.  Just any old snake to deter predation.

[mark smyth]

I've got a new pet called Tulisa the tick. How do I get rid of her

[Maggi Young]

I've got a new pet called Tulisa the tick. How do I get rid of her

Drop surgical spirit on the back of her neck. That should get her to let go.

[mark smyth]

THanks