Wildlife summer 2012

[Armin]

Nice orange tip male, Stephen.

A challenge - narcissus flies are out. Caught 6 yesterday and 18   today.
In spite of deep frost in February which caused dremendous losses on many of my bulbs and corms it seems more flies then ever have survived.

It is quite easy to catch one with a little fish net. While the flies rest on the marguerites and eat pollen I carefully approach and slowly throw my little fishnet over the flower. I continously hold the bottom of my net with 2 fingers of my left hand to form a funnel. The flies always try to escape to the top when being disturbed. When the fly reaches the top of the funnel I turn the net by 90° and it is caught. Then they make the typical sound.
A quick squeeze and they go to the happy hunting-grounds.

[mark smyth]

Very well done Armin. I have not seen one here but there is still time

[Armin]

Mark,
I wonder of the great amount of flies I found because in my garden only a few narcissus survived previous infestations.

I assume either they invade from other gardens or they have hatched from infestated ornithogallums?
I've noticed a quite reduction of flowering Ornithogallum nutans in my meadow.
Does anybody know narcissus flies investate ornithogallums?

My galanthus clumps flowered bigger then ever and foliage is wilted already when the flies mate, so I assume this is not the main source.

[mark smyth]

Armin I think they are in your garden for the food source nut not for the grubs. Pollen and nectar for the adults

[Gerdk]

Whatever became of our hunting ancestors? They killed bears, wolves and deer -
and now?   tiny flies!   

Excuse me - can`t resist   

[Stephenb]

For Mark: I can report that Swifts have reached their northernmost breeding grounds! Have to find that CD and annoy the neighbours again! Come to think of it, it's a pleasanter sound than the silly strimmer thing one of them uses....I'm a scythe man myself!

[Anthony Darby]

No bears and wolves left, so there are now too many deer, so no skill needed. Catching bulb flies is a great skill and confers legendary status.

[fredg]

One for the lepidopterists amongst us.

These moths have been around for a week now.

Their antennae are very very long.

ID please... if the photo is good enough

[ronm]

Micro moths are very tricky from photographs. I'm thinking one of the Elachista sp., possibly the grass leaf miner, E. canapennella.. There are a number of moths that are similar when seen like this however. Could even be a Mompha sp., especially if Willowherbs are abundant.

The antennae are very long though. Have you noticed any larval webs around Fred?

[fredg]

I've been googling Ron

How does Adela reaumurella grab you?

[ronm]

Great call on Adela sp. Fred. I didn't pick up on the metallic bronze / green forewings on your original pic. but you've seen more of these than me,  . If it has this metallic element to the scales, then it must be A. reaumurella. A lovely micro moth,

Grabs me by the leaf litter Fred,

[fredg]

It's those antennae, looks really strange when they're dancing in a group and the sun catches them.
It's a wonder they stay upright with those things on their heads.

[ronm]

The 'long horn moths'. A good number have these long antennae and not just of the Genus Adela. However, if the wings are metallic then A.reaumurella is good, although Nemophora metallica would also perhaps fit that bill, . I trust your original call though Fred as you can have the real thing in front of you and verify all characteristics, .
Micro moths -  ' a whole new world' 

[ronm]

Although, ..... these head attachments take some beating, but not in UK,

[Armin]

Whatever became of our hunting ancestors? They killed bears, wolves and deer -
and now?   tiny flies!   
Excuse me - can`t resist   

Gerd,
another 10 wild buzzing biests culled today! Maybe they are a good bait for fly fishing?

Mark,
I hope you are right but I saw today one hatching from my meadow ground. I'm getting more convinced they infested the ornithogallums.