Hay Wood

It was a disappointingly dull weekend when I was hoping for some good sunshine but I decided on a trip to Hay Wood again to see what was about.

Hoverfly - Helophilus pendulus

One of my favourite hoverflies. I have not seen any in the garden but Hay Wood seems to be  a good spot for them.

Flesh Fly - Sarcophaga carnaria

A very large and striking Blow Fly. Very common.

Sloe Shieldbug - Dolycoris baccarum

Spotted him on the top of a thistle and on closer inspection found this on an adjoining thistle....

Corizus hyoscyami

This unusual orange bug is actually another Shieldbug This isn't the best picture I got of him as he is slightly obscured by parts of the thistle but I am using it as when I was processing it I noticed another creature (bottom right) which I hadn't noticed out in the field.

The clue to what it is is in the previous picture, it is Sloe Bug Nymph. So that may be its parent!

Figwort Sawfly - Tenthredo scrophulariae

I recognised this one instantly as I had seen one in the garden, briefly, earlier in the year and whilst I had grabbed a shot then it was not very good and I was glad to get the chance to get a better shot. They don't sit still for long though!.

Longhorn Beetle - Strangalia maculata

I have also seen a a lot of these this year but usually on something like Hogweed but I think they look good against the purple of the Thistle head. As do a lot of insects so it is a good time of year to get pictures.

Conopid Fly - Physocephala rufipes

This one I haven't seen before and I fell into the same trap as the last Conopid I saw. Is it a wasp? Is it some kind of Hover? Bee? Ichneumon? Well I got there in the end....

Cimbicid Sawfly - Zaraea fasciata

Yes it is a sawfly but like the Conopid before it took me some time to get there. In the field I thought it was a Bee. I've kind of been avoiding photographing Bees this year as I struggle to get a decent picture and then I struggle on the ID. This one looked a bit unusual however and maybe distinctive enough to get a positive (and easyish) ID so I took a few shots. Not a brilliant picture so you can see why I avoid them, but whilst it is Bee like it is also unlike a Bee in some ways. For a start it is not very hairy, the abdomen is shiny even. The antennae also look wrong somehow and that was actually the best pointer to what it is. The antennae are clearly "club" shaped at the end and that is a characteristic feature of this family of Sawfly.