Please refer to the Introduction Page to understand the context behind the monthly photographs.
Butterflies
The Ringlet Butterflies are once again appearing in much greater numbers this year than any of the others however the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly is very scarce locally.
Moths
Dragonflies
Most Dragonflies live on average two to three weeks with six at the most.
Insects - Beetles
Insects - Flies
Insects - Bugs
This species is one of the most problematic groups to identify. The five UK species can overlap considerably in colour, markings and size.
This species is considered a pest. The adult insects overwinter in the litter, in moss or under barks. The females lay their eggs in May and June in flower buds or other plant parts. The tiny eggs are round and white and are deposited in groups. The larvae initially are small, round and bright. In the later stages the larvae are completely green and they can easily be confused with aphids. They grow quickly and are very harmful to the plants.
Spiders
The Crab Spider uses the ambush tactics of stealth and surprise rather than making a web to catch its prey. An insect flies onto a white flower to collect the nectar or pollen and this partly hidden white spider pounces. It can tackle quite big prey which it stuns with its digestive juices. (Photograph next to a raspberry.) Note - the female is more likely to be seen as she is three time the size of the tiny male.
Fungi
Slime Moulds
Just not sure on the ID but around the size of a 50p and complete colour change 3 hours later.
Rusts
Initially thought this was an insect Gall but no it's the European Pear rust. Which is a fungal disease of Pear trees causing bright orange spots on the leaves. During autumn spores are released from the growths on the underside of the Pear leaves. These are blown to nearby Juniper or similar evergreen trees which retain their leaves over the winter period. These leaves continue to nourish the fungal infection over the winter period. In the spring the fungal infection then returns back to infect the Pear trees.
Creeping Thistle Stem Gall
Creeping Thistle plant with a stem gall caused by the fruit fly Urophora cardu. This fly lays it eggs on the plant and as they hatch they burrow into the stem causing the plant to form the swollen stem galls. This gives the lavra protection until they mature and exit out of the base of the gall. Typically there are four chambers containing a single lavra in each.
Dog Rose Gall
This Gall forms on the Dog Rose plant buds and is a result of the Diplolepis Rosae gall wasp.
Walnut Leaf Gall
This Gall forms on the Walnut leaves and is a result of the Aceria erinea Mite.
Oak Galls
There are more than 30 different species of gall wasp that lay their eggs on Oak trees, and each species produces a different type of gall - essentially a protective casing that shelters the wasp larvae as they feed and grow inside.
The Oak Artichoke Gall is a result of the Andricus foecundatrix gall wasp which lays a single egg within a leaf bud. The gall developes as a chemically induced distortion of the terminal buds on pedunculate or sessile (Quercus robur or Quercus petraea) Oak trees. The lavre lives inside a smaller hard casing inside the artichoke gall and is released in the autumn.
The wrinkly mutant Oak acorns are known as Knopper Galls and are made by the Gall Wasp Andricus quercuscalicis, which looks like a tiny black fly just a few millimetres long.
The Oak Marble Gall is a result of the Andricus kollari gall wasp. The gall is attached to the twig. The gall developes as a chemically induced distortion of the leaf. The lavre lives inside and emerges in the autumn.
Lichen
Lichen are only recorded at each new OS Grid location (hover for Grid Ref). They are then entered on the British Lichen Society spreadsheet and submitted for their Warwickshire VC38 Lichen database and Lichen mapping.
Usnea esperantiana was first recorded in VC38 last year. This is the second recording about 1kM to the North of the first location.
Ones that escaped the camera lens this month
a) Roe Deer with Fawn
b) Two Muntjac Deer Fawns