September Sunshine
With a bit of Autumn sunshine and temperatures around 20 C, there’s a sudden burst of insect activity. Presumably this is the insects getting ready for winter. Another ichneumon wasp, looking very like Ichneumon extensorius to me. A first Common Plume Moth (Emmelina monodactyla) found in the kitchen window this morning. A rather fine Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina), species #350 on the list. Finally a new Harvestman, Dicranopalpus ramosus, an odd looking spider originating in North Africa, but now spreading across Europe & UK. Apart from these there’s a few remaining Large White and Red Admiral butterflies about, bees and drone-flies on the Michaelmas Daisies, Cross Spiders on every bush and the resident Grey Squirrels are busy hiding walnuts from nextdoor’s garden all over the place. It’s a nice time to be around the garden.