31/05/2020 Lots of insects........Part 1

Maximum temperature here today 27⁰C, minimum 14⁰C.  Dry.  16km/h South-Easterly wind with gusts up to 37 km/h. 

I walked yesterday but with 25C in the shade, I only managed 6.2 km, the last loop I had planned was abandoned!

Hoverfly possibly (Episyrphus balteatus) on a Californian poppy.

Nine spot Ladybird.

Bees on the cotoneaster.

Hoverfly not the same as one above!...

In France there are around 530 different species of Hoverfly that are known to be present, this is probably (Syrphus ribesii).

As above.

Spotted Craneflies I think - (Nephrotoma appendiculata).

House centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata).

Possibly one of the stag beetles.

Bee on the blackberry blossom.

Ants on Common Vetch.

Black-veined white butterfly (Aporia crataegi).

Red admiral butterfly (vanessa atalanta).

Beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx Virgo) female.

As above male.

As above female.

A pair of River skaters (Aquarius najas).

Common clubtail dragonfly, (Gomphus vulgatissimus).

Not an insect but seen on the walk - Probably (Pelophylax lessonae).

My thanks to Richard for ID of some of the difficult (for me) insects.  If you have not visited his blog I highly recommend it.  Any mistakes on ID are very much my own as I sometimes think I know better than to ask!!!

Our local list of wild flowers

See also my

 Bird blog

23/05/2020 A few more of the insects seen around the garden and down the road.

Maximum temperature here today 19⁰C, minimum 11⁰C.  It has been raining since the early hours of this morning and it is still raining, so not measured as yet,  13km/h North-westerly wind with gusts up to 31 km/h. 

Hoverfly.

Bee in the sage.

I think this is a Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia)...

As above...

As above.

Beetle (Silpha tristis)

Possibly (Melitaea cinxia) again.

Small heath (Coenonympha pamphilus).

Bee on the sage.

Hoverfly.

Species of shield bug (Graphosoma italicum) It is also known as the Striped bug (or Italian striped bug) and Minstrel bug.

Rosemary beetle (Chrysolina Americana).

Bumblebee again in the sage - It is a popular plant when in flower 😊

I think this is a Caddisfly (order Trichoptera).

Hoverfly.

Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata).

Gendarme beetle or firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus).

Varied carpet beetle (Anthrenus verbasci) - the largest one is barely 3mm in length. (0.12 of an inch).

As above.  Photos not easy without a macro lens!!

Longhorned beetle rescued from inside the house, it did not want to leave its rescued sheet of paper.

Our local list of wild flowers

See also my

 Bird blog

01/03/2020 March has arrived with strong winds......

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 10C, minimum 7C. Rain on and off all day not measured as yet.  164mm so far this year.  36km/h South-westerly wind with gusts up to 101 km/h.  Not easy to stand up outside!!

Thank goodness I walked yesterday, I still managed to catch a light shower of rain, it was also fairly windy especially at the top of the hill.  Only 5.5 kms,  I had planned on going further but the wind put me off.  My eyes, despite wearing glasses when out still cry!

Just leaving the house I saw this old tractor heading towards me.

Looking across at the Resistance memorial.

Somebodies beehives just off the track where I walk.

Grapes still not pruned, think these are a bit late.

Cattle relaxing.

A brimstone butterfly in the woods. (Gonepteryx rhamn).

Lots of moss around.

Streams where normally there is just grass.

A track through the woods.

This is generally only a field - no water.

Lots of molehills in the foreground, they must be finding the soil a bit wet!

Peacock butterfly (Aglais io).

The 'perfume' was quite strong just here, a farmer from the next hamlet spreading compost from the cattle pens on the land ready for planting.

Heading back to the house this beetle was scurrying down the road. A leaf beetle maybe!

Pigeonnier in the garden of one of the houses in our hamlet.

Our neighbour's woodpile, they are not going to get cold!

See also my

 Bird blog