Shotesham TM2499

Onwards ever onwards. A few successes, and a number of failures. Or rather, failures to resolve things to species level, but still educational I suppose to identify spiders to Tegenaria sp, Philodromus sp and Amaurobius sp. And perhaps I'm just expecting a bit much, this early in the year - need to be patient. Oh, also failed to convince myself on the identification of an earthworm too - probably Lumbricus sp. but not terribly confident.

However, things I have added to the list have been...

Sepedophilus testaceus - that little staphylinid beetle I photographed last week, happy this can now be named to species (see comment on previous post if interested)

Calliphora vicina - a blowfly on the outside of a house window in a brief sunny spell. Fully keyed using Erzinclioglu (Naturalists Handbook) - I did get a bit stuck on working out what the basicosta really was, until I found an excellent discussion of the very same problem at http://www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/t509-Calliphora-query.html.

Canada Goose and Greylag Goose - at last, a mixed flock flew over the house a few days ago. Still waiting for Egyptian and Barnacle though, both highly likely.

Geophilus electricus - a centipede with 67 pairs of legs (count 'em!) under a log

Anchomenus dorsalis - found a cluster of about six of these ACE little carabid beetles under a piece of concrete on the edge of a wood/field. Didn't get a photo, but here's one by someone else - what a brilliant little beetle!

Cryptops hortensis  - another centipede, this one with 21 pairs of legs - in dead wood in the little patch of alder carr

Hairy Bittercress - finally found one with enough of a flower to count the four stamens.

Finally, I think I may have identified my first ever "money spider". Iain Downie kindly lent me the "proper" big spider books, and a tiny weeny little spider from the common appears to be a species of Erigone, and to my eyes looks closest to male E longipalpis (which apparently likes wet areas, such as where I found it in marshy stuff along the streamside). This will go to Iain for confirmation before adding to the list though as it seems a bit ambitious to be naming such things!

Moth trap on tonight, and it's snowing lightly so not hopeful. There's a few midgey things flying but I haven't worked out whether it's worth looking at these yet... 212 the score.