Monday, December 31, 2018

Horsey Corner - Happy New Year to you all

Still beavering away at some tubes, plus a few additions for things I've seen this year but hadn't added them to the list, so now over 2,100 species. I reckon I've got over a hundred new species still to identify, mainly but not exclusively parasitic hymenoptera and micro-moths that need dissecting, so the final total could be in excess of 2,200.

Favourite sightings of the year? Well, I know you've seen these photos before, but the sightings of Swallowtail butterflies in my garden (one in June and one in August) were stunning, what fabulous creatures.



Here are the latest additions for the year:

2083 Tenthredopsis litterata Hymenoptera Symphyta
2084 Empis stercorea Diptera Empididae
2085 Triarthria setipennis Diptera Tachinidae
2086 Operophtera brumata Lepidoptera:moths Winter Moth
2087 Falco columbarius Birds Merlin
2088 Syntormon bicolorellum Diptera Dolichopodidae
2089 Cetema neglectum Diptera Chloropidae
2090 Notiophilus palustris Coleoptera Carabidae
2091 Chlorops planifrons Diptera Chloropidae
2092 Ramonda spathulata Diptera Tachinidae
2093 Lasioglossum minutissimum Hymenoptera Least Furrow Bee
2094 Anobium punctatum Coleoptera Ptinidae
2095 Hydrotaea militaris Diptera Muscidae
2096 Javesella dubia Hemipteroids Delphacidae
2097 Argyra argentina Diptera Dolichopodidae
2098 Platycheirus peltatus Diptera Syrphidae
2099 Lumbricus terrestris Annelid Worms Common Earthworm
2100 Tetragnatha extensa Arachnids Spider
2101 Bryum capillare Bryophytes Capillary Thread-moss
2102 Phragmidium violaceum Fungi Rust fungus on Rubus
2103 Cyphon hilaris Coleoptera Scirtidae
2104 Opomyza florum Diptera Opomyzidae
2105 Agriphila selasella Lepidoptera:moths Pale-streak Grass-veneer
2106 Eucosma hohenwartiana Lepidoptera:moths Bright Bell

Friday, December 28, 2018

Last update for 2018

Finished the year at Thorne on 1009 species. I am certainly happy with that but hope to do even better next year.

Next year I plan to do the Thorne square again plus a square near Bridport, SY 46 93.

Hopefully a few more people will attempt the challenge and if you are keen on Pan Species Listing really looking hard, at everything, in just one square adds a surprising amount of new species. At Thorne this year 148 of the 1009 species were PSL lifers for example.

Finally good to meet up with all the other challengers earlier this year, and thanks to Andy for hosting the webpage.

Hope you all have a fantastic 2019.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Dalgety Bay - that Ot-ter do it

Seasons greetings to all!

As my working year draws swiftly to a close I'm going to sign off on 2018. Preparations are well under way for two squares in 2019.

I shall be visiting my old and most faithful patch Cullaloe (Cul-LA-loe) Reservoir SWT reserve - blog: Cataloguing Cullaloe. I hope to get to 1500 there partially since I know where a lot of the stuff is already. I'll be looking to add a couple of 100 species to the list though, especially since I didn't really do flies there before.

I'll also be throwing in my number one vismigging site at Inverkeithing - blog: Divit Watch. Inverkeithing is known locally as The Divit, no idea why! It's much closer to my work and accessible more easily at lunchtimes. I've seen some cracking things there before including the below otter, Leach's Petrel, Pilot Whales (the latter not in the square though).

So I'll declare at 1404, and not being really competition inclined I won't make any attempt to get past 1407 until I can do it properly - my Cullaloe target will be 1500. If I do come across a waxwing I'll add it, though it may be next year before I can (out of office).

It's been a lot of fun and particularly our meeting on Skye. Everyone made it over 1000 and as for Tim's total it gave me that Andy Murray feeling - I could only "win" if the proper good players were injured! Well played, everyone.

Here's an old favourite from Inverkeithing:


Until next time!

Numbers:
1400 * fungus Ascochyta pseudacorus A pyrenomycete fungus
1401 fungus Xylaria longipes Dead Moll's Fingers
1402 lep-moth Epiritta dilutata November Moth
1403 * fungus Plagiostoma inclinata A fungus
1404 * flowering plant Ilex x altaclerensis Highclere Holly

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Oh you pretty things...

A few nice little flies ID'd recently, plus more rummaging about in tubes.

One of the things I've been pleased about is the number of hymenoptera recorded in the square this year, now up to 160 species. However, I do have at a guess another 50 species of parasitic hymenoptera awaiting identification. This will take a significant amount of time and effort as they are largely new to me, and I'm a bit trepidatious as to how many will ever be identified. Still, I thought that about diptera a couple of years ago and the clouds of unknowing have dissipated with many of them, so I live in hope.

Rivellia syngenesiae

Hybos culiciformis

Pipunculus tenuirostris

2064 Quedius fumatus Coleoptera Staphylinidae
2066 Enochrus quadripunctatus Coleoptera Hydrophilidae
2067 * Phaonia serva Diptera Muscidae
2068 * Platypalpus optivus Diptera Hybotidae
2069 * Sphaerophoria taeniata Diptera Syrphidae
2070 * Ornithomya avicularia Diptera Hippoboscidae
2071 Paracorixa concinna Hemipteroids Lesser Water Boatman sp.
2072 * Pipunculus tenuirostris Diptera Pipunculidae
2073 * Hybos culiciformis Diptera Hybotidae
2074 * Paracoenia fumosa Diptera Ephydridae
2075 * Chrysopa commata RSO Lacewing
2076 Hercostomus nigriplantis Diptera Dolichopodidae
2077 Rivellia syngenesiae Diptera Signal-fly
2078 * Scolytus rugulosus Coleoptera Curculionidae: Scolytus
2079 Diodontus minutus Hymenoptera Pemphredoninae
2080 * Mycophaga testacea Diptera Anthomyiidae
2081 * Passaloecus corniger Hymenoptera Crabronidae
2082 Pemphredon lugubris Hymenoptera Crabronidae

Friday, December 7, 2018

Dalgety Bay - not quite done yet

After a long session of rain some fungi have started to emerge, allowing me to take my PSL list to 600. I was doubtful about the Leucoagaricus but fortunately finding it coincided with meeting a friend who was able to verify it. It's more of a greenhouse species so to find it growing outside in Scotland is a decent record.

So I should make 1400 tonight with a following wind

Leucoagaricus badhamii - Blushing Dapperling
Pluteus salicinus - microscope pic of cystidia

Numbers:
1393 fungus Coprinopsis lagopus Hare's Foot Inkcap
1394 mollusc Deroceros reticulatum  Netted Field Slug
1395 fungus Lepista nuda Wood Blewit
1396 fungus Mycena vitilis Snapping Bonnet
1397 * fungus Pluteus salicinus A mushroom
1398 * fungus Leucoagaricus badhamii Blushing Dapperling
1399 fungus Cantharellus cibarius Chanterelle

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Juniper Shieldbug

Formerly a rare shieldbug on Juniper in southern counties, these are now widespread in Norfolk, having undergone a big range expansion in the past few years, although this one was the first I've seen in the square.


And a few more:

2044 Cheilosia proxima Diptera Syrphidae
2045 Liopterus haemorrhoidalis Coleoptera Dytiscinae
2046 Bembidion fumigatum Coleoptera Carabidae
2047 Psectra diptera RSO Brown Lacewing
2048 Macrolophus rubi Hemipteroids Mirid Bug
2049 Sigara dorsalis Hemipteroids Lesser Water Boatman sp.
2050 Chrysoperla lucasina RSO Lacewing
2051 Eupteryx decemnotata Hemipteroids Cicadellidae
2052 Exorista rustica Diptera Tachinidae
2053 Tipula scripta Diptera Tipulidae
2054 Dicranomyia modesta Diptera Cranefly
2055 Hylemya vagans Diptera Anthomyiidae
2056 Notiphila cinerea Diptera Ephydridae
2057 Mesopsocus immunis Hemipteroids Barkfly
2058 Parasteatoda lunata Arachnids Theridiidae (Achaearanea lunata)
2059 Theridion varians Arachnids Theridiidae
2060 Peripsocus phaeopterus Hemipteroids Barkfly
2061 Sciapus platypterus Diptera Dolichopodidae
2062 Enoplognatha ovata Arachnids Theridiidae
2063 Cyphostethus tristriatus Hemipteroids Juniper Shieldbug

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Dalgety Bay - turning over an old leaf

A moderately productive period given the time of year and amount of effort being put in. Tidying up my study has turned up my 11th tachinid of the year in Voria ruralis - equal to last year's tally. It's been recorded in the county but not by me so another one on the list with a tick beside it. This poor specimen has been languishing on a pin since September! (this isn't as long as the pipunculid I have waiting for me, which against all the odds still has its head)

It was nice also to find a mature male Polydesmus angustus millipede in some leaf litter bothering. It's noted as widespread and common in the county but I haven't knowingly seen it before. Luckily I was able to overcome my aversion to millipedes enough to pot a couple. Not that I'm afraid of millipedes. I just feel like I have a low success rate with IDs and I find them mysteriously frustrating.

I had put my moth gear in the loft because of a planned garage conversion but since it's now not happening until January I might have to retrieve it to have a go at picking up some of the few commonish winter moths

(On reviewing and combining species lists from Dalgety Bay and adding some historic ones I discovered that I had recorded Chestnut moth THREE times this year. I know it's not exactly memorable, but still. Also a double count of Swallow-tailed Moth leaves me actually at 1389)

Polydesmus angustus


Voria ruralis

Numbers:
1383 * fungus Uncinula bicornis A mildew
1384 fungus Melanotus horizontalis A fungus
1385 diptera Phytomyza chaerophylli An agromyzid fly
1386 slime mould Physarum globuliferum A slime mould
1387 * millipede Polydesmus angustus A flat-backed millipede
1388 fungus Panaeolus fimicola A mushroom
1389 fungus Phoma samararum A fungus
1390 coleoptera Quedius fumatus A rove beetle
1391 * diptera Chromatomyia lonicerae An agromyzid fly
1392 * diptera Voria ruralis A tachinid fly

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Over the line

Its taken a couple of weeks to get the last few but now on 1002.
The totals by groups were as follows; Mammals 12, Birds 65, Amphibians 3, Fish 1, Odonata 13, Orthoptera 7, Hemiptera 34, Butterflies 22, Moths 218, Coleoptera 33, Hymenoptera 47, Diptera 54, Insects RSO 4, Molluscs 19, Spiders 19, Crustacea 6, Annelids 5, Plants 303, Bryophytes 24, Fungi 81, Slime moulds 1, and Lichen 31.

Very pleased to have finally got there and will keep adding a few until the end of the year. But mostly now planning to smash this total next year!

Grassland fungi still way down on last year - due to the drought? - so could still add a few there. And this weeks photo is of another sort of fungus.

                                                  Conifer Conecap

Friday, November 16, 2018

Dalgety Bay - forays in the fifth kingdom

A little bit of this and that to add to the tally. Thinking I really should make the effort to get to 1400. It's easy to see where additions are coming from but it might help to find a nice mature collection of grass cuttings somewhere in the square.

Steccherinum ochraceum

Numbers:
1373 fungus Vuilleminia comedens A corticioid fungus
1374 fungus Merismodes anomala A fungus
1375 * fungus Steccherinum ochraceum Ochre Spreading Tooth
1376 fungus Gloeothele lactescens A corticioid fungus
1377 coleoptera Cychrus caraboides A ground beetle
1378 * fungus Mycena tenerrima A mushroom
1379 flowering plant Euphorbia helioscopia Sun spurge
1380 * fungus Erysiphe ranunculi A mildew
1381 * fungus Puccinia deschampsiae A rust fungus
1382 * fungus Erysiphe biocellata A mildew

The garden of earthly delights

Still adding new species pretty regularly, a combination of new species (mainly from the garden) and stuff from the freezer. My garden list for the year has now reached 1606, not bad for an area that is 0.02% of the 1 km square. The best sighting away from the garden has been a couple of Tundra Bean Geese, although I've been slightly disappointed not to get Rough-legged Buzzard in the square so far as there has been up to four in adjacent parts of the Horsey area.

Anyway, here's a list of the new ones:

2002 Limnephilus affinis Caddis Caddis Fly
2003 Cercyon quisquilius Coleoptera Water scavenger beetle
2004 Helina abdominalis Diptera Muscidae
2005 Enochrus bicolor Coleoptera Hydrophilidae
2006 Lygus maritimus Hemipteroids Mirid Bug
2007 Cercyon marinus Coleoptera Water scavenger beetle
2008 Oedothorax apicatus Arachnids Linyphiidae
2009 Xylaria hypoxylon Fungi Candle Snuff Fungus
2010 Stereum hirsutum Fungi Hairy Curtain Crust
2011 Chondrostereum purpureum Fungi Silverleaf Fungus
2012 Athalia lugens Hymenoptera Symphyta
2013 Scathophaga inquinata Diptera Scathophagidae
2014 Peripsocus subfasciatus Hemipteroids Barkfly
2015 Stenopsocus immaculatus Hemipteroids Barkfly
2016 Phytocoris tiliae Hemipteroids Miridae
2017 Deraeocoris lutescens Hemipteroids Mirid Bug
2018 Valenzuela flavidus Hemipteroids Barkfly
2019 Anthomyza collini Diptera Anthomyzidae
2020 Chlorops pumilionis Diptera Chloropidae
2021 Phaonia incana Diptera Muscidae
2022 Poecilocampa populi Lepidoptera:moths December Moth
2023 Ichneumon suspiciosus Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae
2024 Megophthalmus scabripennis Hemipteroids Cicadellidae
2025 Sarcophaga aratrix Diptera Sarcophagidae
2026 Pegomya vanduzeei Diptera Anthomyiidae
2027 Hemerobius lutescens Lacewing Brown Lacewing
2028 Nephrotoma cornicina Diptera Cranefly
2029 Dichochrysa flavifrons Lacewing Lacewing
2030 Mordellistena humeralis Coleoptera Mordellidae
2031 Lygocoris pabulinus Hemipteroids Common Green Capsid
2032 Plagiognathus chrysanthemi Hemipteroids Mirid Bug
2033 Phaonia trimaculata Diptera Muscidae
2034 Buathra laborator/tarsoleuca Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae
2035 Phaonia valida Diptera Muscidae
2036 Setacera aurata/trina Diptera Ephydridae
2037 Lamproscatella sibilans Diptera Ephydridae
2038 Myospila meditabunda Diptera Muscidae
2039 Anser fabalis Birds Tundra Bean Goose
2040 Tromatobia lineatoria Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae
2041 Erannis defoliaria Lepidoptera:moths Mottled Umber
2042 Udea ferrugalis Lepidoptera:moths Rusty-dot Pearl
2043 Ophion obscuratus Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae

Monday, November 5, 2018

Skye - 1200 and all out

Managed to do the unthinkable last week and broke my laptop, so here I am with a brand new hard-drive and no copy of the spreadsheet I was using to keep tabs of my 1KSQ yearlist. Arse.

Anyway, I was on 1196 species before the crash. Stuff I know I haven't seen thus far in 2018 are

1197 - Clavariadelphus fistulosa - a fungus on Alder branches
1198 - Stigmella microtheriella - larva found within mine on Hazel leaf
1199 - Woodruff - small patch found in wet ravine area, first in the tetrad for 28yrs apparently
1200 - Waxwing - 1 noisily trilling as it flew over the hotel. 

So that's me hanging up my 1KSQ boots for the rest of the season. I don't think I'll try again next year, though that may change once The Listing Fever kicks in again on 1st Jan! 

It's been a blast, folks. Thank you all for the myriad hints and tips and random stuff that you've shared this past year, I've learned absolutely masses. And if anybody wants to come over to NG3963 and show me Hazel Gloves that'd be 'marvellous' coz I sure as hell can't find it, though the habbo is ideal in places.

Tim - 2K, what can I say - you're astonishing!
Ali - gonna be a hard push to hit 1500, reckon you'll make it?
Pete - welcome to the 1K Club buddy! OK, so you have 6 more to get, but you'll do that no worries!




Sunday, November 4, 2018

In other news

Although most eyes of been fixed - and quite rightly so - on Hal and his amazing exploits in Norfolk progress has also been made at Thorne. 10 species added to the list this week (although in fact 6 of them were from correctly updating the sub-totals in to the main total which I had somehow overlooked)
So now on 994 for the year.
And a couple of photos
                                            Oak Bracket

                                            Mottle Umber

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

2001 - a 1 km square odyssey

Still needed a few more this afternoon to get to the 2000 mark, so got a tube out the freezer dated August 3rd, with various specimens from the moth trap in the garden - and a good tube it was, with a nationally scarce saltmarsh carabid and a second record of Amara majuscula, which I recorded as new to Britain in the garden in 2015, plus a few other things new for the year. Have also been looking at a few parasitic hymenoptera recently.

Pogonus littoralis in the garden - a nationally scarce saltmarsh carabid

Syrphoctonus tarsatorius - Ichneumonidae

Probolus culpatorius - Ichneumoninae

Here are the new ones:

1976 Laccaria laccata Fungi The Deceiver
1977 Euphorbia lathyris Vascular Plants Caper Spurge
1978 * Ptenidium pusillum Coleoptera Ptiliidae
1979 Javesella pellucida Hemipteroids Delphacidae (Planthopper)
1980 * Monophadnoides geniculatus Hymenoptera Symphyta: Tenthredinidae
1981 * Eccoptomera longiseta Diptera Heleomyzidae
1982 * Fannia polychaeta Diptera Fanniidae
1983 Ophion parvulus Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae
1984 Tasgius globulifer Coleoptera Staphylinidae
1985 Quedius humeralis Coleoptera Staphylinidae
1986 * Syrphoctonus tarsatorius Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae
1987 Hypholoma fasciculare Fungi Sulphur Tuft
1988 Branta leucopsis Birds Barnacle Goose
1989 Morellia aenescens Diptera Muscidae
1990 * Cladius pallipes Hymenoptera Symphyta: Tenthredinidae
1991 * Passaloecus singularis Hymenoptera Crabronidae
1992 * Metellina merianae Arachnids Tetragnathidae
1993 * Verrallia aucta Diptera Pipunculidae
1994 Neuroctena anilis Diptera Dryomizidae
1995 * Athalia cordata Hymenoptera Symphyta
1996 * Probolus culpatorius Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae
1997 Hesperocorixa sahlbergi Hemipteroids Water Boatman sp.
1998 * Pogonus littoralis Coleoptera Carabidae
1999 Amara majuscula Coleoptera Carabidae
2000 Bradycellus harpalinus Coleoptera Carabidae
2001 Bradycellus verbasci Coleoptera Carabidae


Monday, October 29, 2018

Dalgety bay - a touch of frost

Clocks gone back and the car window coated in ice this morning so I guess winter is here. I set a fairly modest target for October which I've now met with a small number of interesting additions. The most odd of these was Neuraphes elongatulus, a Staph that I still can't believe is a Staph! It came crawling across my leaf-litter tray, tiny but hinting that it may be identifiable by its prominent "snout". It was probably only because of a stroke of genius in the family key of Duff Vol. 1 that I got it, since the key features a full line drawing of the beast and I could recognise it straight away. Other than that I've fruitlessly frozen my tail off hoping for passing Whooper Swans (Lapland Buntings, GN Divers ... anything!) on a couple of cold mornings.

On Sunday morning with the man-child delivered to a party near my favourite vismig spot I spent a couple of hours seeing if I could record 100 species there. Turned out I could and I'm now contemplating dual-squaring next year. I may not record the high numbers originally intended on my first patch but it might help with variety and it's closer to my work. Also it gives me a better excuse to do some proper vismigging. I think it's probably how that's going to go down. The patches are sufficiently different that it'll be interesting to see what the overall total would be.





Numbers:
1365 coleoptera Anthobium unicolor A rove beetle
1366 coleoptera Bembidion guttula A ground beetle
1367 millipede Nanogona polydesmoides Eyed Flat-backed Millipede
1368 * fungus Pseudopeziza trifolii A fungus
1369 S coleoptera Neuraphes elongatulus A rove beetle
1370 * diptera Opetia nigra A fly

Numbers to end October:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Algae 6 15 26 28 28 28 28 28 28 28
Lichens 27 31 35 38 38 38 38 38 38 38
Fungi 60 83 86 92 96 100 104 127 152 156
Plants - Vascular 65 77 85 114 151 194 212 220 221 222
Plants - Bryo 46 52 55 61 61 61 61 61 62 62
Mollusc 12 17 27 28 29 29 30 30 30 30
Arachnida 7 12 17 20 32 36 38 40 53 55
Collembola 5 8 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 12
Hemiptera 4 5 7 9 17 25 27 30 49 50
Hymenoptera 3 4 4 14 18 22 23 26 30 30
Coleoptera 8 13 16 23 34 44 47 52 68 83
Diptera 15 24 38 61 141 177 187 201 219 227
Lepidoptera 4 8 14 32 71 112 159 179 198 201
Invert - Other 22 41 54 57 58 61 61 62 69 71
Vert - Birds 54 62 75 82 85 85 88 93 94 95
Vert - Other 3 5 5 7 8 8 10 10 10 10
341 457 554 676 877 1030 1123 1207 1332 1370
116 97 122 201 153 93 84 125 38