Sunday, November 17, 2019

Thorne mid November update

Finally over 1000 and now on 1016 species for the year at Thorne as detailed below


Group
Thorne
Group
Thorne
Slime moulds
1
Hemiptera
39
Lichens
27
Coleoptera
37
Fungi
92
Diptera
54
Bryophytes
32
Hymenoptera
42
Plants
310
Butterflies
21
Molluscs
12
Moths
217
Annelids
5
Insects RSO
6
Arachnids
18
Fish
1
Myriapods
0
Amphibia
3
Crustacea
10
Reptiles
0
Springtails
2
Birds
63
Odonata
9
Mammals
8
Orthoptera
7
Total
1016

Photo this time is of the amazingly patterned Merveille du Jour moth taken at Thorne a couple of weeks back.









Friday, November 1, 2019

Thorne end of October update

Couldn't quite make it to 1000 by the end of October and finished on 997 species as detailed below.

Group
Thorne
Group
Thorne
Slime moulds
1
Hemiptera
38
Lichens
22
Coleoptera
37
Fungi
91
Diptera
54
Bryophytes
29
Hymenoptera
42
Plants
310
Butterflies
21
Molluscs
12
Moths
210
Annelids
3
Insects RSO
6
Arachnids
18
Fish
1
Myriapods
0
Amphibia
3
Crustacea
10
Reptiles
0
Springtails
2
Birds
63
Odonata
9
Mammals
8
Orthoptera
7
Total
997

Photo wise still getting many new fungi for the site including the strangely named Plums and Custard
shown below



Cullaloe LNR, Fife - early "Best of 2019"

With the year running down and time spent on the reserve dwindling in favour of other pursuits I was meditating on what this year's highlights have been. There have been at least two species new to Scotland, some very scarce species in Scotland and numerous welcome new-for-county records. There is, I realise, a preponderance of flies in this list, but what can you do? Flies and fungi are my strongest suits. I swear I do try to see other things!

End of October total: 1140

NEW FOR SCOTLAND
Asaphomyces tubanticus - a laboulbeniomycete fungus (24/01/2019)
This was found on the elytrae of a Catops beetle and was fortunately ID-able with some reading. Just been featured in British Wildlife, though I haven't yet seen it.



Hydrotaea floccosa - a muscid fly (26/05/2019)
Hydrotaea is a cool genus with all kinds of weird and wonderful modifications to the legs. This makes them both interesting (yes, it does) and easy to identify. Only days before I found 2nd-for-Scotland Hydrotaea meteorica on the 20th.



NEW FOR COUNTY
Melangyna quadrimaculata - a hover fly (26/03/2019)
Long awaited first-for-county this Salix lover finally fell at the end of March.



Protophormia terraenovae - a blow fly (11/04/2019)
One of some nice finds at a roadkill badger corpse. Shame about the badger but nice of it to "take one for the team"


Cheilosia nebulosa - a hoverfly (27/04/2019)
Not something I was really expecting but a welcome addition to the county fauna. I've just noticed on NBN that there aren't other Scottish records for this. At this point I have no idea whether that's legit or not! I feel like it isn't, but it's a good record nonetheless



Lauxania cylindricornis - a lauxaniid fly (05/05/2019)
Tim had this before. When I looked it up I was jealous. Seen a few since though.


Hydrotaea meteorica - a muscid fly (20/05/2019)

Rhogogaster punctulata - a sawfly (22/05/2019)
I wanted to look at more sawflies this year. That was with mixed success but this was a nice one for sure



Brachicoma devia - a flesh fly (15/07/2019)

Zabrachia tenella - Pine Black (29/09/2019)
This pine specialist has only been seen in Scotland three times (highlands) - 1906, 1907 and 1938. It's listed as endangered and range is noted as limited to SE England. I guess this changes things a bit. (edit: subsequent conversations revealed two other dipterists in Scotland who have seen this, but recording is sadly, let's say, "patchy" among many experienced dipterists)



Triplax aenea - a beetle (15/10/2019)
A second record for Scotland. Examining the standing trunk of a horse chestnut that had been culled recently after a chunk of it fell off there were plenty of these under the bark. Initially mis-ID'd as Tetratoma fungorum I twigged as soon as I got them under the microscope.



JUST HAPPY TO SEE
Boettgerilla pallens - Worm Slug (03/03/2019)
Common, I'm told, but I'd wanted to see this for ages and I hadn't.