Friday 20 November 2015

Tiddlies




It's gone so cold this evening that I'm leaving the moths in peace, not that many have been coming when the lamp in the trap is trimmed. That doesn't mean that wildlife in general has gone to sleep; witness the other creatures I found among the eggboxes this morning.

I snapped the little Cranefly at the top rather hastily and absent-mindedly and only discovered the beady eye of an alien creature peeping through the hole in the eggbox when I downloaded the photos from the camera. Regular readers will know my love of eggbox art and this is another example for my eventual, possibly posthumous, exhibition on the subject.

Meanwhile, here are some more creepy-crawlies. First, a nimble-looking spider:




Next a greenery-yallery fly. Identification from any passing dipterist would be much appreciated: Update: And Lo! I have a wonderfully expert commentor who identifies the fly as the Yellow Dungfly (great name...) or Scathophaga stercoraria and the spider as a Harvestman, either Leiobunum rotundum (another fine moniker), Odiellus spinosus or Mitopus morio.  Most impressed and grateful. Many thanks!


Awake

Playing dead

Now some tiddly creatures, like the one in the second picture of the fly, above. I got some better pictures of these little brethren but have just clumsily deleted them by mistake.

And finally, some moths. I am not sure about this bedraggled specimen (but still with a fine head of hair). Is it a  very tattered Yellow-line Quaker? Or ditto Brick. Once again, help appreciated.  Update: It's a Brick; many thanks to experts on the Upper Thames Moths blog where I also posted the pics. I'm pleased about that as I've not knowingly had a brick this year, though that's probably down to my ID myopia.          



An Autumnal or Winter moth meanwhile took up residence in the relative warmth of our porch overnight.


And here to end with is a Satellite with browny markings but the inner dot lighter than usual - bearing out Trent's comment four posts ago.



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Martin.

Well done with The Brick, I don't think I'd have got that one, you're on a bit of a roll recently!

I think your furry fly may be a Yellow Dungfly - Scathophaga stercoraria. According to http://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/yellow-dung-fly it goes to November.

Your spidery thing is, I think, a Harvestman, which you can apparently tell from other spider types because its body is in one part rather than two. Using http://srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p/A-Z+Species+Index/r/view/s/* I would think it's one of Leiobunum rotundum, Odiellus spinosus or Mitopus morio, but I can't decide which. I think Harvestmen (opiliones) are within an overall spider grouping, but separate within that. I get very confused with things like Species, Superfamily,Family, Order, Genus etc.!

The eggbox eye is creepy weird!

Martin Wainwright said...

Hi there and very many thanks for all this expertise. I am specially impressed by anyone whop can take a serious interest in flies.

It's getting harder to put the trap out now that it's so cold and generally not very nice, but I'll persist, in between updating what pass for my records

All warm wishes and thanks again

Martin

Anonymous said...

Hi Martin.

Thanks for your kind words, but I am in no way an expert. You should take nothing I write as fact, I merely look at different species within the group I think they're in and then pick those I think are closest. The likes of Dave Wilton, Bennyboy Mothman and Trent certainly appear to write from knowledge, but I just make a suggestion for you to look at something and either agree or disagree. If one of your other commenters agrees or disagrees with me, I then try and learn from it.

I like your new layout and think I recognise all the pictures from your posts, except the nice shot of the White Plume - a moth I've only seen once so far and didn't have a camera, typical!

MartinWainwright said...

Hi ther - nothing will dissuade me from considering you an expert, but keep trying

I'm glad you approve of the layout which is developing minute by minute. As I mentioned a few posts ago, I had to design a blog for another group and I suddenly realised all the amazing Blogger things I wasn't using, especially pages. I plan to go wild...

all warm wishes as ever (and I will try to check your views)

Martin

Trent Duval said...

Hi Martin,
Your blog refurb is a great improvement and a joy to read.
I agree with Anonymous on the Harvestman. It is an arachnid but not a true spider and if pushed I would say it is Leiobunum rotundum but without conviction.
If you think moth ID has its pitfalls, try spiders !
Cheers

Martin Wainwright said...

Many thanks, Trent - and apologies. I've been beavering away at my species list rather than checking back for comments. Will further update when on right email - this one doesn't let me edit. I'm very glad you like the new look - exciting what one can do with Blogger. It's an amazing system. And free! all warmest wishes, Martin