A Few Degrees

The forecast for last night was rain, lots of it, albeit with better temperatures. Early in the evening though, when I nipped out to the bin, there was no sign of any rain and it really did feel mild. I grabbed a torch, had a quick mooch around and found quite a few bits of interest: woodlice, spiders, worms, springtails and molluscs ....

Yellow Slug (going by the yellow line running from the tail beyond the keel)

I also found an Agonopterix heracliana and this ...

Angle Shades

I wasn't going to put the trap on as I was sure that the rain would come (and indeed it did!), but I did put on an actinic bulb in the old light fitting I've left tucked away at the front of the house. A couple of hours later, the first adult macro moth of the year ....

Dotted Border

Whilst grabbing those leaves this morning for the photo, I noticed a ladybird so had a quick and very productive potter around the garden walls and fence with the camera.

7-Spot Ladybird

I found a couple of these, which I am sure must be the egg sacks for one of the Ero sp. spiders - which I've never knowingly seen before so one to look out for.

I also saw this on the outside window ledge, except all I actually saw was what appeared to be a tiny spider that was perhaps greenish. I grabbed this quick and out of focus shot, looked at the result and immediately realised what it was and that I'd not seen one before. I then stupidly gave it a gentle poke trying to get it to sit better for a photo - at which point it effectively scarpered and jumped off the ledge never to be seen again .... 

Nigma walckenaeri

There were also a few leafhoppers on the fence and wall ....

Empoasca vitis - several of these

When I looked at this one this evening I realised it was something a bit different to the usual garden species here and one I probably should have potted. However there seems to be enough showing to support it being Ribautiana debilis: two black spots on vertex/front of head, black spot at start of pronotum, generally weak forewing markings. I've posted it on UK Hemiptera to see what response it gets. One I've not seen before either way.

All in all I added 14 species to the 1K list - amazing what a few degrees difference makes. Tonight is due to be even milder but wet again - perhaps more moths and inverts will pop up.