Take a look at this beautiful female Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus). Hoverflies are very misunderstood. Though they look like wasps, they are completely harmless. Their larvae look like small green caterpillars and are so often grubbed off plants by gardeners. The funny thing is that the larvae is an aphid eating machine and so a welcome species in the garden.
There are 250 different species of hoverfly in the UK. Its interesting to see how many different types you can spot in your garden. So far I have spotted four different species in mine. The one above is a female Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta).
You may have seen one of these Oak Bush Crickets (Meconema thalassinum) on your bedroom ceiling. These large grasshopper like crickets are nocturnal and unfortunately for them attracted to bright lights. What a confusing place the modern world must seem to them.
This dangerous looking chap is a Ichneumon Wasp (Pimpla hypochondriaca). In this photo she is cleaning her eyes with her front pair of legs. That scary pointy sting like thing is its ovipositor. This wasp wanders around looking for a caterpillar or grub to inject its eggs into and then leaves them to feed on the still living host. Nice!
This hansom chap is a Green shieldbug (Palomena prasina) that I found strolling across my rose bush, probably to fins some sap to drink.
Bigger still is this awesome Hawthorne Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) that I found hanging onto a sweetpea. He must have flown here looking for food.
Here a black and white Curled Rose Sawfly (Allantus cinctus) promenades on a rose leaf looking for a mate. Eventually he moved on.
Finally for today take a look at this amazing Picture-wing fly (Tephritis formosa). A pair were eying each other up on my rose. After mating their eggs are laid in thistles and a gall forms.
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