Tuesday, December 31, 2013

31st December: End of the road

Well, less than two hours to go before the year ends. I guess I'm running out of options now to find anything new, although I still have a handful of fungi that would benefit from second opinions, and I have a few weevils awaiting the acquisition of the relevant keys. And I suppose I could still hear Red Fox if one was kind enough to yowl in the garden. But to all intents and purposes, that's it.

It's been an incredible year, and I think I've enjoyed the natural history side of 2013 more than any other year, despite spending almost all of it within 500 metres of my doorstep. The final score is (give or take) 1,406 species. I'm delighted to have got the score this high. But the thing one really starts to appreciate when undertaking a venture like this is not how many species you're finding, but how many more are out there being overlooked! How many small flies, small beetles, parasitic wasps, springtails, fungi, lichens, mosses, etc etc etc? There are huge swathes of biodiversity where I haven't even scratched the surface. Gut feeling suggests that the true number of species in the 1 km square could be 5,000, or perhaps even higher. However, I'm not going to try to find the remainder next year! Time for a bit of a rest and a change of scene.

Huge thanks to all the other 1ksq-listers this year, as well as the many others who've helped and supported this adventure. And best of luck to those taking up the challenge in 2014 - go for it, enjoy it, and encourage others to have a go. It doesn't matter what the score is, it's the journey that matters. And pass on the baton to another group in 2015!

I will be thinking about various forms of "write-up" over the coming months, but for now, here's the remaining species I haven't yet blogged. Many of these species are inevitably things I had stored up from earlier in the year but hadn't had time to look at properly. I have now been through everything and my family have their fridge back again! (For a while anyway).

Happy New Year!

1,303 - Agonum micans (17th March) - ground beetle I had initially keyed this to Agonum gracilipes, but discounted as very rare. Returned to it with the benefit of experience
1,304 - Diplolepis rosae (6th April) - Robin's Pincushion gall kept - in December, one of these wasps had emerged, along with….
1,305 - Orthopelma mediator (6th April) - …19 of these parasitoids also emerged from the Robin's Pincushion, alongside…
1,306 - Torymus bedeguaris (6th April) - …6 of these wasps also from the same Robin's Pincushion gall
1,307 - Anthocoris nemorum (13th April) - a small flower bug found crawling on one of my sons - finally keyed
1,308 - Ischnodemus sabuleti (14th April) - the European Cinchbug, lots of these on the common
1,309 - Andrena bicolor (16th April) - medium sized solitary bee in the front garden keyed to this species
1,310 - Myrmica ruginodis (19th April) - red ant under a log by the river, keyed with difficulty
1,311 - Noterus clavicornis (4th May) - water beetle netted from a temporary pool on the common, keyed quite easily
1,312 - Nabis rugosus (6th May) - the Common Damsel Bug, swept from nettles
1,313 - Graphomya maculata (12th May) - a fly of the family Muscidae. Keyed with difficulty, but thanks to help from Chris Raper, got there in the end
1,314 - Nomada leucophthalma (19th May) - cuckoo bee on the common, male keyed
1,315 - Nomada panzeri (20th May) - cuckoo bee in garden, female keyed
1,316 - Fannia lustrator (25th May) - fly from Ambush Wood, keyed
1,317 - Harpocera thoracica (25th May) - bug on Cow Parsley, distinctive 2nd antennal segment
1,318 - Bibio hortulanus (25th May) - fly on Alexanders flowers, keyed
1,319 - Nomada ruficornis (25th May) - small cuckoo bee in the garden, female keyed
1,320 - Heringia heringi (26th May) - small black hoverfly, keyed from Ambush Wood
1,321 - Bibio marci (26th May) - lots of this fly out today (much later than usual) - kept a pair in cop to check both sexes and keyed fine
1,322 - Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus (2nd June) - distinctive bug on hawthorn, keyed from Ambush Wood
1,323 - Grammoptera ruficornis (4th June) - longhorn beetle on hawthorn in the garden (seen several times subsequently also)
1,324 - Andrena carantonica (4th June) - solitary bee, male keyed from Ambush Wood
1,325 - Crepidodera plutus (8th June) - beetle from by Shotesham Pond, keyed
1,326 - Graphopsocus cruciatus (8th June) - distinctive barklouse in the garden, keyed via the BRC website
1,327 - Cephus pygmaeus (15th June) - sawfly keyed from Naidens Lane
1,328 - Tenthredopsis nassata (16th June) - sawfly keyed from the common
1,329 - Dolerus vestigialis (16th June) - sawfly keyed from the common
1,330 - Helophorus nubilus (18th June) - beetle in moth-trap, keyed
1,331 - Nephrotoma flavescens (29th June) - cranefly keyed from Hollow Lane
1,332 - Chrysopilus cristatus (29th June) - abundant fly in net sweeps on the common around now, took ages to get round to keying it to this snipefly
1,333 - Epiphragma ocellare (29th June) - cranefly keyed from Naidens Field, very well patterned wings
1,334 - Silo pallipes (29th June) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,335 - Gasteruption jaculator (30th June) - wasp at tree stump in garden, keyed to family then thanks to Chris Raper for key to species
1,336 - Leptopterna dolabrata (30th June) - colourful mirid bug, male keyed from common
1,337 - Dolerus aericeps (5th July) - sawfly keyed from common
1,338 - Empis livida (5th July) - empid fly keyed from common
1,339 - Capsus ater (6th July) - black roundish bug, keyed from Naidens Lane
1,340 - Pterostichus melanarius (7th July) - large black ground beetles in the back yard
1,341 - Lagria hirta (7th July) - beetle in moth-trap, keyed
1,342 - Lindenius panzeri (9th July) - black solitary wasp keyed from garden
1,343 - Leiobunum rotundum (22nd July) - harvestman from by moth-trap
1,344 - Athripsodes albifrons (15th August) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,345 - Megachile centuncularis (19th August) - leaf-cutter bee in the garden, keyed from British Wildlife article
1,346 - Glyphotaelius pellucidus (21st August) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,347 - Diplolepis nervosa (25th August) - red spherical spiked gall on rose leaflet with white grubs inside
1,348 - Selandria serva (30th August) - sawfly keyed from the common
1,349 - Aphthona lutescens (30th August) - tiny gold-coloured beetle on common, keyed surprisingly easily
1,350 - Lasioglossum pauxillum (1st September) - male solitary bee on the common, keyed
1,351 - Coccidula rufa (1st September) - small red beetle (atypical ladybird) on the common
1,352 - Archaeopsylla erinacei (4th September) - we received a sick juv hedgehog, which died but provided some fleas. One checked and identified as this (the "Hedgehog Flea") on the basis of two genal spines.
1,353 - Ptychoptera albimana (8th September) - cranefly on the common, keyed
1,354 - Andricus kollari (14th September) - marble gall, contained grub
1,355 - Lasioglossum calceatum (28th September) - male solitary bee on the common, keyed
1,356 - Limnephilus griseus (3rd October) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,357 - Limnephilus lunatus (3rd October) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,358 - Halesus radiatus (17th October) - caddisfly in the moth-trap, keyed
1,359 - Armillaria mellea (20th October) - Honey Fungus, several large clumps in the garden around tree stumps
1,360 - Leiobunum blackwalli (7th November) - harvestman in the front porch
1,361 - Cygnus olor (8th November) - Mute Swan flew over, pretty unusual in the village!
1,362 - Agriopis aurantiaria (13th November) - Scarce Umber, traditionally the last moth of the year in the trap
1,363 - Paroligolophus agrestis (16th November) - harvestman on the wall by the moth-trap
1,364 - Chondrostereum purpureum (16th November) - Silverlead Fungus, on firewood donated from next door chopping down some of their trees
1,365 - Phyllonorycter spinicolella (23rd November) - occupied leaf mine of micro-moth, in blackthorn
1,366 - Deschampsia cespitosa (26th November) - Tufted Hair-grass, found by John Martin when visiting, overlooked by me all year!
1,367 - Agrostis stolonifera (26th November) - Creeping Bent, a very common grass completely overlooked by me but found by John Martin for me!
1,368 - Chara vulgaris (26th November) - stonewort in the slower stream channels on the common, finally keyed
1,369 - Cheilymenia granulata (26th November) - small orange fungi in cowpats on the common - thanks to Tony Leech for confirmation
1,370 - Lemna minuta (26th November) - Shotesham Pond was covered in this small grey-green duckweed, thanks to John Martin for spotting this which I'd overlooked!
1,371 - Pogonocherus hispidus (27th November) - longhorn beetle found inside the house
1,372 - Bisporella citrina (30th November) - yellow fungus, the "Lemon Disco", found on an alder stump on the common
1,373 - Trochila ilicina (30th November) - Holly Speckle, a fungus on Holly leaves, thanks to Graham Calow for suggesting I look for this!
1,374 - Agromyza idaeiana (30th November) - occupied mines on strawberry plants along the Street
1,375 - Trichocera regelationis (1st December) - winter midge, in cobweb by moth-trap
1,376 - Lumbricus rubellus (1st December) - redhead worm, keyed from FSC field key, not sure if 100% reliable?
1,377 - Lepista nuda (15th December) - large toadstool with lilac gills and stem-based, thanks to Tony Leech for pointer
1,378 - Stereum gausapatum (15th December) - fungal crust on oak, thanks to Tony Leech for help
1,379 - Senecio squalidus (15th December) - Oxford Ragwort in a garden that had been allowed to go wild, still in flower
1,380 - Trichocera major (18th December) - winter midge, female in front porch, keyed easily to genus, then to species on length and shape of ovipositer
1,381 - Trioza urticae (22nd December) - psyllid bug swept from Yew in the pub beer garden, fully keyed
1,382 - Opomyza florum (25th December) - small fly on the front door, keyed eventually (thanks to Martin Harvey)
1,383 - Fringilla montifringilla (25th December) - Brambling, male in finch/yellowhammer flock in set aside
1,384 - Capreolus capreolus (25th December) - Roe Deer, at last in the square after a couple of near-misses!
1,385 - Diploicia canescens (26th December) - green lichen on base of oak tree, thanks for confirmation to Tim Strudwick, Matt Prince and iSpot
1,386 - Agrocybe praecox (26th December) - small fungus in grass along Naidens Lane, thanks to Tony Leech for pointer
1,387 - Schizopora paradoxa (26th December) - white crust of linear shards on fallen pine, thanks to Tony Leech
1,388 - Hyphodontia sambuci (26th December) - Elder Whitewash, fungus on elder
1,389 - Hydropotes inermis (28th December) - Chinese Water Deer, flushed from small wood along Naidens Lane
1,390 - Nemastoma bimaculatum (28th December) - black harvestman under an ash log
{Lecidella elaeochroma (28th December) - lichen previously named as Arthonia radiata, had been unsure of this ID and now reidentified thanks to Matt Prince and iSpot}
1,391 - Lactarius subdulcis (28th December) - Mild Milkcap, in small wood along Naidens Lane
1,392 - Cyclamen hederifolium (28th December) - several clumps noticed in the ivy on the floor of a small wood
1,393 - Ganoderma australe (28th December) - large bracket at base of oak tree, identified to species on pore-spacing
1,394 - Falco peregrinus (29th December) - juvenile Peregrine flew up from common with prey, pursued by crows
1,395 - Glossiphonia complanata (29th December) - leech found in the basal leaf-sheath of reedmace along the stream
1,396 - Deroceras reticulatum (29th December) - small grey slug under wood on the common
1,397 - Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (30th December) - False Chanterelle, several in small conifer wood (past their best)
1,398 - Trichaptum abietinum (30th December) - Purplepore bracket fungus on dead conifers
1,399 - Physcia adscendens (30th December) - lichen on wall in the village, confirmed as this species by Matt Prince and iSpot
1,400 - Hypoxylon multiforme (31st December) - Birch Woodwart, albeit on Alder - looks right for this but waiting second opinions…
1,401 - Coniophora puteana (31st December) - Wet Rot on dead wood - looks right for this but waiting second opinions…
1,402 - Exidia thuretiana (31st December) - White Brain, white blobby fungus on a stump, looks right but waiting second opinions…
1,403 - Lepidium didymum (31st December) - Lesser Swinecress - young plants at edge of arable field, ID clinched on small pale bristles at end of each lobe
1,404 - Chlorophyllum rhacodes (31st December) - Shaggy Parasol, several growing in base of hedgerow, looks right but waiting for second opinions…
1,405 - Vitrina pellucida (31st December) - Pellucid Glass Snail, found on tray with my mosses and fungi of last few days, obviously brought in by accident
1,406 - Spilopsyllus cuniculi (31st December) - Rabbit Flea found on cat - required close look at genal spines to confirm

Pogonocherus hispidus - striking longhorn beetle

Cheilymenia granulata - small intensely coloured fungus on cowpats

Lecidella elaeochroma - common lichen, finally named thanks to iSpot

Ganoderma australe - huge bracket fungi that I'd walked past all year without noticing!

Glossiphonia complanata - my first leech tick!

Trichaptum abietinum - Purplepore Bracket on dead conifers


Final Update from TM0025

Well just a little mopping up to bring the list and total up to date at the end of the year. And thanks once more to Andy, and also to all of the contributors for inspiration and encouragement. A happy and fruitful 2014 to you all!

Birds
1023. Lesser redpoll, Carduelis cabaret
1024. Redwing, Turdus iliacus
1025. Shoveller, Anas clypeata

Bryophytes
1026. Soft-tufted beard-moss, Didymodon vinealis

Fungi
1027. Holly speckle, Trochila ilicina (unintentionally omitted from the previous update)

Monday, December 30, 2013

TG3208: The final curtain

Back to work tomorrow so for me the journey is over, bar a few more late specimen IDs (if I can bring myself to face those click beetles, sawflies and crane-flies that beat me first time around). This month progress was deathly slow until the chrismas break allowed time in the field for a final push. The final month for TG3208 looks like this:

Dec 1st
1094.  Fox - at last, calling at night long enough for me to get out of bed and open the window and rule out deer, dogs, etc
Dec 8th
1095. Teal - another elusive one, flushed from a small pond on the edge of the village.
Dec 11th
1096. Andricus quercuscalicus - full grown larva in knopper gall.
Dec 23rd
1097. Snipe - in stream on edge of village.
1098. Lycoperdon pyriforme - a little puffball.
1099. Weld (Reseda lutea) - somehow missed this earlier.
Dec 27th
1100. Flammulina velutipes (velvet tough shank) - on dying sycamore trunk.
1101. Italian lords and ladies (Arum italicum) - noticed earlier in year but confirmed by autumn flush of fresh leaves.
1102. Ramalina farinacea - the lichen.
1103. Narrow buckler fern (Dryopteris carthusiana) - in Church Fen.
1104. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) - another plant that has been surprisingly hard to find alive due to a spate of control around the village in the last couple of years.
1105. Small-leaved privet (Ligustrum sinense)- Church Fen.
Dec 28th
1106. Gadwall - on the usually birdless Brundall Broad.
1107. Demetrias imperialis - a notable gound beetle, dug out of a Typha stem at Church Fen.
The notable reedbed specialist beetle Demetrias imperialis

1108. Scolopostethus thomsoni - a groundbug dug from the same Typha stem.
1109. Hypotrachyna revoluta - a lichen.
1110. Purple small reed (Calamagrostis canescens) - very dead but indentifiable by ruling out all other tall grasses - Church Fen.
Dec 29th
1111. A spider Clubiona neglecta - one of many Clubionas inside marsh sowthistle stems but the only one with an epigyne distinctive enough to confidently identify.
1112. A rove beetle Ontholestes murinus - captured in the summer (from my compost heap I think) but only now identified.
1113. A diving beetle Nebrioporus elegans - another pickled beetle from earlier in the year.

I am sure the 1113 total may shrink a little when county recorders question some critical ID, but I hope not by much as I have tried to err on the side of caution and rejected dozens of possibles/ probables. I don't think I will repeat the challenge next year since I have other things I want to do but I will still endeavour to add records to the 1 km square list, and I will encourage others to have a go and provide support to any who do. My new years resolution will be to continue recording and developing my skills with the groups I have tackled for the first time this year - beetles, bugs and several fly families.

Happy New Year everybody and good species hunting in 2014!

Tim

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Here's to 2013... and beyond!

Well, we are near the end of the year, so it's time to look back and reflect. And look forwards and plan stuff.

So, the reflecty bit first. What has finding 1000 species been all about? For me, it has been the most amazing journey of natural history discovery, and also about making new connections, finding out in a deeper way about my neighbourhood, and an almost biblical act of self-improvement. I first opted in around about mid Feb I think, through the quasi-mysterious and intriguing tweetings of Andy and a few others. I knew this was for me, and my first decisive act was to put together some decent reference books and equipment. I now have a shelf full.
Getting to know these books has been a great learning experience. Next was figuring out how on earth I was going to reach one thousand. I reckoned it would be difficult. My game plans are outlined to an extent in previous posts. But basically I knew that I would have to enlarge my skill base considerably. I couldn't just sit back and rely on my previous experience. Besides, I wanted to tackle new things. It was going to be like exploring.

From then on it was a kind of whirlwind of seasons changing, species coming in, and species fading out.

I don't want to run through the challenge blow by blow, so here's some of the highlights in pictures:

Oak Beauty
Brook Lamprey
The moth trap
Species No 1000 - Lagria hirta

Dark Green Fritillary
 Merveille-du-jour, most wanted moth of the year on Twitter!

And many many others. I discovered the joys of identifying new groups, like hoverflies, spiders, molluscs and ground beetles, and also the frustrations of many groups I have yet to master - hymenoptera, fungi, aphids, springtails and others. These are the future. I found a closer connection with the weather and the seasons. I discovered places that now have a piece of my heart - the green lane, the stream, the ponds, the hedges and the trees.

I thought it interesting to break down my eventual species list of 1170 species into species groups. I think it probably just indicates how large-species-centric I am, but here it is just for the reader's titillation:

Amphibian 3
Aphid 5
Bird 86
Bristletail 1
Bryophyte 16
Assorted bug 35
Centipede 2
Charophyte 1
Coleoptera 42
Crustacean 1
Diptera 53
Fish 3
Fungi 30
Hymenoptera 28
Lacewing 3
Lepidoptera 451
Lichen 10
Mammal 13
Millipede 4
Mollusc 22
Odonata 12
Orthoptera 6
Leech 1
Spider 27
Trichoptera 5
Vascular plant 305
Woodlouse 3
Worm 1

So, there it is. Lots more to discover. 

Now, looking forwards, I have clearly become a committed pan-species naturalist. I intend to widen my search area and start putting in some time at some of Norfolk's best places for wildlife. I won't forget my home turf, and will keep building the 1k square list. I will pass my records on to Norfolk Biological Information Service. And I will try to encourage other folk to get on board. Inspired and energised!

Rob





Monday, December 23, 2013

Guernsey

Yes - still finished. But just to keep the species-logging up to date:

1059 - Red-line Quaker

1060 - Black Redstart - one been visiting the garden daily since November.


I may have a few moths and other bits left over in the freezer to check out. I did find this beetle that I collected in the summer which may be identifiable perhaps? 


Update from TM0025
With the end of the year approaching and the target achieved, I have slowed down somewhat, so this posting may may possibly be my final entry on the blog. I wait to see if Andy has anything new lined up for next year that will draw me in and consume me. In the meantime, I am planning to gain more experience with lepidoptera and to concentrate on a couple of orders, collembola and psocoptera which I have found quite interesting this year. Anyway, here are the last few species:
Caddisflies
1001. Limnephilus binotatus
1002. Small red sedge, Tinodes waerneri (from earlier in the year)


Bugs
1003. Common back-swimmer, Noctonecta glauca

1004. Deraeocoris lutescens
1005. Grypocoris stysi (from earlier in the year)

Aphids
1006. Holm oak aphid, Myzocallis schreiberi

Moths
1007. Acleris schalleriana
1008. Winter moth, Operophtera brumata

Isopoda
1009. Two-spotted waterlouse, Asellus aquaticus


Springtail
1010. Dicyrtomina saundersi
1011. Entomobrya nivalis

Plants
1012. Black spleenwort, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum
1013. Maidenhair spleenwort, Asplenium trichomanes
1014. Spindle, Euonymus europaeus

Bryophytes
1015. Common pouchwort, Calypogeia fissa
1016. Rough-stalked feather-moss, Brachythecium rutabulum
1017. Silky wall feather-moss, Homalothecium sericeum
1018. Thickpoint grimmia, Schistidium crassipilum

Lichens
1019. Bacidia sabuletorum
1020. Botryolepraria lesdainii
1021. Caloplaca flavescens
1022. Lecanora antiqua

Sunday, November 24, 2013

SP5595ish - Whetstone Update

Finally made a bit of time to get the list up to date and sort out an updated species breakdown - can't believe I haven't posted one since mid-August! Anyway, it's been slow-going over the last couple of months in particular and I've only added a further 90 species (and only six so far in November). Now up to 1134. Additions since the last update are:

Taxon Vernacular Date Added
1045 Lathronympha strigana (micromoth) 18/08/2013
1046 Scrobipalpa costella (micromoth) 18/08/2013
1047 Cyclophora punctaria Maiden's Blush 18/08/2013
1048 Polyommatus icarus Common Blue 19/08/2013
1049 Diarsia rubi Small Square-spot 19/08/2013
1050 Trichiura crataegi Pale Eggar 19/08/2013
1051 Ribautiana tenerrima (leafhopper) 20/08/2013
1052 Phyllonorycter schreberella (micromoth) 20/08/2013
1053 Deraeocoris ruber (bug) 20/08/2013
1054 Pulicaria dysenterica Common Fleabane 20/08/2013
1055 Rhytisma acerinum Sycamore Tar Spot 20/08/2013
1056 Conops quadrifasciatus (fly) 20/08/2013
1057 Dasineura fraxini (gall midge) [larval] 20/08/2013
1058 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 20/08/2013
1059 Taphrina alni Alder Tongue 20/08/2013
1060 Andricus quercuscalicis f. agamic Knopper Gall Wasp [larval] 20/08/2013
1061 Eupontania viminalis Pea Gall Sawfly [larval] 20/08/2013
1062 Platycheirus peltatus (hoverfly) 20/08/2013
1063 Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic 20/08/2013
1064 Plusia festucae Gold Spot 21/08/2013
1065 Batrachedra praeangusta (micromoth) 21/08/2013
1066 Furcula furcula Sallow Kitten 23/08/2013
1067 Atethmia centrago Centre-barred Sallow 23/08/2013
1068 Cameraria ohridella Horse-chestnut Leaf Miner 23/08/2013
1069 Aceria fraxinivorus Cauliflower Gall Mite 24/08/2013
1070 Rhopalus subrufus (bug) 25/08/2013
1071 Eristalis interruptus (hoverfly) 25/08/2013
1072 Pontania proxima Willow Redgall Sawfly [larval] 25/08/2013
1073 Crepis capillaris Smooth Hawk's-beard 25/08/2013
1074 Neuroterus numismalis f. agamic Silk-button Gall Wasp [ovum] 25/08/2013
1075 Dasineura urticae (gall midge) [larval] 25/08/2013
1076 Diplolepis nervosa Sputnik Gall Wasp [larval] 25/08/2013
1077 Diplolepis rosae Bedeguar Gall Wasp [larval] 25/08/2013
1078 Phragmidium mucronatum Rose Rust 25/08/2013
1079 Avena fatua Wild-oat 25/08/2013
1080 Lapsana communis Nipplewort 25/08/2013
1081 Persicaria maculosa Redshank 25/08/2013
1082 Tinea trinotella (micromoth) 25/08/2013
1083 Dichrorampha acuminatana (micromoth) 25/08/2013
1084 Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral 26/08/2013
1085 Aeshna cyanea Southern Hawker 26/08/2013
1086 Cacoecimorpha pronubana Carnation Tortrix 26/08/2013
1087 Stigmella aurella (micromoth) [larval] 26/08/2013
1088 Eupithecia tripunctaria White-spotted Pug 26/08/2013
1089 Ephestia parasitella unicolorella (micromoth) 26/08/2013
1090 Eudonia angustea (micromoth) 29/08/2013
1091 Prays fraxinella Ash Bud Moth 02/09/2013
1092 Epinotia ramella (micromoth) 02/09/2013
1093 Phyllonorycter strigulatella (micromoth) 02/09/2013
1094 Dromius quadrimaculatus (beetle) 04/09/2013
1095 Barynotus obscurus (beetle) 05/09/2013
1096 Dolichovespula sylvestris Tree Wasp 07/09/2013
1097 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 10/09/2013
1098 Stenodema calcarata (bug) 12/09/2013
1099 Lygus rugulipennis (bug) 12/09/2013
1100 Thera britannica Spruce Carpet 28/09/2013
1101 Lithophane leautieri hesperica Blair's Shoulder-knot 28/09/2013
1102 Agrochola lota Red-line Quaker 28/09/2013
1103 Agrochola lychnidis Beaded Chestnut 28/09/2013
1104 Hydraecia micacea Rosy Rustic 28/09/2013
1105 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 28/09/2013
1106 Thera juniperata Juniper Carpet 28/09/2013
1107 Xanthia aurago Barred Sallow 28/09/2013
1108 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 29/09/2013
1109 Tipula confusa (fly) 04/10/2013
1110 Nomophila noctuella Rush Veneer 04/10/2013
1111 Acleris sparsana (micromoth) 04/10/2013
1112 Lithophane hepatica Pale Pinion 04/10/2013
1113 Rhodometra sacraria Vestal 04/10/2013
1114 Conistra ligula Dark Chestnut 04/10/2013
1115 Agrochola macilenta Yellow-line Quaker 04/10/2013
1116 Macrolepiota rhacodes Shaggy Parasol 05/10/2013
1117 Acleris rhombana Rhomboid Tortrix 05/10/2013
1118 Colotois pennaria Feathered Thorn 08/10/2013
1119 Agrochola circellaris Brick 08/10/2013
1120 Tipula pagana (fly) 25/10/2013
1121 Ectoedemia occultella (micromoth) [larval] 26/10/2013
1122 Hebeloma sacchariolens Sweet Poisonpie 26/10/2013
1123 Coprinus micaceus Glistening Ink-cap 26/10/2013
1124 Phyllonorycter tristrigella (micromoth) [larval] 26/10/2013
1125 Phyllonorycter froelichiella (micromoth) [larval] 26/10/2013
1126 Bolbitius titubans Yellow Fieldcap 26/10/2013
1127 Psathyrella multipedata Clustered Brittlestem 26/10/2013
1128 Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink-cap 26/10/2013
1129 Stropharia aeruginosa Verdigris Agaric 03/11/2013
1130 Calocera cornea Small Stagshorn 03/11/2013
1131 Xylaria hypoxylon Candlesnuff 03/11/2013
1132 Rutstroemia firma Brown Cup 03/11/2013
1133 Scutellinia scutellata Common Eyelash 03/11/2013
1134 Poecilocampa populi December Moth 16/11/2013

As you can see, most of the additions are moths, a few galls in August and a few fungi lately.

Bedeguar Gall / Robin's Pincushion caused by Diplolepis rosae - a gall wasp

Knopper Gall caused by Andricus quercuscalicis - a gall wasp

Of course you need to disect the galls to find the life within. Whilst I have a microscope, I can't get photos through it and my macro photography skills are beyond the smallest gall inhabitants. I picked up a cheapo USB microscope from Amazon and whilst the photo resolution is not great you can at least get something of an image. Here's a few examples:

Spangle Gall on oak caused by Neuroterus quercusbaccarum - a gall wasp, agamic form

Neuroterus quercusbaccarum larva

Silk Button Gall on oak caused by Neuroterus numismalis - a gall wasp, agamic form

Neuroterus numismalis ovum!

These galls were massively abundant on my local oaks this year, though I'd already recorded N. quercusbaccarum as the sexual form in June.


Also found a couple more gall sawflies:

Pea Gall Sawfly Eupontania viminalis

Willow Redgall Sawfly Pontania proxima

Here's the breakdown, which continues to show that it's just as well that I wasn't reliant on plants to bump my total up!


Alder Tongue Taphrina alni

 
Tree Wasp

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Update from TM0025
I’ve just hit the target figure, and what a relief it is. Maybe just a few weeks into the challenge I realised that completing it was probably beyond me (or rather beyond the person with the knowledge that I had at that time). But I have learned so much this year, about forms of life that I barely knew existed, about their relationships, about identifying them (I was reunited with dichotomous keys after a separation of over 30 years!). At the beginning of this year, I was an unhappy lawyer who watched birds; now I am someone very different, someone full of enthusiasm for every aspect of our wildlife, someone who wants to participate in its study, and someone who is trying to find work in conservation. I hope that I will get somewhere with that! The conversion is not so much a damascene conversion as one comparable to when the late John Peel realised the limitations of the Grateful Dead and found instead the diversity and vigour of the likes of The Undertones, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division! I’ve joined the Colchester Natural History Society, The Amateur Entomologists’ Society and the Essex Field Club (not a hunting organisation!). Life is good, isn’t it! (Excuse the play on words!)
For those interested, here is a pie chart showing the relative proportions of the different groups that make up the 1000.
Furthermore, 3.6% were found as occupiers of galls or leaf-mines. They included the larvae of various lepidoptera, diptera, hymenoptera, hemiptera and arachnids, and also a fungal gall (ergot).
Here is the remaining list; note that it begins with a slight adjustment from the previous numbering, because of some duplications and formatting problems in previous lists.
Birds
870. Stock dove, Colomba oenas


Bees, wasps
871. German wasp, Vespula germanica

872. Median wasp. Dolichovespula media

Hoverflies
873. Chrysogaster solstitialis
874. Didea fasciata (identified by yellow club-halteres!)
875. Eristalis tenax
876. Heringia heringi (predatory larvae, found in galls of Pemphigus spyrothecae on poplar leaf stems)
 

877. Mallota cimbiciformis
878. Melanostoma mellinum

Caddisflies
879. Anabolia nervosa
880. Limnephilus affinis
881. Limnephilus marmoratus

Other flies
882. Chlorops pumilionis
883. Greenomyia mongolica (a fungus-gnat)   

884. Hairy poplar sawfly, Trichiocampus viminalis (larvae)
885. Holly-leaf gall-fly, Phytomyza ilicis (occupied leaf-mine in Ilex)
886. Minettia longipennis
887. Pear slug sawfly, Caliroa cerasi (larva on pear tree)     
888. Phylidorea ferruginea
889. Tachina fera
890. Twin-spot centurion, Sargus bipunctatus            


Beetles
891. Arhapolus ferus
892. Dried-bean beetle, Acanthoscelides obtectus
893. Longitarsus dorsalis (a flea-beetle)
894. 22-spot ladybird, Psyllobora 22-punctata
895. Pterostichus nigrita
896. Sitona hispidulus
897. White-marked spider-beetle, Ptinus fur


Bugs
898. Ant damselbug, Himacerus mirmicoides
899. Anthocoris limbatus (a little unexpected in Essex)  

900. Common damselbug, Nabis rugosus
901. Corizus hyoscyami                      
902. Dicyphus errans
903. Dicyphus pallicornis
904. Grey damselbug, Himacerus major
905. Lygus pratensis
906. Neolygus viridis
907. Nysius senecionis
908. Pinalitus cervinus
909. Scolopostethus thomsoni                            
910. Small flower bug, Orius vicinus

Psocids
911. Caecilius flavidus
912. Trichopsocus clarus
913. Valenzuela flavidus

Leafhoppers
914. Agallia venosa
915. Alebra wahlbergi
916. Aphrophora salicina (a froghopper)
917. Arthaldeus pascuellus
918. Balclutha punctata
919. Cicadula quadrinotata
920. Empoasca decipiens
921. Empoasca vitis
922. Eupteryx aurata
923. Eupteryx florida
924. Eupteryx urticae
925. Stenocranus minutus (a planthopper)
926. Zygina flammigera

Lacewings
927. Chrysoperla lucasina

Aphids
928. Large nettle aphid, Microlophium carnosum

Moths
929. Acleris sparsana
930. Apple-leaf miner, Lyonetia clerkella (occupied leaf-mine in Sorbus and Malus)
931. Black rustic, Aporophyla nigra
932. Chrysoesthia drurella (occupied leaf-mine in Atriplex)
933. Dark sword-grass, Agrostis ipsilon
934. Feathered thorn, Colotois pennaria
935. Grey pine carpet, Thera obeliscata
936. Merveille du jour, Dichonia aprilina
937. November moth, Epirrita dilutata
938. Parornix carpinella (occupied leaf mine in Carpinus)
939. Phyllocnistis saligna (occupied leaf-mine in Salix)
940. Phyllonorycter messaniella
941. Phyllonorycter platani (occupied leaf-mine in Platanus)
942. Red-green carpet, Chloroclysta siterata
943. Red-line quaker, Agrochola lota
944. Stigmella assimilella (occupied leaf-mine in Populus)
945. Stigmella aurella (occupied leaf-mine in Rubus and Geranium)
946. Stigmella oxyacanthella (occupied leaf-mine in Crataegus)
947. The Herald, Scoliopteryx libatrix
948. Treble-bar, Aplocera plagiata

Spiders
949. Anelosimus vittatus
950. Clubiona diversa
951. Clubiona terrestris
952. Theridion tinctum
953. Xysticus ulmi
954. Zygiella x-notata

Harvestmen
955. Paroligolophus agrestis

Springtails
956. Dicyrtomina ornata
957. Entomobrya intermedia

Worms
958. Brandling worm, Eisenia fetida
959. Compost worm, Eisenia veneta
960. Lob worm, Lumbricus terrestris
961. Redhead worm, Lumbricus rubellus

Plants
962. Bicoloured bryum, Bryum dichotomum
963. Bird’s-claw beard-moss, Barbula unguiculata
964. Common pincushion (moss), Dicranoweisia cirrata
965. Creeping feather-moss, Amblystegium serpens
966. Dog screw-moss, Tortula canescens
967. Dusky beard-moss, Didymodon luridus
968. False beard-moss, Didymodon fallax
969. Fool’s-parsley, Aethusa cynapium
970. Green yoke-moss, Zygodon viridissimus
971. Lesser bird’s-claw beard-moss, Barbula convoluta
972. Matted feather-moss, Brachythecium populeum
973. Redshank (moss), Ceratodon purpureus
974. Silver-moss, Bryum argenteum
975. Whitish feather-moss, Brachythecium albicans

Algae
976. Coelastrum microporum
977. Gonium pectorale

Lichens
978. Buellia canescens
979. Lecanora dispersa
980. Lecidella elaeochroma          

981. Lepraria incana
982. Ochrolechia parella
983. Xanthoria polycarpa

Fungi
984. Beech tar-crust, Biscogniauxia nummularia
985. Bleeding oak crust, Stereum gausapatum
986. Bleeding broadleaf crust, Stereum rugosum
987. Coral spot, Nectria cinnabarina
988. Ganoderma adspersum (a heart-rot fungus)
989. Honey fungus, Armillaria mellea
990. King Alfred’s cakes, Daldinia concentrica  

991. Lemon disco, Bisporella citrina
992. Nectria peziza
993. Oak mildew, Erysiphe alphitoides
994. Oak pin, Cudoniella acicularis
995. Peeling oysterling, Crepidotus mollis
996. Shaggy parasol, Macrolepiota rhacodes
997. Snapping bonnet, Mycena vitilis
998. Tawny milkcap, Lactarius fulvissimus
999. Trechispora mollusca
1000. Velvet shank, Flammulina velutipes