Wednesday, January 13, 2016

2016 without a shadow of a doubt...

I blogged for the first time ever on December 18th 2010 (I think it was) and here we are 5+ years later still doing it. Alright, it has been erratic and sporadic at times but then, so has my life.

What will 2016 hold? Who knows, the only certainty is that it will once again be different from the preceding year(s). It has started differently without a shadow of a doubt.

What does a shadow of a doubt look like do you think?


Alright then, shall we crack on with the first update of a new year? Please say yes or.......oh, you did! good show...

Whilst reminiscing about the, what would it be, close to 2000 days since I wrote that first blog entry? Perhaps I will indulge myself and share a few of my favourite photographs. Of course you may have different ones altogether. Or possibly none at all... 





But as Mother Teresa famously once said: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Scathophaga stercoraria is the name of my first insect find of the year. I might be forgiven for using only the scientific name in this instance? Why so? Because the more common name is the Yellow Dung Fly, and we don't want to start a new year in the s...surely not!


March to November is what my book says. In truth, I have found them in February before, but even so, January seems very premature. I have more shots to share as there is a bit of a way to go yet before bugs are once again abundant and I have to pad this blog out somehow...


You could forgive me for not using the common name for that fly, but can you forgive me also for informing you that it was my first insect find of the year when really, this one was...


I'm sharing it still on the camera because the photo is, how can I best describe? Pants! Yes, that's it...Pants, with a capital P. It took me by surprise, it was a very dull day, I only had the camera and no flash with me, it only allowed me a couple of quick shots before it was off, I had to use f5 and 1600 ISO to get enough light, I.....blah, de blah, de blah......Oh OK...here's the bl**dy photo...



There...I did warn you it was pants. (I must apologise for the 'p' in my pants, I forgot to use a capital that time.) All the same, what a treat to find Corizus hyoscyami in mid-winter like this. I know they are listed as being around all year and do overwinter as adults, but I have never seen one in winter until now. (Yeah, and then you messed up on the photo JJ!) 



Maybe it's time for the first mystery find of 2016? Well that's what is coming next anyway, so ner, ner, ner, ner...


When I was sifting through some leaflitter (don't you?) I came across this little object; at first I suspected it was just a seed, or maybe a key. I almost rejected it but then noticed that it felt too soft and squidgy for either of those. I gently pressed it. Not as gently as I thought I had actually, because as I did so, this happened...


And so I am ashamed to say that this has now changed from a 'what is it' to a 'what was it'. Assuming it was some kind of larva?


And the second mystery object is?




All I can tell you is that it was found on a pine tree and is hard to the touch. Insect construction, or plant material?


And the third object(s)...







My own guess for these would be, let me see, something like hoverfly eggs from last year that failed to hatch? Although I am not sure if hoverflies lay eggs in this random pattern. The shape is reminiscent of ones that I have found before though.




In my local woods the other day, I found a hazel tree that still had some green leaves...


I turned over a few leaves and found these orange ladybirds...


Those are just phone grabs by the way, because that's all I had with me.



And so here I am at 10.30 on a cold January evening in 2016 just about to wrap up.

Oh hang on...I didn't complete that sentence. Just about to wrap up another blog entry, leave cyber world behind for today, shower and hit the hay for another night of fitful sleep and weird dreams. Just before I do though, I will share one last picture. This again is from the garden and is a springtail that I spotted apparently eating its own moult; I had no idea they did this...



Until the next time...




Apologies to my overseas readers who won't get this reference because you will have a different name for the above vegetable? Apologies also to UK readers who probably won't get the reference either, 'cos it's pretty lame!