A few photos from the farm...

[locum76]

Hi folks, I was going to do a 'guess the plant thread' from the farm but I got distracted by pond bugs today instead. It's not my field of expertise so maybe somebody help with a couple of these?

A marigold.

Pumpkin plants on the march.

I'd like an ID on this strange leaf dwelling caterpillar if possible.

Water snails having a conference.

A water spider?

Any ID on this?

Damsel flies caught in the act!

 

[Barn Owl]

The second last photo must be a Damselfly nymph having shed its larval skin?

Good pics though.

Btw, what leaf is the caterpillar on,it may be descisive in an id?

 

[JonathanD]

The caterpillar is from the Brown China-mark Moth and lives underneath leaves and can live underwater too. It's certainly that species as it is always found by still or very slow moving water

 

[Toddy]

Brilliant

Scotch Marigold.........use like saffron and awfully good in milk for real custard ........now he's going to tell me I'm mistaken It's also an excellent skin healer and companion plant, hoverflies love it and they guzzle aphids and the like.
Your courgettes are way ahead of mine.

Love your pond beasties, I should have done some of mine. Those wee snails, are they black and kind of conical pointy at the end ? They're the ones that live in the watercress.

cheers,
M

 

[Harvestman]

The spider is one of the Pirate spiders, genus Pirata. Impossible to say which one though. The commonest is Pirata piraticus. This one looks like a juvenile.

Water spider lives below the water, and is black and hairy.

 

[locum76]

Cheers for the ID on caterpillar and spider guys.

Barn owl, I guess you're right about the larvae. I thought it might have been a bit small for a Damsel fly but on second thoughts...

Toddy, Its all just calendula tae me. I've used it for all those things before though. I love the stuff. I love the smell especially. Any tips on drying Calendula? We're selling most for salad but I'd like to keep some for winter when we finally get round to making the Gardeners hand salve.

 

[Radix lecti]

Great pictures you got there.