thanks; you genius you ! Unlikely to be a dung as i saw one all black without the white mark; (which i assume to be the shell hardening proceess ?) and there was in no way a variety on animals in a large evergreen forest; fenced off up a hill; there where a few animal tracks but the majority of it was marsh moss bog; all beit dried due to the weather.
The "What is this bug?" thread
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thanks; you genius you ! Unlikely to be a dung as i saw one all black without the white mark; (which i assume to be the shell hardening proceess ?) and there was in no way a variety on animals in a large evergreen forest; fenced off up a hill; there where a few animal tracks but the majority of it was marsh moss bog; all beit dried due to the weather.
Have a look at this for comparison. This is a dor beetle. I'm not saying that yours is one of these, but if there are similarities then we are on the right track.
Yup almost identical. Thanks for that.Have a look at this for comparison. This is a dor beetle. I'm not saying that yours is one of these, but if there are similarities then we are on the right track.
Mike the second one is a mole cricket. They are mad looking things, very rare in the UK. The longhorn I will try to look up. Ah, it is Morimus funereus, and handsome specimen found in southern Europe.
Thank you Sir. I never met a mole cricket in the flesh before. For your Hat trick can you ID my possible Orchid?http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132279
As for the mole cricket The eyes don't look like compound eyes on my pictures
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Tried on the oprchid. Not sure. Not all insects have compound eyes, or else they can be very small. Incidentally a bit of research suggests Gryllotalpa quindecim for your mole cricket.
Does anyone know what is happeniing with this spider
Spider with possible parasite by Alf Branch, on Flickr
Spider with possible parasite by Alf Branch, on Flickr
That's the larvae of a parasitoid wasp Alf. The female wasp lays an egg on the spider, at the front of the abdomen where the spider can't get at it to remove it. The egg hatches into a larvae which attaches to the spider and feeds on the spider's tissues and fluids. the larvae is quite selective, and does not damage any of the spider's internal organs until it is close to its final moult, so the spider is alive the whole time until the larvae is ready to pupate. Then it devours the internal organs, killing the spider, and the larvae drops off, pupates in the soil, and emerges a little later as an adult wasp ready to fly off and mate and start the cycle all over again.
Generally these larvae are found on orb spinning spiders rather than ground spiders. I have seen three or four examples already this year. Here's one of mine:
Generally these larvae are found on orb spinning spiders rather than ground spiders. I have seen three or four examples already this year. Here's one of mine:
I know its an elephant hawk moth but it landed on my chicken run 
Elephant Hawk Moth Coop by British Red, on Flickr
It was very vulnerable to chickens so I picked it up on some paper
Elephant Hawk Moth Front by British Red, on Flickr
popped it on a leaf and put it somewhere safe to dry out from the rain
Elephant Hawk Moth by British Red, on Flickr
With a pound coin for scale
Elephant Hawk Moth by British Red, on Flickr
Elephant Hawk Moth Coop by British Red, on FlickrIt was very vulnerable to chickens so I picked it up on some paper
Elephant Hawk Moth Front by British Red, on Flickrpopped it on a leaf and put it somewhere safe to dry out from the rain
Elephant Hawk Moth by British Red, on FlickrWith a pound coin for scale
Elephant Hawk Moth by British Red, on Flickr
Pretty varied. it likes woodlands, grasslands and gardens. The caterpillars feed on willowherbs, bedstraws and fuschias, plus other stuff. It is a common species in southern Britain, less frequent as you go north.
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