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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

paul iddon

  1. Paul Iddon

    A rose sawfly, Oribatid mites (and bonus) plus a snout mite and a drinking spider!

    Did a bit of macro stuff last night... This is I think a rose sawfly (Arge pagana) trapped in a spider web: Here are Oribatid mites (about the size of a pin head) one of which has a passenger (could be a nematode): And a snout mite (very quick these are!): Finally: The first...
  2. Paul Iddon

    The spiders are making an appearance

    Quick look into the garden area tonight and my usual horde of spiders are beginning to show up. The jumping spider (Salticus scenicus) on the wall. The cellar spider(s) Pholcus phalangioides in the shed will soon fatten up with this years baby parlour, the Amauobious sp. are coming to drum on...
  3. Paul Iddon

    Pseudoscorpion

    I've never seen one before - which considering how large it was (maybe 2mm) you'd think they would be easy to find - but not for me. This one was on my recycling bin tonight... Pseudoscorpions, also known as false scorpions or book scorpions, are small, scorpion-like arachnids belonging to the...
  4. Paul Iddon

    Getting closer to the wasps...

    I took an environmental photo first of a couple of wasps on an a fallen apple, then once I was happy that they were happy, I went in closer. Paul.
  5. Paul Iddon

    Steatoda bipunctata, Lithobius forficatus, and a Peribaodes rhomnoidaria

    I love photographing spiders even false widows... :) - this one is a rabbit-hutch spider - Steatoda bipunctata. Often seen indoors and in animal pens, garages, sheds, etc. Loves eating woodlice! Then there is one of my pet hates - Lithobius forficatus, most commonly known as the garden...
  6. Paul Iddon

    2 spiders and chalcid wasp.

    Two spiders out of the dozen or so that were on the fence the other night. First is a male rabbit hutch spider (Steatoda bipuncta - one of the false widows) and the other two are of a silver-sided sector female (Zygiella x-notata) making herself a meal of a midge. Following those are couple of...
  7. Paul Iddon

    The Beauty and the Beast - and the savagery of nature

    I actually felt dismayed as this sequence unfolded, but that's the way nature goes. On a small piece of rock covered in moss, the "beast" waited patiently, and the "beauty" just didn't seem to notice her, and succumbed to the bigger hunter... Amaurobius sp. and Salticus scenicus...
  8. Paul Iddon

    Vapourer cat, a mini-moth and spiders on the apple tree

    The apple tree was fruitful last night (more in other thread). Here are the first few - a vapourer moth caterpillar, a golden tortix moth, and 2 spiders. Paul.
  9. Paul Iddon

    Other apple tree dwellers

    I said the tree was fruitful last night - these are more of the discoveries... Ladybird prep, a caddis fly variant (Limnephilus flavicornis) and another sleeping tapered dronefly (Eristalis pertinax) and 2 different green lacewings. Paul.
  10. Paul Iddon

    Pleased with this bee!

    We got a small bee hotel in autumn last year and I have placed it on the wall in the garden and let it become naturalised. Now I'm pleased as punch to find a red mason bee taking up residence. Paul.
  11. Paul Iddon

    A few from Sunday night

    Good to see a few arrivals around the garden area - I've seen few (not been looking that much to be fair) but the nicer weather and warmer nights are bringing the guests out... A mayfly (imago stage)... Supper for a Neriene montana spider and 2 others (one is looking gravid)...
  12. Paul Iddon

    Fence dwellers tonight

    Took a quick look at the garden fence panels and there were a few chance moments... First, one of the resident rabbit hutch spiders (Steatoda bipunctata) - these are very reactive to movement - touch the fence panel and they rush back into hiding... Next an unfortunate sun fly (Helophilus...
  13. Paul Iddon

    DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone - a prize!

    I entered a Christmas competition on a photo website here in England (Ephotozine) and blow me away, I won a (like new) Mini 3 Pro from MPB Photographic! Now that's what I call good luck! Anyway, I have never considered having or using a drone, so it will be a new experience for me to give it a...
  14. Paul Iddon

    Small beetle

    Found this little brown beetle today - I think it is Notiophilus sp. Paul.
  15. Paul Iddon

    Paroligolophus agrestis

    This is one of the shorter legged opiliones - the Paroligolophus agrestis. It often lives in trees but can also be found in ground vegetation. Paul.
  16. Paul Iddon

    An (as usual) skittish Globby

    Like most, this globular springtail didn't want to sit still, but instead kept meandering around making it a pain to capture in the best pose... Dicyrtomina saundersi is a small globular springtail around only 2 or 3 mm. It has quite distinctive markings of pale greeny yellow and maroon...
  17. Paul Iddon

    Warmer tonight

    The cold freeze has gone, and it's much warmer tonight, so I thought I would have a quick look in the garden (around 11pm-ish).. There wasn't much in all honesty, but I managed 3 photo's. First is a woodlice which I suspect is not the victim in the photo... As well as decaying wood, common...
  18. Paul Iddon

    An Ice Surprise (as in nice surprise)....

    I went out into the garden this morning looking for ice patterns and I found some OK ones, plus a surprise as well... Berries fallen onto the bird table and the surface of the same: A stem of ice crystals on the bin lid - stalagmite like... And there is a solitary rose flower hanging...
  19. Paul Iddon

    First Frost

    Woke up to a cold and frosty morning... Paul.
  20. Paul Iddon

    Plover Scar and the Ocean Traffic - a short story...

    Plover Scar and the Ocean Traffic - a short story... Morecambe Bay is still a thriving shipping channel as cargo vessels and passenger ferries travels to and from Glasson Dock and Heysham. Heysham ferry port is located on the North-West coast of England, approximately 4 miles South of nearby...
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