This unidentified shieldbug is an early stage ('stadium') since the wings have not fully developed. The animal is photographed on ice-plant (Sedum spectabile).
This unidentified sawfly occurs each year on the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) in my pond. The larvae eat the leaves of the plant but don't do too much damage.
Oak marbles are growths, or galls, produced by the tree in response to eggs laid by small 'gall-wasps' (hymenoptera). The gall protects the emerging grub and provides its first meal. The waps responsible for oak marbles is Andricus kollari.
Oak apples, like other 'galls', are produced by the tree as a reaction to eggs laid by small 'gall-wasps'. Oak apple galls are produced in response to the wasp Biorhiza pallida. The picture shows a relatively new gall and is a perfect illustration of how this gall comes by its name.
Digger wasps belong to the family Sphecidae and can be distinguished from their cousins the social wasps - family Vespidae - by several characters: particularly noticeable are the wings held flat over the back (like a hoverfly) whereas social wasps wings have longitudinal folds in them when held at rest.
The froghopper (Cercopsis vulnerata) is a 'true bug'. The nymphal stages of other species of froghoppers are responsible for the 'cuckoo spit' often seen on grasses and other plants (but not this species whose nymphs live under ground).
David wrote: 'I planted Purple Toadflax (Linaria purpurea) three years ago and a male and female Wool Carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) have taken up Residence for the first time this year'. The male is pictured here in a close-up shot.
David wrote: 'I planted Purple Toadflax (Linaria purpurea) three years ago and a male and female Wool Carder bee (Anthidium manicatum) have taken up Residence for the first time this year'. This is the female.
The lawn bee (Andrena fulva) is a small bee, about the size of a small honey bee, that often digs nest burrows in lawns. This picture shows the beautiful foxy-coloured female (on cherry laurel [Prunus laurocerasus]).
