Speckled bush cricket

We get one or two speckled bush crickets in our garden each year - about 5km south-west of Minwear/Canaston.

Green bugs

Have just had another internet search on these after seeing more this morning - there are quite a few about on knapweed flowers.

This particular species seems to be the potato capsid bug Closteromotomus norwegicus.

Stenotus binotatus females do look similar to my photograph, but the clincher seems to be that the second antenna segment is of similar length to the third and fourth segments combined.

The British bugs site has lots of photographs of lots of species. I don't know how comprehensive it is, but it's the best I've seen so far.

Speckled Bush Cricket

Recent visits to Canaston and Minwear Woods have turned up numerous Speckled Bush Crickets. Has anyone else seen this species much away from the coast?

Another Invasion of Painted ladies on the cards?

Following the invasion of Painted lady butterflies earlier in the year I have recently found a couple of arable fields near Camrose with un-treated margins with plenty of creeping thistle. Almost all of the plants have been heavily eaten by Painted lady caterpillars. There must have been thousands of caterpillars here. Has anyone else noticed the same thing? Perhaps we can expect to see a second wave of this species soon?

Response to Joyce re metallic green butterflies

In response to Joyces note about moths and butterflies I would suspect the metallic green things were green hairstreaks?

Green Bug response

Response to Annies question about the green bug. I am no expert on this group but there is a photo in the Collins "Complete British Insects" of a similar bug that is commonly found feeding on ripening seeds and flowers. It is called Stenotus binotatus and as hinted in the name, it has a pair of black dots on the pronotum.

Hope this helps, Jon

Oil beetle identification response

In response to Annie's Oil beetle question, I think that it is M. proscaberous we get round here. There is a Key to oil beetles in British Wildlife vol14 october 2002. Have you got it?

jon

June

Pembrokshire
I found a few Dark Green Fritillaries towards the end of June on the coast path between Trefasser Cross and Strumble head. Also some metallic green moths about the size of the common blue butterfly. I think they may be foresters has anyone else seen them?
Ceredigion- butterflies
Meadow browns and ringlets are fairly numerous on the transects I monitor inspite of bad summers in 2007,2008. Skippers and common blues are around but few in number, small tortoiseshells, peacocks and small coppers are rare this year. Maybe the second flight season will be better.
Moths
poplar hawkmoths, privit hawkmoths and elephant hawkmoths have all been in the trap in June.
Also lychnis, silverground carpet, white banded and garden carpets, brimstones, phoenix, pebble prominent, blood veins, buff and white ermines. small magpie, poplar grey, green and grey arches, coxcomb prominent and willow beauties.

What are these bugs?

These bugs were feeding on knapweed. Anyone know what they are? Or more importantly, where do I go to start trying to identify them? Those illustrated in my insect book don't have green eyes or black dots on the pronotum.

Annie