What is buzzing or flying near you today??

I can vouch for that Walnut, as a good 25 years after handling a hairy caterpillar, i still suffer dreadful eczema on my hands (I have always had eczema - but not on my hands previously.)

We collected the caterpillars from a friend's home-grown cabbage, and kept them in a large tub, fed on supermarket bought organic cabbage (I know - mad or what!) Unfortunately, one or two of them must have been infected by a parasitic wasp, as we watched in horror as the tiny maggots ate them alive. It was horrific, but my son was quite mesmerised!)

 

I didn't see the bee until I was sorting the photos out on the PC, so it was a nice surprise.

 

Good pic. Kedi but its a hover fly(sorry)

 

Hi Walnut and thanks for the ID and don't be sorry about it. Now I know what it is and won't call it a bee in future.

 

I actually managed to catch several things today!

 

Today I even found a double-decker!!!

 

:D :D :D Good pic, Sis!

 

Well, thank you kindly Sis!

 

Here a bee on our first thistle of the year -

 

Nice bee there kedi

I snapped this today,sat on my hibiscus bush.
Looks very much like a bird dropping, which leads to the question, Is it a Lime-Speck Pug moth?

 

on 9th june, pete posted a photo on this thread of a colourful catterpillar (page 34). I've just found a few of the same catterpillars on my verbascum. It is the larvae of the Cucullia verbasci moth and the advice is KILL IT!! the moth isn't much to look at considering how the catterpillars look!

 

Thanks Pip. Your pic is interesting. I must admit that I wondered if you were having us on with that name so I googled it. Sorry about that! I found the moth on most sites but with open wings.

 

Hi Kedi, I have seen many pictures of the pug moth and as you said,they are all shown with open wings.

The reason I ask the question is because the Lime-Speck Pug moth is the only one I can find that is described as looking like a bird dropping when at rest.

Think I might throw it open to the whole of GC.

 

Hi, Pip!

Can't be a pug moth - they all rest with the wings flat and spread out. I reckon it's a froghopper from the shape of it, but I can't be sure of the species - though it's probably the common one - Philaenus spumarius. The colours are very variable. Of course, it may just have been in the wrong place when the local blackbird.....!

 

Pip - look at this link, I wonder if this is your moth?

http://users.crosspaths.net/~bugs/bugtography/birddroppingfly.htm