Wasps

It has been a bit of a year for social wasps, the Vespula and Dolichovespula genera or Hymenoptera. Last year we saw very few of these, indeed, Vespula vulgaris didn't make it onto the new garden list until this year. What I found interesting was that earlier in the year the predominant species here was Dolichovespula saxonica with nests in the house, under the roof tiles, but then the species balance changed firstly with Vespula germanica being found more often and then very large numbers of Vespula vulgaris.

Vespula vulgaris showing the typical anchor face mark.

 Social wasps can be surprisingly awkward to identify, a bit more straightforward than bumblebees, but quite often requiring a fair bit of scrutiny. There is a useful guide here - https://www.eakringbirds.com/eakringbirds2/insectswaspsidentification.htm but note it does not include Dolichovespula media, a large species or Vespa velutina which is now occurring more frequently in England.

As interesting as these social wasps are, and despite being stung occasionally, I like to see them about (just move slowly and don't flap!), I'm more interested in the parasitic Hymenoptera. 

I was at the Community Woodland looking at plant galls the other week when I came across a small female wasp that was very interested in the Common Spangle Galls Neuroterus quercusbaccarum. I watched it for quite a while as it investigated two of the galls.

 

Torymus flavipes, identified by KM (thank you). The longest terminal spur on the hind tibia is more than half as long as the first tarsal segment.

A bit of correspondence with KM has led to me collecting some more specimens as he is investigating the possibility of crypto-species due to the different plant associations in spring, but just Quercus in autumn. So far my oak bashing has yielded two more of this species and quite a few other Hymenoptera species.

 This large Ichneumon came out of one oak.

 

Lissonota fundator, confirmed by MS (thank you). Identified using the colour guides to Ichneumons in iNaturalist (see side panel) and the Banchinae key, which I have but have rarely used. The lower photo shows the deeply excavated mesosulcus which determines this species from L. impressor.

This is a common species, the long ovipositors, nearly 10mm long, and longer than the rest of the animal, seem so ungainly, but presumably necessary for laying eggs in the larvae/pupae (I'm not sure which) of Mesapamea secalis agg hosts. 

I've been adding galls to my list at a fair rate and now I'm seeing them I find more and more. Some sapling oaks may have six or more species on them. 

Coal Tit has clearly had a very good breeding season. The sunflower seed feeder is emptied in a couple of hours or so and the other species get not much of a chance. Last year Coal Tit - Blue Tit ratio was about 1:1, this year it is 20:1. 

Coal Tits

I added two species to the patch list the other day, within about 100m of each other.  Red-legged (or similar) Partridge, no doubt released for shooting, and not unexpected Stonechat.

Stonechat

Pink-footed Geese have been passing over recently, with several flocks heard but not seen, until this single, and clearly disorientated bird flew noisily around the fields.

Pink-footed Goose

Other migrants have included Magpie, they only seem to occur here at this time of year and fleetingly. Today the first Redwings went over.

The mothing has been frustrating. A long spell of cold nights, followed by a series of warm but very wet nights. However, the one session I did run produced NFM Lunar Underwing and Satellite.

Lunar Underewing

Satellite

A trip to Crieff Cemetery whilst the car was being re-shod produced another NFM with many occupied mines on alder of Phyllonorycter froelichiella.

Phyllonorycter froelichiella, three occupied mines.

And this alder leaf has mines of Phyllonorycter froelichiella and many galls of Eriophyes laevis, a mite.

 Also recorded at the cemetery was Holly Leafminer Phytomyza ilicis, another leaf mine, and an adult Blastobasis lacticolella. 

A sunny mid-morning in Stirling produced a very sprightly Hummingbird Hawk-moth, near the city centre, which disappeared rapidly before I could get any half-decent image, along with Speckled Wood.

A fabulous image of Hummingbird Hawk-moth