Helped by the Local Nature Reserves’ Officer, the Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Partnership spent a gloriously sunny afternoon observing and recording wildlife in the graveyard.

One of the species discovered was the Episyrphus balteatus (marmalade hoverfly). It is small – approximately 10mm long – and has an orange parallel-sided abdomen with narrow black bands. Hoverfly larvae are aphid predators – they are important biological control agents of aphid pests and also help to pollinate flowers.

E. balteatus can be identified by the  black bands on the 3rd and 4th tergites (dorsal plates) of the abdomen. The posterior margins of these tergites are heavily banded with black, but towards the anterior margins are the smaller, often broken bands.

A further identification character is provided by the faint, grey, dorsal stripes running longitudinally on the thorax – not always easily identifiable.

This year there seems to be an extremely large number of this species, probably due to an influx from Europe.

Other species identified:

Grid ref: SP 141 899

 

Date: 03:08:11

 

Species identification

 

Holly blue Butterfly

Celastrina argiolus

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=argiolus – Holly blue butterfly reference

 

Red Admiral Butterfly

Vanessa atalanta

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=atalanta – Red Admiral reference

 

 

Speckled Wood

Pararge aegeria

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Speckled%20Wood – Speckled Wood reference

 

Large White

Pieris brassicae

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=31 -Large White reference

 

Small White

Pieris rapae

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/Butterfly/32/Butterfly.html?ButterflyId=51 – Small White reference

 

Pine Ladybird

Exochomus 4-pustulatus

http://www.ladybird-survey.org/species_desc.aspx?species=6455%2058901 – Pine Ladybird reference

 

Cream-spot Ladybird

Calvia 14-guttata

http://www.ladybird-survey.org/species_desc.aspx?species=6455%2059901 – Cream-Spot Ladybird reference

 

Harlequin Ladybird

Harmonia axyridis

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm – Harlequin Ladybird reference

 

 

 

 

2 Spot Ladybird

Adalia 2-punctata

http://www.ladybird-survey.org/species_desc.aspx?species=6455%2059501 – 2 spot Ladybird reference

 

Snake Millipede

Tachypodoiulus niger

http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o163-whiteleggedsnakemillipede.php – Snake Millipede reference

 

Mealy bug

Pseudococcidae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mealybug – Mealy bug reference

 

Frog Hopper

Cercopoidea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Froghopper – Frog Hopper reference

 

Brown Lacewing

Hemerobiidae

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemerobiidae – Brown Lacewing reference

 

Rough Woodlouse

Porcellio scaber

http://abugblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/common-rough-woodlouse.html – Rough Woodlouse reference

 

Hawthorn Shield Bug

Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorn_shield_bug – Hawthorn Shield Bug reference

 

Crab Spider species

 

Red Ant species

 

Black Ant species

 

Garden Snail

Helix aspersa

http://www.uksafari.com/gardensnail.htm – Garden Snail Reference

 

Pale Lipped Snail

Cepaea Hortensis

http://www.pawsforwildlife.co.uk/white-lipped_snail.php – Pale lipped Snail reference

 

Discus Snail

Endodontidae

http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o121-discussnail.php – Discus Snail reference

 

Moss Snail

Cochlicopa lubrica

http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/t17764.htm – Moss Snail reference

 

Mosquito species

 

Green Fly species

 

Marmalade Fly

Episyrphus balteatus

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artmay07/cd-hoverflies.html – Marmalade Fly reference

 

Common Wasp

Vespula Vulgaris

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th4b.htm – Common Wasp Reference

 

Bumblebee

Bombus

http://www.uksafari.com/bumblebees.htm – Bumblebee reference

 

Brown Banded Carter Bee

Bombus pascuorum

http://www.bumblebee.org/pasc.htm – Brown Banded Carter Bee reference

 

Cuckoo Bumblebee

Bombus campestris

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombus_campestris – Cuckoo Bumblebee reference

 

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Bombus terrestris

http://www.bumblebee.org/terr.htm – Buff-tailed Bumblebee reference

 

Red Tailed Bumblebee

Bombus lapidarius

http://www.plantpress.com/wildlife/o438-redtailedbumblebee.php – Red tailed Bumblebee reference

 

Eupeodes Hoverfly

eupeodes sp.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/insects-and-invertebrates/86789-eupeodes-hoverfly.html – Eupeodes Hoverfly reference

 

Scaeva Hoverfly

Scaeva pyrasti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaeva_pyrastri – Scaeva Hoverfly reference

 

Robin

Erithacus rubecula

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/robin.htm – Robin reference

 

Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/wren.asp – Wren reference

 

Blue tit

Cyanistes caeruleus

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/bluetit.htm – Blue tit reference