Bugs and Things

The day was fairly warm, overcast in the morning, sun mid-afternoon, then again overcast.

Most of the morning was catching up on office work; the various emails, cashing up, and trying to get some signs made to ensure that dogs were kept on leads. With the various birds now either nesting like the Greylags, and Moorhens, or thinking about it, it is important that the dogs are kept under control.

On the wetland, having inspected the water levels, I found some more carrion beetle on more dead /partly eaten toads Thanatophilus rugosus , one pair mating.

A single Groundhopper was also spotted. These are only about 10mm in length but great jumpers, I only caught this one because it leapt into a pond. This Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata) is a small relative of the grasshoppers, but is smaller in size and more heavily armoured. Although localised being found nationally, they are quite often overlooked so probably under recorded. My feeling was that it seemed early for this chap to be out.

Other signs of Spring was the Barren Strawberry

And Common Dog Violet