Tiny Things

Sunday, May 14th 2017

The number of times I have prepared the camera and crept up on a 'something', to find that it is a tiny dollop of mud or a bird dropping or a piece of a leaf is considerable.  Then you do find some little things lurking around.  Rails of bridges are loved by any number of tiny creatures.  This spider was on the bridge over the lake.

Spider

Whilst down on Risedale Beck an instar of a shieldbug was found, almost camouflged against the lichens.

Instar shieldbug

There are names on the map throughout the reserve, Risedale Beck, the moor, Plover's Pool and the wetland for example, but then there are the names that have been aquired.  Kidney Spot Corner for one.  The reason being that there have been Kidney Spot ladybirds on the Ash trees on the corner!  Ladybird numbers have been very low over the last two years so it is always a pleasure to see a Kidney Spot back where it should be, at Kidney Spot Corner.

Kidney Spot Ladybird

Bees are always busy and Dandelions provide them with food.  This one was covered in pollen.

Bee covered in pollen on a Dandelion

It does not take long before the golden yellow flower has developed its round fluffy seed head.  Gentle breezes or blowing on the seed head, a dandelion clock, to find what time it is, soon disperse the seeds.

Dandelion seed head

Rowan flowers are often covered by bees and you can see this one has a large pollen sac.

Bee on Rowan with pollen sac


(1) Comments:

Colin Duke responded on 15th May 2017 with...

Hello - The Shieldbug is a mid-instar Forest Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes


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