Insects and Spiders

Spotted hibernating on Blackthorn at Chiltern Open Air Museum yesterday:
Red legs indicative of Harlequin?

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The real surprise of the day was spotting what I thought was a really big snail on a branch but when I went to take the photo I noticed it was a hermit crab!! There must be some inshore varieties because we were a few miles from the coast.

This is a Handmaiden Moth (Syntomoides imaon), one of the Clearwing moths from Asia, that I photo'ed in Taiwan recently.

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Superb, what a beautiful moth.

It is isn't it and very approachable too.

I've just got myself a Raynox DCR-250. Basically this is x2 magnifying glass that goes on the end of a normal macro lens. Looking forward to the possibilities it opens up for even more close-up macro shots this year.

full x2 view and then zoomed in on subject.

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Saw some nice invertebrates today - most hiding in Yews in local churchyards. First up a Box Bug (Gonocerus acuteangulatus)

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and a fabulous Green Spider Crab (Diaea dorsata)

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Great!!

Ta!

This male hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) was bathing in the weak sunshine this morning on a south facing stone wall. Hairy eyes!

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Fuzzy friend from yesterday

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TBF my eyes are hairy especially after a few beers.

An apparently grumpy Cream-spotted Ladybird (Calvia quatuordecimguttata) wasn't keen on being photographed today

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Found in the house this morning: a juniper shield bug.

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Whats this? Constantly hovering, big, shaped like a fish. Proboscis. Orange bits on its wings, black and white tail. Flower bothering.

Hard to get pictures, was a flighty, shifty fucker.

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Hummingbird hawk moth

Thanks. Yes, definitely that. Was very cool

Saw this purseweb spider yesterday. it was quite lively.

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Nice find - great photo as usual too!

Really felt like spring today with some smart early Hoverflies including this Helophilus penduls

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A little praying mantis showed up while I was prepping the raised beds for the autumn planting round.

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Wow. What country?

Are you Balearics?

https://twitter.com/AMAZlNGNATURE/status/1771163692291277038?t=4uNqy1YgwMIIRcSplaebYQ&s=19

Adelaide, South Australia