Tag Archives: #Entomology

Opisthograptis luteolata, the Brimstone Moth

Adult Brimstones are typically on the wing from April to October. In southern regions, there are often two or even three overlapping generations, while in our cooler northern parts this may reduce to a single brood. The species is strongly attracted to light and can often be found resting on walls or fences near outdoor lamps.

Speckled Woods

Speckled Woods are a familiar butterfly to most of us here in Britain yet are often overlooked in favour of flashier species like the Peacock or Red Admiral.

Understated and widespread they may even appear dowdy compared to their lepidopteran cousins yet, as with any wild creature, patient observation reveals them to possess more beauty and character than you would ever suspect.

Ichneumon sarcitorius, the White-Striped Darwin Wasp

Ichneumon sarcitorius is a common and strikingly patterned parasitic wasp belonging to the vast Ichneumonidae family.

Often referred to as a ‘Darwin wasp’ this species is a vital component of its ecosystem, serving as a specialised natural predator that helps manage moth populations in a wide variety of habitats throughout the British Isles.

Springtime Lepidoptera on the Fylde Coast Dunes

Lancashire’s Fylde Coast features one of the finest stretches of sand dunes anywhere in England. From St Annes to Starr Gate these dynamic dune-systems, remnants of a once vast realm of sandy hills which stretched along this entire coast, are home to a myriad of flora and fauna, many of which have nowhere else to live.

Winter Gnats

Winter Gnats (Trichoceridae), also commonly known as winter craneflies, are a small family of delicate, long-legged flies in the order Diptera. They are particularly noticeable during the cooler months, and thrive in our damp, temperate climate where mild winter days provide perfect conditions for their activity.

Common Ivy

Common ivy, scientifically known as Hedera helix, is an evergreen climbing plant native to, and ubiquitous throughout the British Isles, excepting the far north and a few spots like the Isle of Man.

The Herald Moth, inc. notes about the Dangers of Hibernation including Predation and Entomopathogenic Fungi

The Herald moth, Scoliopteryx libatrix, is a common native species known for its striking appearance and unique life-cycle that spans seasons in a way few other moths do. Belonging to the family Erebidae, it is often one of the first to emerge in spring and one of the last to be seen in autumn, earning its common name as a “herald” of changing weather.