Sunday 25 July 2010

Infantry vs Tanks

At first glance all seems quiet in the garden but on closer inspection, today heralded a major offensive….

The Battlefield
10_07_25_longfield_230_ox_eye_garden7-Spot Ladybird Laagar.
10_07_25_longfield_223_ladybird_laagarAnt front Line and the 7-spots are on the move.
10_07_25_longfield_240_ladybird_ant_defence
Direct hit, one aphid down.
10_07_25_longfield_180_7_spot_attack
Counter attack but it’s a heavily armoured predator and the best the ants can hope for is to drive it away.
10_07_25_longfield_149_7_spot_ant_attackThe opposition are too many so withdraw, check damage and clean up.
10_07_25_longfield_194_7_spot_clean_up Rest and regroup, ready for the next attack.
10_07_25_longfield_116_7_spot_abreast
A pleasing total of 12 7-spot ladybirds in one small area of the garden today along with several harlequins. At one point I was watching 7 ants defending and losing against 2 7-spots. The life of the infantry is tough, what chance do they stand against tanks?

Elsewhere in the garden…

Brimstone feeding amongst the sweat peas.
10_07_24_longfield_102_brimstone
Scaeva pyrastri
10_07_24_longfield_125_Scaeva_pyrastri Hairy Eyes
10_07_24_longfield_132_Scaeva_pyrastri_eyes

Out amongst the hoverflies was this amazing beastie.
10_07_25_longfield_120_predatory_fly

I’ve no idea what it is but it would ambush hoverflies, hold them in it’s long legs and appear to sting them and then let them go. I’m assuming it was laying an egg in or on the hoverfly. It also had some very fierce looking pincers and extremely large eyes which definitely helped it to track the hoverflies. The preferred prey species seemed to be Episyrphus balteatus but that may be because they are the ost numerous amongst the ox-eye daisies and valerian.

Ran the mv trap on Friday night but a full moon lit night affected the number of the species caught. A couple of nice waves though.

Dwarf Cream Wave
10_07_24_longfield_080_dwarf cream wave
Single-dotted Wave
10_07_24_longfield_067_single-dotted wave

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