What is Patton's Tiger?

I have been immersed in natural history since I was 18 and started work at the (then) Wildfowl Trust at Arundel. I met, worked and lived with some brilliant naturalists and a lifetime's obsession was born.
Birding was followed by mothing and the height of 'achievement' was obtained when a moth was given the above vernacular name in recognition of the fact that I trapped the first British record.

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Beating trees.

I have always thought of this time of year as being invertebrate-free and consequently boring and useless. Something inspired me to try beating yew trees and as these are often found in churchyards I have been lurking around with beating tray and stick trying not to attract too much attention to myself. The biggest insects found have been the attractive Juniper Shieldbugs (barring a cranefly I haven't yet identified) but most of the catch consists leafhoppers, small spiders and barklice.


Juniper Shieldbug

I'm only attempting identification of species I have a fair chance of success with so this very odd looking fly,


which transpired to be a fungus gnat, will remain unidentified but this picture-winged fly,



one of two beaten from box, is Tephritis formosa.

My garden has been pretty unproductive but tapping the Pieris japonica yielded a single Andromeda Lacebug


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