Interesting Creatures

Whilst out pond dipping, looking for caddis larvae in their cases, I caught, what initially I thought was a very thin Pond Skater!  The grey cells began to work and I realised that it was a Water Measurer.  These invertebrates are like the Whirligig Beetles, Pond Skaters and Water Crickets all having hydrophobic hairs on their undersides and or legs.  The repulsive force between the water and these hairs is sufficient to keep the creatures on the surface. 

Pond Skaters are quite robust and if there is fly on the water surface they move very quickly to attack it.  Water Measurers tend to live up to their name and it looks like they are measuring each step carefully.

These were first recorded on the species list in August 2008 and then again in September 2017.

Several shield bugs have been found on our explorations around the reserve.  We were unsure of the ID of this one until we looked closely and found that it was hairy!  It is a Hairy Shield Bug.  Even its antennae have hairs!  This is a new species for the reserve.  It is also known as the Sloe Bug, as Blackthorn is one of its food plants.

A close up of its hairs.

Another insect that we have recently identified is Woolly Alder Sawfly larva.  Only one record in July 2016.