Wonderful wildlife

Self-taught amateur entomologist Sabina George has been snapping super pictures of the creatures you may or may not have noticed in residence on your plots. A keen insect photographer who spends winter recording finds on iRecord (a database for UK Flora & Fauna), Sabina is always looking for new sites to explore and KATA was only too willing to take up her offer of having a looksie at what goes on around us on a sometimes very small scale…

latest sightings

Top row (left to right): It is pleasing to find four hoverfly species

visiting the August flowers at Odibourne Allotment. The Batman hoverfly

sounds just like a honeybee as it speeds from flower to flower, while

the slender, 6–9mm Thick-legged hoverfly is easily overlooked in flight.

Nearby, two Eristalis species mimic honeybees to deter predators.

Middle row: Although Red-tailed bumblebees made a welcome recovery this

year, repeated heatwaves have heavily impacted other species, leaving

Common Carder bee numbers significantly down. Meanwhile, as Ivy bees

emerge, the males hatch first and feed on pollen for energy until the

nectar-rich ivy blooms. Finally, a Small Copper butterfly guarding its

territory and chasing away larger White butterflies proves it is a male.

Bottom row: A regular visitor to Odibourne, the European Beewolf is one

of our largest solitary wasps and preys on honeybees. It shares the

space with the Waisted Beegrabber—a parasite that uses bees, wasps, and

sometimes crickets as hosts to raise its next generation. Lastly, a

handsome Red-spotted Plant bug can be seen preying on smaller insects.

Sabina George

All words courtesy of Sabina George. Thank you for regularly visiting our sites, Sabina, and keeping us up to date on your findings about this vital group of organisms.