ABtrees

This is getting more curious with each post. Yes I get the sap bit and I have had them on Willow (doing the same thing) and Rowan (Mountain Ash) but only in the spring. Now there's none on either of the above but..... Below are a couple of photos from just now. They have ring-barked the whole stem in places - surely this is going to create a whole new meaning to ash die-back ?!!! It's almost like collecting from rubber trees. Also they are likely from separate nests as a couple of fights are breaking out at prime sites. Guessing that there is maybe 200+ in a single 30ft Ash. Don't see any sign of sap - no 'bleeding' and they don't seem to be carrying anything off (back to any nest). Help me out of my ignorance someone pls but how much sap is still flowing at this time of year ?

I can relate fully to that - they do usually give you some warning. Ringing up a fallen (hollow) oak last year, saw a hornet 2 ft in front of me, 10 seconds later maybe 15/20, 10 seconds after that literally 40/50. Time to retreat to the tractor cab. They followed en masse and just waited for my next move. I left and picked the saw up two days later - tree's still there !

I think that's great advice - if only to protect my stash of chocolate biscuits (but is it legal ?!!!). To be fair to them, they have also been stung (wasps and bees inadvertently), bitten (horseflies, spiders (!) and tics) and peed on (snakes and toads) so by and large they're pretty cool with it all. That said, I don't want them (or anyone else) to be stung a hornet - it really does take your breath away. Anyone got any info/theories on the hornets stripping the Ash bark ?

BTW I was in the UK last month and saw 3 hornets in 2 different locations ( both where I had never seen them before) I also had a Median wasp nest (which I left) in my little garden over there - interesting structure and very different to a common wasp nest. Another one we have a lot of over here are the so called 'Paper wasps'. And yes I've been stung by them as well - last time was about a month or so ago. They are a pain inasmuch as they build a (relatively) small nest in the oddest of places - but they only sting you when you threaten the nest - which frequently happens because you have no idea it's there. In the last year this has included the door of my tractor, the frame of my kids swing, under the shelving in my greenhouse and inside the pto guard on my grass topper.

In France. Believe me nobody wants to get stung by a hornet. I have been stung by wasps many, many times - nothing compared to a hornet sting. To be fair it wasn't the hornets fault - I was on my bike and it went down my top, I have broken various bones (some more seriously than others) over the years, but this was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced (maybe with the exception of a slurp of hot tea 10 hours after having my wisdom teeth out - doh !). A friend of mine reckoned that when she was stung it was marginally worse than childbirth ! The pain lasted about 5 hours (non stop) before diminishing (at all) and then came back every 20/30 minutes and it carried on like that for the next 24/36 hours. 5 days later I'd still get the odd twinge. 2yrs on I still have a little lump where it stung me which itches from time to time - odd eh.

Sorry to say but it's to make our life a bit more comfortable. At the moment we are plagued by both wasps and hornets (European). We cannot enjoy any time outside without the attention of wasps right now - no BBQs, no food and no drinks. Maybe 30 seconds before a wasp turns up. Hornets - I agree - are a bit less problematic (to us humans) but … I have young kids who panic and start waving their arms around - not a good response I know ! Personally I got stung by my first hornet 2 yrs ago and don't want to ever be stung again. (Have you ever had a hornet sting ?). Generally I leave them alone (had a nest in a tree in the garden last year which I left - now wishing I hadn't !!! There are two other issues with them : first they (as well as the Asians) are decimating the bee population locally and secondly they appear to be attacking my Ash trees ! They are currently stripping the bark off the new growth - anyone else come across this - I would love to know why ?

Loads of hornets this year (but far fewer Asians over here). They do come in all colours, shapes and sizes though. First pic : three of them having a bit of a moment on top of the 'wasp trap. Second pic: emptying trap after just one week - mainly hornets and (unfortunately) a couple of big moths.

Serrulata - Smooth Alder or possibly Incana -Speckled Alder

As David (above). Tried using the strimmer guard with the triblade - hit a blackthorn with the guard which bent into the blade (pic 1 below). The 'masher' guard is much bigger and sturdier - not only blocks out a lot more flying bits but has a much smaller horizontal surface area if your shredding down on top of bramble etc (see pic 2). For £18 (Jonesie) no hesitation recommending the right guard with the right blade and they literally take 2 minutes to swap over with the long torx plug spanner supplied (if you remember to take it with you !!!)

How good is that TVI - spectacular photo.

I think the lockdown has been a bit more serious in France so a bit like Mick - took the chance to do something that I've been meaning to do for a while - got an old logged planked up by a friend of mine, then built my missus a bench for her birthday. Tried to follow the lines of the tree where poss. Made a few schoolboy errors, but never done anything like this before, so don't be too harsh eh!

Hi Pete. That's exactly what I thought (unfortunately). And yes we do have some very pale buzzards locally - and no, no other pics that would help ! It was taken last Thurs - an odd day in as much as there were suddenly lots of birds in the air. About 10 or 12 buzzards (including this one - v. close) and half a dozen or more Black Kites - had the macro lens on the camera hence crap photos (that's my excuse anyway) ! You would have had a field day !

Possibly Gary ! Which one ? Sorry not clear - just edited the post - 4 different Fritillaries

Anyone know what this is ? (Not sure it's that exciting!)

Right then, how's your Fritillary id ? Easy one first then ! These are 4 different species !!!

Morning all Yeah I would defn agree with Broad-bodied Chaser - looks like the 2 in the pics are females. They are great to watch when they're watching other things, deciding if it's food or a threat. Got a few that I am struggling with (so any help appreciated). Here's one or two from yesterday and a couple of other pics. And then some butterflies to follow (obviously!).

Here's a few more - spring has definitely sprung - but we have had a few colder nights so not many butterflies atm !

That is absolutely brilliant. Made my day.

Hi Timbernut Yeah we have those too but I don't think this was one of them - fortunately/unfortunately. More like some other beetle larva as was walking along an old Oak trunk. Here's a couple (that maybe of interest) from the last few days ……. but I missed one of my super-rarities yesterday - no camera - prat !

Hi Oz I believe these are Alder Leaf beetles. I posted some on David's Iggly thread in Feb 19. We have loads of them in France and something is killing the Alders locally (but I don't think it's these - more the green boring larvae (same thread) that I have yet to identify - help?). Clearly however if the beetle eat lots of the leaves, the tree is less able to defend itself (we also had a very dry summer last year - so what is the primary issue I wonder). Anyhow, here is the RHS link Alder leaf beetle / RHS Gardening WWW.RHS.ORG.UK The metallic blue alder leaf beetle (<em>Agelastica alni</em>) feeds on the leaves of alder trees. It has recently become... which suggests control on big trees is impossible. I note on the web there have been some older (haha) studies into bacterial control (Pseudomonas) but I'm not sure if there is a commercial aspect to this (they apparently also eat Hazel).

Now that is a spectacular find. Have you just seen the one or do you see them often ? I would suggest this one is female - the male is like the Great Crested with (you guessed it) a splendid dorsal crest. We have lots of the little Palmate ones with their webbed feet but nothing like this.

How cool is that fella - great pic too. This is one I've yet to find, which is odd because as you say they are (supposed to be) quite common. Some friends of ours (live about 5kms away) have loads. We have all the right habitat / food etc - maybe I just need to search harder but they're not exactly something you're going to miss ! Has he/she puffed up and showing defensive posture or is it just 'well fed' ?

OK my version is : Small Heath, Scarce Swallowtail (its not round here), Bee winged HM (Bang on SR10), Willowherb HM, Jersey Tiger Moth caterpillar, and yes lovely Black-veined White. Then it gets a bit trickier : Lesser Stag (Hooray Mick!), Spider ! (SR10 - not convinced that it is a true crab spider - but then I know nothing about spiders!), Spider ! (Possibly Raft - it was big and found on water!), Pretty sure this is the male Broad-bodied Chaser - defn. lacking the 'Four spots' - they are mid wing. No.4 - no idea - need help !, Tell it like it is : Black and Red Striped Shield bug and finally yes a Yellow-bellied toad. (Photo below for you SR10) Mick - do you have these ? They do a really cool thing when threatened - they put their feet upside down (over their body) to show the colour to warn off predators ! Maybe a few more tomorrow or Friday

Here's the 'others' then. No.4 is the male version of the Chaser I posted on page 15 of this thread. Anyone help me out on No.5 pls.? And No. 7 is (yet) another first for me (Mick- it may be one of the ones you posted the other day ???).

Evening. Here's a few more then (butterflies etc first) - feel free to guess (optional !) - just for fun ! Other bugs and beasties to follow.