2-Spot Ladybird - black form

I see a fair number of 2-spot ladybirds and have done for years. Today however was the first time I have seen the 'black' form. I have no idea how common the black form is overall but based on the last six years it is remarkably uncommon on this site.

It has been a good year for the 2-spot and the 7-spot ladybird this year. It was also OK last year but in 2008 they were less common. The only other species I have seen this year is the 14-spot and the Harlequin. In 2005 I saw the 2,7 and 14-spot and in addition the Orange Ladybird and the Eyed Ladybird. I am not sure whether their apparent absence since 2005 is natural variation in the populations, just chance as regards observation or some kind of effect of the invasive Harlequin Ladybird.

New Species - Grey Shoulder Knot

I found a moth resting on our back door when returning after a night away. I was bit daunted at first as there seemed to be lots of medium sized grey moths but I have finally identified it as a Grey Shoulder Knot (Lithophane ornitopus). Now I have identified a few moths I am encouraged to get a moth trap and really start on the many moths that inhabit the site.

New Species - Lesser Marsh Grasshopper

In August I took some pictures of a couple of grasshoppers. I had seen grasshoppers and crickets before but had struggled to photograph and ID them. I also struggled to identify the first one from my photograph - mainly because it didn't seem to fit with the ones in my insect book. I had another go today and in fact it wasn't in the book at all but seems to be a Lesser Marsh Grasshopper (Chorthippus albomarginatus)with a distinctive white line along its wing. The other grasshopper is a brown form of the same species as opposed to the green form shown above.

Grass snake picture at last

Although I see grass snakes reasonably regularly I have never managed to get a photograph (apart from one effort that was so blurred the snake looked like a twig). I was thinking the other day that I hadn't had a sighting recently but yesterday I had two excellent sightings. The first was in the moat where I normally see them but the second one was half way between the compost heap and the moat. Given that I have put a lot of effort into building a giant compost heap for the snakes to breed and hibernate in, I will take this as evidence that they are aware of it and will be using it shortly. At my approach the snake stopped and that gave me an opportunity to get a picture albeit with an unsuitable lens in gloomy conditions.