The Lyons Share

Just a quick one today as I have conservation committee tonight. I went to Flatropers with Alice today to discuss management. At the end of the pylon ride at Flatropers there is a nice area facing north full of Devil's-bit Scabious and Goldenrod. Great late summer nectar sources, with lots of hoverflies, tachinids, Hornets and a Woodland Grasshopper. There is also a lot of young Grey Poplar and Alice noticed two adults of the Red Poplar Leaf Beetle Chrysomela populi. I have seen this before on Dwarf Willow in dunes on Anglesey. There is another similar species, Chrysomela tremula, that has probably become extinct according to the 'Atlas of the Seed and Leaf Beetles of Britain and Ireland'. This beetle however, lacks the tiny black marks on the rear edge of the elytra which can just be seen in this picture. They eat willows and poplars as adults and larvae and this one was 10 mm long.