The Lyons Share

We had a great team day out yesterday looking at invertebrates and their management with Steven Falk. We started off at Pevensey Levels and then went on to look at Southerham and Malling Down. Steven is an exceptional entomologist (Steven illustrated the book on hoverflies and the illustrations are exquisite) and really knows his flies and aculeates. We had walked only a few metres into a field when James spotted a queen Bombus muscorum! A new bumble for me and an impressive beast. Above is Steven showing us the big furry ginger bee and how we could enhance our management for it and other bees.

Round to Southerham and here we have the nationally scarce stiletto fly Thereva plebeja.

I caught this bee which turned out to be the very smart Osmia aurulenta, yet another new species! Amazing what you see when you go out with other specialists. It was hard to take photos of invertebrates in this heat so I didn't get many shots compared to how many new things we saw.

Now, I must get ready for tomorrow's first ever pan-species lister's field meeting! I can't wait, it's gonna be amazing!!!