The weather is normal summer , damp and warm. I am still getting out at least once a day insect hunting but now the fungi are starting to appear it gets very confusing. It’s bad enough returning to the van with one set of don’t knows but having two sets is silly.
This Slime Mould is in the van on a front surfaced mirror. I collected it and some of the vegetation it was growing on and have set it up to see if I can get it to creep up on the porridge oats. If it does anything I’ll find some more and make a time lapse of it galloping along.
I am far from sure but I think this is a Marmalade Fly, Episyrphus balteatus. These hoverflies are the very devil to tell apart but it is attractive with the low evening flash lighting it up.
This is a Harvestman carrying half a dozen or so Red Velvet Mites. It was on a Hawthorn leaf but it started wandering up my arm and I couldn’t be bothered to argue with it. I always assumed these Mites were parasitic but I read somewhere that they are just using the Harvestman as transport. It could be true.
Have a good week.
Perhaps the red velvet mites get to know when a harvestman will be arriving by checking their harvestman timetables.
ReplyDeleteI think you are correct YP. Though neither are spiders they are closely related so could speak and read Spiderish.
DeleteInteresting project with the slime mould! It must be a first.
ReplyDeleteThe mites are amazing. Great capture!
Marie, somewhere on YouTube there is a video of the mould going through a maze. I have tried several times to get it to go but have failed.
DeleteI ended up with a Mite burrowing into the back of my arm. It took some getting rid of. I'm not sure it's all gone now but Claire can have a look tomorrow. She enjoys digging for splinters and jobs like that.
Interesting bee fellow. Fascinating colors. By the way, my guy was just a normal bumble bee.
ReplyDeleteBill, there are dozens of bee and wasp mimics. Far more than there are bees and wasps I suspect.
DeleteI just have to say "Mite-y fine."
ReplyDeleteMitey Oh!
DeleteIt will be interesting to see what your slime mould does.
ReplyDeleteLynda, I have had several goes over the years and experience tells me it will die.
DeleteI've got visions of you making your own version of The Blob with that mould :-)
ReplyDeleteDouglas I ran a time lapse sequence overnight and all it did was die.
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