Orange ladybird

This orange ladybird didn't seem to mind sharing its Sycamore tree with dozens of harlequins. This is the sixth species of ladybird (Coccinellidae) that I have photographed this year.


Halyzia sedecimguttata

Harlequin ladybird pupa

I had not seen any harlequin ladybirds in my local park until yesterday when I spotted this pupa on the trunk of a tree. I was a bit suprised to see it quite so far from any green vegetation, athough there were plenty of aphids around.


Harmonia axyridis

Neuroctena anilis

This is a Neuroctena anilis , it belongs to the family Dryomyzidae of which there are six UK species.
Its fairly large, about 12mm and stayed nice and still allowing me to get close and take quite a few photos.

In the woods

Garden spider

European garden spider - Araneus diadema

Look up

Hoverflies

This Summer I have been trying to photograph and identify as many hoverflies as I can find in my local park in North London. The diversity is amazing, all together I have seen about 20 different hoverfly species, yet this is a tiny proportion of the 276 species which have been found in Britain.
Here are some of my favourites:


Xanthogramma pedissequum



Syrphus ribesii



Eristalis horticola



Cheilosia pagana



Episyrphus balteatus

Urban fox