Shakin the Trees

About a week ago R and I headed across the road to North Kelvin Meadow, a small but important plot of land amongst the tenements which is currently subject to unwanted planning applications to build some crappy houses all over it. Its been a haven for dog walkers and kids in the area for a few years now, as well as having a diverse selection of wildlife, including invertebrates!

We took along a couple of white trays and a hand lens and had a good shake of the hedgerows and trees to see what fell out.

We found:

Springtail (Entomobrya intermedia)

Harvestman (Paroligolophus agrestis)

Sawfly larvae

Barkfly larvae

 

 This gorgeous member of the Crab spiders

A typical leafhopper adult

A teeny tiny weevil (Apionidae)

What I reckon is a potato leafhopper but as leafhoppers are quite variable its hard to be sure!

A big fat female Garden Cross spider.

This cute little sawfly larvae

A kind of sac spider.

Adalia bipunctata

A two spot ladybird (Quadrimaculata).

Why don't you have a go in your garden or park and see what you can find - all you need is a light coloured tray (washing up bowl would do!) or a white sheet stretched over a wooden frame, hold it under the bush or tree while you give it a good shake. Remember to return the organisms to the area where you found them :)