This morning whilst searching for any remaining Himalayan balsam, I had a look at the reedbed by Ivy silt pond. Tucked in behind the reeds, there is a fantastic patch of habitat with bog myrtle, sphagnum mosses, ferns and soft rush. There was a wasp spider by the myrtle, short-winged coneheads and what I think is a raft spider.
Blashford’s answer to Shelob, a female wasp spider waiting for a grasshopper.
short-winged conehead nympth
habitat
Can anyone confirm if this is a raft spider? I only managed one photo before if disappeared into the undergrowth.
Raft spider?
The moth trap was pretty full today with 21 silver y moths, 15 canary-shouldered thorns, a herald and a red underwing the highlights. Unfortunately several wasps got inside the trap during the night and ate some of the moths, so I have decided not to run the trap tonight. I even saw one sting and eat a pebble prominet moth.
A very fresh blood-vein moth
Red underwing with a receding hairline. Unfortunately it wouldn’t show it’s red under wings and flew off.
Birds today included 4 common sandpipers and a ruff on Ibsley Water, and the great white egret was reported on Ivy lake at 4pm. Also a mink was reported by the sand martin wall, if anyone see’s anymore mink on the reserve please let us know.
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 