Insects

Length: The shell can be up to 20mm across and is very shiny. The oval mouth is surrounded by a white lip.

Habitat: Can be found throughout much of Britain anywhere from gardens, parks and fields to hedgerows and forests.

Further information: It eats mainly grass and low growing plants. It is normally active at night or after daytime rain.

Wingspan: The Streamer has a wing-span of between 30 and 34mm.

Habitat: Found throughout much of Britain. Caterpillars feed on the leaves and flowers of the dog-rose.

Further information: Fairly common and can be seen from April onwards. For further information click here.............

Wingspan: 35-40 mm

Habitat: Abundant throughout the British Isles feeds on nectar-rich flowers

Further information: Silver y moths vary in colour from purple-grey to almost black. They all have the characteristic ‘y' mark on each forewing and it can often be seen flying during the day.

Habitat: The caterpillar of this bright red and black moth feeds mainly on Ragwort and Groundsel. Found throughout gardens, fields and parks in Britain except for Northern Scotland.

Further information: The caterpillar is brightly coloured yellow and black to warn birds of its unpleasant taste.

Wingspan: 60mm

Habitat: Fairly common in southern Britain. Can be found in woodland clearings, hedgerows and gardens

Further information: Adults feed from flowers such as dandelions and thistles. In the autumn they often feed on apples Called a Comma because of the white mark on the underwing which looks a bit like a comma. The shape of the wings makes this butterfly difficult to see when it hides amongst the leaves.

Wingspan: 65-90 mm

Habitat: Found throughout Britain

Further information: Common Hawk Moth. Caterpillars feed on popular, aspen and sallow. Often attracted to light

Length: 30mm across forewings

Habitat: Common throughout the UK. Can be found on grassland, grassy dunes, meadows, woodland clearings and heaths.

Further information: The caterpillars secrete nutrient-containing substances that attract ants. The ants in return protect the caterpillar from predators. Ants probably tend the chrysalis too

Length: 40mm across forewings

Habitat: Common in woods, scrub and tall vegetation throughout southern England and lowland Wales. Smaller numbers are now being found in northern England and Scotland.

Further information: Adults feed on aphid honeydew and very really on flowers.

Wingspan: 27-35 mm

Habitat: Widespread and common in Britain.

Further information: Caterpillars feed on popular, aspen and sallow

Wingspan: 45mm

Habitat: Found throughout Europe it is a common visitor to our gardens where it breeds mainly on brassicas (Cabbages and Greens) and Nasturtium plants. Unlike its larger cousin the Large White will breed on a wider range of food plants.

Further information: Often called the Cabbage White, its larger relative the Large White

Wingspan: 24-30mm

Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. Can be found over a wide range of habitats from chalk grassland to heathland and wood clearings to waste ground.

Further information: Feeds on Common Sorrel Sheep's Sorrel. Very territorial and will drive away any insect in its neighborhood.

Wingspan: 13mm

Habitat: Widespread in England and Wales. Rare in Scotland. Can be found in flower borders and on herbaceous plants and shrubs, in particular Hazel. Also seen in parks and woodland edges.

Further information: The Nymph shown here has many variants or instars See this Site for nymph variants
also known as Green Stink Bug

Wingspan: 40mm

Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. Prefers tall grasses alongside hedges

Further information: Caterpillars feed on a wide variety of grasses. Adults favour bramble flowers and ragwort.

Wingspan: 60mm

Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. They are found in orchards, gardens and other places where there are lots of flowers

Further information: Caterpillars feed on nettles

Length: 11mm

Habitat: A very common beetle in Britain, which can be found on hogweed, wild carrot, cow parsley, etc

Further information: So named because Soldiers used to wear red uniforms. Often called the "Bloodsucker", a misnomer as they don't suck blood. Feeds mainly on aphids, pollen and nectar. Larvae will eat slugs and snails

Image	Name	Information & Identification
	Click Beetle Athous haemorrhoidalis	Habitat: Widespread throughout the British Isles Further information: The commonest of our Click Beetles with several similar looking species. They can be found in almost any wild or cultivated habitat.

	2-spot Ladybird Adalia 2-punctata	Habitat: Widespread throughout the British Isles Further information: This particular species has a wide variety of colourations and spot numbers, despite it being called a 2-spot Ladybird. The bottom image is more typical of the colouration and 2 spots for this species.

	Hover Fly Dasysyrphus species	Habitat: Further information:

	Bronze Shield Bug Eysarcoris fabricii	Habitat: Found throughout the southern half of British Isles Further information: This shield bug feeds predominately on Hedge Woundwort in woods and hedgerows.

	Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis	Habitat: Found throughout the British Isles Further information: Looks very muck like a wasp but is in fact completely harmless. Can be found in gardens and hedgerows.

	Ladybird Propylea 14-punctata	Habitat: Widespread throughout the British Isles Further information: Very common in most habitats, including scrub, grassland and gardens

	Fly Chrysopilus cristatus	Habitat:A small fly commonly found in damp, well vegetated areas - pond margins, damp ditches etc. Further information: female.

	Large Skipper Ochlodes venatus	Habitat: Widespread throughout British Isles Further information: Can be found in grassy places between June and September

	Green Lacewing Chrysopa perla	Habitat: Widespread throughout British Isles Further information: Can be told by other Lacewings by its distinct bluish tinge and black head markings

	Shield Bug (Juvenile)	Habitat: Further information:

	Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula	Habitat: Widespread and very common especially over still water and slow moving water. Further information: The black legs and thorax distinguish this Damselfly from any other. Females tend to have more black on them. For more information. Click here..................

	Nettle Weevil Phyllobius Pomaceus	Habitat: Widespread and very common Further information: The body itself is actualy black but the scales covering it range from from golden green to bluish green. With age though the colours change black. Found mainly on Stinging Nettles where the larvae feed on the roots. For more information. Click here..................

	Nursery Web Spider Pisaura mirabilis	Habitat: Widespread and very common Further information: Nursery web spiders inhabit mainly woodland, but they are also found in long grass and occasionally hedgerows. If it becomes too cold outside they may enter homes. They hunt small insects and occasionally other spiders and instead of using a web, they hunt by waiting on a leaf until a victim wanders by. For more information. Click here..................

	Green Bottle Lucilia caesar	Habitat: Widespread and very common Further information: This is the commonest of the shiny green blow-flies. It breeds on carrion and is rarely found in houses. For more information. Click here..................

	Micro Moth Nemophora degeerella	Habitat: Widespread and very common. Mainly damp woods Further information: This is an unmistakeable moth in which the male's antennae are up to 4 times as long as its wings. For more information. Click here..................

	Caddis Fly Mystacides Longicornis	Habitat: Widespread and very common around still water. Further information: Can be recognised by its long, pale antennae and dark blotches on its yellowish-brown wings. It is often referred to as the Grouse Wing by trout anglers as it resembles the feather of that particular bird.

	Lesser House-fly Fannia canicularis	Habitat: Widespread and common. Further information: Abundant in houses. Breeds in dung. For more information. Click here..................

	Hover Fly Tropidia scita	Habitat: Found around fens and marshes - damp areas with decaying vegetation. Further information:

	Hover Fly Melanostoma Scalare	Habitat: Widespread and common. Further information: Male has 3 pairs of yellow spots on his slender abdomen, whilst the female has 4. For more information. Click here..................

	Froghopper Cercopis vulnerata	Habitat: Widespread and common. Mainly Wooded areas. Further information: A very distinct looking Froghopper. For more information Click here..................

	Green-veined White Butterfly Pieris napi	Wingspan: 50mm Habitat: The Green-veined White butterfly is common and widespread in Britain and Ireland and can be found throughout the countryside, preferring damp and sheltered areas. Further information: Caterpillars feed on Charlock, Garlic Mustard, Watercress & cruciferous plants (four-petalled flowers)

	Pale Brindled Beauty Moth Apocheima pilosaria	Habitat: Common in and around Broad-leaved woodlands, heathland, scrub and gardens Further information: A common and widespread Moth in most parts of the UK. The female of this species is completely wingless, whereas the males can be seen on the wing from January to March. The larva feed mainly on Oak and Hawthorn. This male, shown here on the left, was photographed by Ed Wilson on the 17th January 2007. For more information. Click here.............

	Common Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerium	Habitat: Very common over still with plenty of floating vegetation Further information: A common and widespread Damselfly in Britain. Female green and black. Often known as the Common Blue Damselfly Images courtesy of - David Hollyhead and Kev Griffiths-Sergeant

	Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans	Habitat: Widespread and very common especially over still water, such as lakes and ponds. It is also tolerant of slightly polluted water. Further information: Both sexes easily identified by mainly black body with segment eight of abdomen sky blue. However the thorax of the females can vary greatly. Some are purple that change to a blue-green or a green-brown form. Another colouration is a pink-red form which matues later into a yellow-brown form. For more information. Click here.................. Image courtesy of - Kev Griffiths-Sergeant

	"possible" Pond Olive Mayfly Cloeon dipterum	Habitat: . The nymph can be found in a range of water habitats including lakes, ponds, streams and canals. Further information: A common and widespread mayfly in Britain and Ireland

	Empis sp. possibly Empis stercorea Diptera, Empididae	Habitat: Lives in lush grassy places. Further information: Yellow-brown colour with black stripe along its back.

	Serromyia femorata Diptera, Ceratopogonidae	Habitat: Further information:

	Rhamphomyia sp. Diptera, Empididae	Habitat: Further information:

	Empis tessellata Diptera, Empididae	Habitat: Hawthorns and Umbellifers Further information: Preys on other flies.

	An anthomyiid (possibly a muscid)	Habitat: Further information:

	Scorpion Fly Panorpa Communis	Habitat: Shady places Further information: Feeds mainly on dead animal matter and fruit.

	Drone Fly Eristalis tenax	Habitat: Very common in gardens Further information: So named because of it resemblance to a Honey Bee drone

	Crane-Fly Tipuldae Tricyphona immaculata Diptera, Pediciidae	Length: Ranges from mosquito size to over an inch in length. Habitat: Larvae live mainly as scavengers and can be found in the soil and even under water. Further information: Known more commonly as Daddy-long-legs. Often seen in the autumn when huge numbers can be found just about anywhere.

	White-lipped Banded Snail Cepaea hortensis	Length: The shell can be up to 20mm across and is very shiny. The oval mouth is surrounded by a white lip. Habitat: Can be found throughout much of Britain anywhere from gardens, parks and fields to hedgerows and forests. Further information: It eats mainly grass and low growing plants. It is normally active at night or after daytime rain.

	The Garden Snail Arion hortensis Agg	Length: Grows up to 3cm. Habitat: Can be found throughout much of Britain. Further information: Very common slug that lives both on the surface and underground, attacking both leaf and root crops. The British climate is so perfect for slugs that we are the Capital City for Slugs. The UK has just over 30 species of Slug, of which the Garden Slug is in the top 4 for its destructive nature. The Garden slug is in a small group of small blackish slugs.

	The Streamer Anticlea derivata	Wingspan: The Streamer has a wing-span of between 30 and 34mm. Habitat: Found throughout much of Britain. Caterpillars feed on the leaves and flowers of the dog-rose. Further information: Fairly common and can be seen from April onwards. For further information click here.............

	Silver Y Autographa gamma	Wingspan: 35-40 mm Habitat: Abundant throughout the British Isles feeds on nectar-rich flowers Further information: Silver y moths vary in colour from purple-grey to almost black. They all have the characteristic ‘y' mark on each forewing and it can often be seen flying during the day.

	Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar Tyria jacobaeae	Habitat: The caterpillar of this bright red and black moth feeds mainly on Ragwort and Groundsel. Found throughout gardens, fields and parks in Britain except for Northern Scotland. Further information: The caterpillar is brightly coloured yellow and black to warn birds of its unpleasant taste.

	Comma Polygonia c-album	Wingspan: 60mm Habitat: Fairly common in southern Britain. Can be found in woodland clearings, hedgerows and gardens Further information: Adults feed from flowers such as dandelions and thistles. In the autumn they often feed on apples Called a Comma because of the white mark on the underwing which looks a bit like a comma. The shape of the wings makes this butterfly difficult to see when it hides amongst the leaves.

	Popular Hawk-moth Laothoe populie	Wingspan: 65-90 mm Habitat: Found throughout Britain Further information: Common Hawk Moth. Caterpillars feed on popular, aspen and sallow. Often attracted to light

	Common Blue Butterfly Polyommatus icarus	Length: 30mm across forewings Habitat: Common throughout the UK. Can be found on grassland, grassy dunes, meadows, woodland clearings and heaths. Further information: The caterpillars secrete nutrient-containing substances that attract ants. The ants in return protect the caterpillar from predators. Ants probably tend the chrysalis too

	Speckled Wood Butterfly Pararge aegeria	Length: 40mm across forewings Habitat: Common in woods, scrub and tall vegetation throughout southern England and lowland Wales. Smaller numbers are now being found in northern England and Scotland. Further information: Adults feed on aphid honeydew and very really on flowers.

	Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula	Wingspan: 27-35 mm Habitat: Widespread and common in Britain. Further information: Caterpillars feed on popular, aspen and sallow

	Small White Butterfly Pieris rapae	Wingspan: 45mm Habitat: Found throughout Europe it is a common visitor to our gardens where it breeds mainly on brassicas (Cabbages and Greens) and Nasturtium plants. Unlike its larger cousin the Large White will breed on a wider range of food plants. Further information: Often called the Cabbage White, its larger relative the Large White

	Small Copper Butterfly Lycaena phlaeas	Wingspan: 24-30mm Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. Can be found over a wide range of habitats from chalk grassland to heathland and wood clearings to waste ground. Further information: Feeds on Common Sorrel Sheep's Sorrel. Very territorial and will drive away any insect in its neighborhood.

	Green Shield Bug Nymph Palomena prasina	Wingspan: 13mm Habitat: Widespread in England and Wales. Rare in Scotland. Can be found in flower borders and on herbaceous plants and shrubs, in particular Hazel. Also seen in parks and woodland edges. Further information: The Nymph shown here has many variants or instars See this Site for nymph variants also known as Green Stink Bug

	Gatekeeper Butterfly Pyronia tithonus	Wingspan: 40mm Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. Prefers tall grasses alongside hedges Further information: Caterpillars feed on a wide variety of grasses. Adults favour bramble flowers and ragwort.

	Painted Lady Cynthia cardui	Wingspan: 50mm Habitat: A very common migrant from Africa Further information: Caterpillars eat thistles, stinging nettles and mallows. Adults drink nectar from flowers.

	Peacock Butterfly Inachis io	Wingspan: 60mm Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe. They are found in orchards, gardens and other places where there are lots of flowers Further information: Caterpillars feed on nettles

	Red Admiral Butterfly Vanessa atalanta	Wingspan: 60mm Habitat: Widespread and common throughout Europe and North America. They are found from sea level up to 2,000m in woodlands, orchards and gardens Further information: Caterpillars feed on nettle. The adults feed from flowers such as buddleia and also from rotting fruit.

	Soldier Beetle Cantharis sp.	Habitat: Further information: possibly C.lateralis or C.nigricans

	Soldier Beetles Rhagonycha fulva	Length: 11mm Habitat: A very common beetle in Britain, which can be found on hogweed, wild carrot, cow parsley, etc Further information: So named because Soldiers used to wear red uniforms. Often called the "Bloodsucker", a misnomer as they don't suck blood. Feeds mainly on aphids, pollen and nectar. Larvae will eat slugs and snails

	Micro Moth Diurnea fagella	Wingspan: A small moth with a wing-span of between 19 and 29mm. Habitat: Can be found throughout much of Britain. Caterpillars feed on various types of deciduous trees. Further information: Fairly common and an early Spring moth which can be seen as early as March. For further information Click here.............