Today whilst checking the moth trap today there was a rather large strange visitor lurking in one of the egg boxes.
It was a Nicrophorus investigator beetle which is a SITE FIRST. They are scavengers, living off and breeding in rotten carcasses. They have a very good sense of smell and are reputed to be able to smell a carcass up to two miles away.
So in other words helping to keep us humans safe from diseases by cleaning up!
Then on top of the trap I found 3 small Ladybirds. Two 10 Spot Ladybirds – Adalia decempunctata which I have only recorded once at Low M Banks.
The third Ladybird was a 2 Spot – Adalia bipunctata which is a new species for our area…which is great news!
The last surprise was a Brown Hawker dragonfly seen at LM Banks yesterday which was also a site first!
