I'm back!

Finally getting a chance to identify some of my specimens after quite a crazy few months. I haven't blogged since July, and it's now September, so there'll be a lot to write about - I'll have to prioritise.

I was in the news!!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-14215583

I took part in a bio blitz at Wester Moss in mid July and we found the very cute "Bog Sun Jumper" (Heliophanus dampfi). I was out leading a group on the moss looking for interesting bugs and happened upon a very wet patch of bog with almost continuous Sphagnum moss cover interrupted by tussocks of cotton grass. Having been out recently to Ochtertyre Moss with a very knowledgeable friend and colleague, Chris Cathrine, I had an idea of what its habitat preferences are. It was also very sunny and warm, and it occurred to me that Wester Moss (being local to both known Scottish sites) might be an ideal remnant habitat for these gorgeous spiddlers. Spontaneously, I found myself on my belly on the wet moss peering at sun-drenched Sphagnum magellanicum hummocks. Astonishingly I immediately witnessed a minute black and yellow/green jumping spider ping out of sight. I realised that it would be a bit of a chore to hunt for these dudes successfully, so I called over another friend/colleague, David Price, with his bugvac (converted leaf-blower), to come over and suck the life out of the tussocks - quite literally!

We found 12 specimens, and took several back to the office, where CC confirmed them as H. dampfi. They have since been verified by the local spider recorder. Very exciting. A new location for this species.

                                                   Lorne Gill © Scottish Natural Heritage

Here are some pictures I've taken of what I think is Metalimnobia bifasciata (a cranefly):

It's byoodiful! I thought it was really rare, because I looked up the distribution map for this species on NBN Gateway and there were only two records (one in Wales and one in England). However, zillions of new records have appeared since August and it now turns out to be quite common and widespread. Shame on me for running around showing off to everyone in the office! Ha. It pays to be cautious with these things, and take NBN Gateway with a pinch of salt. Or a heap. Here is the map: http://data.nbn.org.uk/gridMap/gridMap.jsp?allDs=1&srchSpKey=NBNSYS0100004016

I'm still struggling with my Euphylidorea meigenii/phaostigma, but I have plans to visit an expert at a local museum at the end of October and I will take along the specimens that I am struggling with and hopefully iron these problems out once and for all.