Autumn Invertebrates

During the autumn, it's often difficult to avoid walking into millions of spiders' webs which decorate the countryside. A couple of days ago, as we set out on our walk, we were treated to the sight of hundreds of webs, bedecked with dew drops and sparkling in the sunshine.

This particular web was built by and inhabited by a Four Spot Orb Weaver (Araneus quadratus).

Moths too, are still to be found in the countryside and gardens at this time of year and they no doubt have to be very careful to avoid all those webs. This little moth was found on our patio doors a few days ago and after a short search, I managed to identify it as a Garden Carpet Moth (Xanthorhoe fluctuata). It is a common species and one which tends to prefer the more suburban areas.

My attention was drawn to a small willow tree last Friday. At the tip of a couple of branches, there was a flower-shaped growth of leaves which looked somewhat out of place and not at all like the other leaves of the willow. It was obviously a gall of some kind, but one which was new to me - so it too, needed identification.

It turned out to be a Camellia Gall produced by a tiny gall midge with a big name Rabdophaga rosaria. It is thought to be common in the UK, but not well recorded, so it's difficult to be sure just how common.