Photos from walk on Thursday 25th July from Northmoor to Bablock Hythe

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These are more like nature notes than photos to illustrate a walk. I was late so only did half the walk, but that enabled me to stop a bit more, so the photos are from just two locations. If you want more scenery, take a look at previous walks on the same route:

 

• 8th June 2023
• 13th January 2022

 

First, just outside Northmoor, on the edge of the field before entering Willow Pools with the long “otter” fence, I identified at least a dozen flower species (and a soldier beetle, not bonking). Find some of them in the gallery

 

Then at Bablock Hythe there’s a large Guelder Rose bush with most of its lower leaves reduced to skeletons.

 

Lots of these bugs about – were they the culprit? Yes, Viburnum Leaf Beetles (Pyrrhalta viburni). we’ll call them VLB’s. Habitat: On Viburnum plants, such as Guelder Rose, but also feeds on the Wayfaring Tree and other garden varieties.

 

Appearance: Adult VLB’s are approximately ¼ inch long and yellowish-brown in color. VLB larvae can be up to ⅓ inch long and range in color from yellowish-green to light brown with a series of black spots and dashes on their bodies.

 

Symptoms and Effects: VLB larvae chew holes in viburnum leaves in the spring creating a lace-like (i.e., skeletonized) pattern. VLB larvae feed individually or in small groups and can cause significant damage to viburnum shrubs. …  In late June and early July, VLB adults begin to feed, chewing oblong holes in leaves. Severe VLB infestations can cause complete defoliation of a viburnum shrub, which weakens the plant over time and can eventually lead to death.

 

Life Cycle: There is only one generation of VLB per year. VLB’s overwinter as eggs and development from eggs to adults takes approximately eight weeks. Larvae typically appear in early to mid-May and feed for several weeks, passing through three stages (instars) as they grow. In early to mid-June, larvae pupate in the soil and adults emerge by late June or early July. VLB females lay eggs during the summer and into October. They chew small pits in twigs, deposit five to eight eggs into each pit, and then cover the pits with tiny pieces of chewed wood to protect the eggs. Each female can deposit up to 500 eggs. Eggs remain in place through the winter until they hatch the following spring. [source]

 

Other bugs were available on the same bush. A hoverfly: Variable Duskyface Fly (Melanostoma mellinum)

 

Larva of Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

 

A mirid (Plagiognathus arbustorum)

 

Common Flathorn Plant Bug (Heterotoma planicornis). We had one last week on the Cumnor Walk.

 

Finally, a Comma Butterfly

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