Richard Ecclestone
Ex projectionist, amateur wildlife photographer, mostly friendly!!
- Thought I would try to find a Picromerus bidens, the Spiked Shieldbug at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. It's the only one from last year I haven't found yet this year. Had no joy all day & came across this shieldbug on the footpath. Very happy to find a mid instar nymph of the Spiked. #shieldbugs #macro
- I was leaving a friend's house & found this Dorcus parallelipipedus, the Lesser Stag Beetle wandering around in his driveway. A really striking beetle & only my second one found. I'm a bit jealous that he has these beetles just hanging out in his front garden. Ashmanhaugh, Norfolk. #beetles #macro
- I found this beautiful Ochlodes sylvanus, the Large Skipper flitting about the local meadow in Lakenham, Norwich yesterday. I've not seen this before in the meadow so really happy to see one. #butterflies #macro #macrophotography
- Found in the local meadow in Lakenham, Norwich. This is a Cerceris rybyensis, the Ornate Tailed Digger Wasp. Spotted flying around the wild flowers and nettles. #wasps #macro #macrophotography
- Another new shieldbug found at Ketts Heights, Norwich, that I haven't seen before. This is a Slender-horned Leatherbug (Ceraleptus lividus), first discovered in Norfolk in 1976. There have only been 2 other sightings in Norwich recorded, the last one 5 years ago. #shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography
- Another new find at Ketts Heights, Norwich. This is the the Forget-me-not Shieldbug (Sehirus luctuosus). I've not seen this one before. There were several running around in the wild flower boarders and hiding under the dried leaf debris. #shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography
- Another find from Ketts Heights, Norwich. This amazing Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis). What a stunning looking beetle, it seemed perfectly happy to climb on my hand for a closer look at it. #beetles #macro #macrophotography
- Found a couple of weeks ago at Ketts Heights, Norwich. A stunning Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata), found hanging around the herb gardens, could easily be mistaken for a butterfly as they fly during the day. #moths #macro #macrophotography
- I found this lovely Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus) at Sweet Briar Marshes, Norwich, yesterday while rolling logs by the woods. It was on the underside of the log rather than under it, new find for me, so I'm really happy to find one. #beetles #macro #macrophotography
- Another beautiful Zebra jumping spider (Salticus scenicus) decided to face me properly on Weds. They usually zip away when I try to take their pics, this one has finally given me a pic of its lovely face. Found on a post on the Bayfield Circular Walk, Glandford. #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- I've finally found one, been looking since I was told about them. This is Neobisium carcinoides, the Common Neobisid, a pseudoscorpion. Found last week on some bark debris in a former cattle field in Cringleford, Norwich. What an amazing little arachnid. #arachnid #macro #macrophotography
- Found this predatory Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) at Mousehold Heath last weekend. It was sitting at the top of a gorse bush on the lookout for a small fly to eat. #flies #macro #macrophotography
- A very dusty Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis) found at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich last week. It was hiding in the engraving on an old gravestone. They've definitely have made the UK their home. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- Another spider found on the whitewashed crematorium walls at Earlham Cemetery, this is the Missing Sector Orb Weaver (Zygiella x-notata). I'm now making the crematorium one of my stops when I'm at Earlham. I'm always finding something new. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- This is Cyclosa conica, found in the woods last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. Looks like it may have caught a leafhopper of some sort. Odd looking spider, this one doesn't have a common name. #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- A tiny Sputnik Spider (Paidiscura pallens) found at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich, last week. It gets it name from its distinctive, white, sputnik-shaped egg cocoon. Found on the whitewashed crematorium wall. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- This is Apis mellifera, the Honey Bee. Found last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, feeding on the yellow gorse flowers. It definitely feels like Spring when you see the bees out and about, I spotted a Bumblebee as well, bumbling about. #bee's #macro #macrophotography
- Found this early hoverfly at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, last weekend. This is the Spotted Thintail (Meliscaeva auricollis). Wasn't bothered by me getting close at all. #hoverfly #macro #macrophotography
- It was lovely to see so many Seven-Spot Ladybirds at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, last weekend. Nice to see they are doing well there, I was hoping to find a Heather Ladybird but no joy. #ladybirds #macro #macrophotography
- Found my first Gorse Shieldbug (Piezodorus lituratus) of the year last weekend at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. They're usually quite skittish and have a tendency to fly away, but managed to get this one on my hand for some great pics before it flew off. #shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography
- A lovely Pin-stripe Wolf Spider (Pardosa monticola). Found last week at Earlham Cemetery. A really striking spider with some lovely purple/pink colouring in its head. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- A tiny little Spotted Snake Millipede (Blaniulus guttulatus). Found last week at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich under a rotten log. I found quite a few under other logs I checked as well. #cemeterylife #millipedes #macro #macrophotography
- Found this spider wandering around our warehouse a couple of weeks ago in Norwich. Quick capture and put it in a cereal bowl for some pics and released into the grass outside. This is Alopecosa pulverulenta, the Common Fox-spider. #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- Found my second ever Eyed Ladybird (Anatis ocellata) at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich last week. Persuaded it onto my hand for some great pictures, this is the largest ladybird species in the UK. #cemeterylife #ladybirds #macro #macrophotography
- Another moth found last week. This is a Dotted Border Moth (Agriopis marginaria). Found taking shelter under the awning on the crematorium at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. #cemeterylife #moths #macro #macrophotography
- I found this very quick and distinctive Rove Beetle Weds at RSPB Strumpshaw, Norfolk. This is Paederus riparius, the Wetland Paederus. It was on the side boarding on the footpath by the marshes. I managed to get it to walk into a collecting dish to photograph. #beetles #macro ##macrophotography
- Was just about to go out the door last week to go to work and spotted something on the wall, so I quickly snapped a few shots and left. Got home that night to review the pics and realised this is a Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus verbasci). Still looking for it 😳. #beetles #macro #macrophotography
- Another weevil find Sunday at Mousehold Heath, Norwich. Found on one of the gorse flowers, this is a Gorse Seed Weevil (Exapion ulicis). Only 2.5-3mm long, I managed to persuade it into a collecting dish and eventually my hand for some great pics. #weevils #macro #macrophotography
- My first butterfly of the year, and it's the lovely Comma (Polygonia c-album). Found Sunday at Mousehold Heath, Norwich, basking in the afternoon sun on an old tree stump. #butterflies #macro #macrophotography
- This spider is a Cricket-bat Orbweaver (Mangora acalypha). Found Sunday at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. It was on the white wash walls outside the crematorium, a new source of finds I've started checking when they're closed. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- This is a Bronze Shieldbug, Troilus luridus. Persuaded it out from its hiding place on a grave sculpture with a small brush and put my hand out for it, and it climbed onboard. Put back where I found it. Found yesterday at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. #cemeterylife #shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography
- Found yesterday at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. A really beautiful spider, this is Lathys humilis. I've found one before, but it was mostly black, this gorgeous little spider is so colourful, didn't realise we had spiders this stunning in the UK. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- I've just noticed this Missing Sector Orb Weaver (Zygiella x-notata) guarding her egg sacs above my front door in Norwich. It looks like the right sac has already hatched, but the left sac still contains spiderlings. #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- This is Neriene clathrata, the Herb Hammock Spider. Found today in the meadow by my house in Norwich under a large log. About 7-8mm (including legs), it was very quick and dropped into the grass where I got my better pics before it disappeared. #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- A really nice March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) I found last week at Earlham Cemetery. A nice addition to the Winter Moth I found in pretty much the same place a few weeks ago. This one is male, the females have reduced wings and cannot fly. #cemeterylife #moths #macro #macrophotography
- A great encounter with a Pogonocherus hispidus, the Lesser Thorn-tipped Longhorn Beetle. Found 3 Sunday, but this one was active & quite happy to climb on my hand, a good way to show the size of this amazing beetle. Found at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. #cemeterylife #beetles #macro #macrophotography
- Found my first Hawthorn Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) of the year Sunday at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. One of the larger shieldbugs with some amazing thorn adornments on its shoulders. A good sign its getting warm enough for new finds. #cemeterylife #shieldbugs #macro #macrophotography
- I got extremely lucky Sunday and found 5 Phloiophilus edwardsii all in one area at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. I even persuaded one to get on my hand, I've been trying this out with a few things as it gives a great indication of scale. #cemeterylife #beetles #macro #macrophotography
- This is an Issus coleoptratus nymph, a type of planthopper, found this week at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. It was very active so I persuaded it onto my hand for a few pics. Another amazing invert displaying fantastic camouflage to stay protected from predators. #cemeterylife #macro #macrophotography
- This is Parasteatoda lunata. Found this striking spider this week at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. Wasn't sure it was a spider at first, so gave it a gentle blow, & it sprang into life, being barely 1mm in size I almost missed it. Colourful little chap. #cemeterylife #spiders #macro #macrophotography
- Came across this dark variant of Harmonia quadripunctata,the Cream-streaked Ladybird this week at Earlham Cemetery, Norwich. The dark face and line on its elytra threw me for a bit, thinking it was something else, but I think it's good. #cemeterylife #ladybirds #macro #macrophotography
