What did I Find Today?

 A day that started grey, brightened up and was then drowned  in hail and cloudburst rain gained me three new species for the year on campus. 

The action was mainly centred around the cherry laurel that has now come into pungent bloom. As soon as the day had warmed up enough to wake them up, these shrubs were surrounded by fast flying little mining bees of some description, hardly ever settling to feed. 

When I did get a photo, it baffled iNaturalist, but later research by myself led me to believe they were chocolate mining bees. They are quite understated compared to some of the other mining bees, but still an attractive find. 

Only one of the next species, but rather easier to photograph was the ever dapper ashy mining bee, Steed from The Avengers in apian form. I don't see many of these, so to get one early in the season was a bonus. 

Finally, on a rosemary bush that the law says you have to crush the leaves and smell, was the first (not so) early bumblebee of the season. 

A rather nice trifecta, I'm sure you'll agree. 

Si 

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 15.04.26 

A New Species of Ladybird for me

 So today I took a quick wellbeing and Tourettes walk to the library gardens to see if anything much was around on what was a rather cooler day to what we've been having recently. 

At the moment, green alklet is the dominant wildflower in bloom at the moment, and the hairy footed flower bees absolutely love it. Males and females were zooming around like tiny aerial motorbikes, buzzing away and far too fast to photograph. 

But it wasn't a bee that caught my eye. 

Hunkered down on a bloom was a new ladybird species for me, a cream spotted ladybird. A little smaller than the 7 spots that were present in large numbers, this is a shiny brown lady bird with white spots that don't look particularly creamy. 

I was very pleased to see it. 

Also new to me was what I think might be a bicoloured mining bee on dandelion. Initially I thought it was just a honey bee, but looking closely I could bee that the banding on the abdomen was different. It was heavily dusted in yellow dandelion pollen. 

Not far away, a vestal cuckoo bumblebee was enjoying the mahonias that are still in bloom. 

Such a small space, but so much to see! 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.04.26 

Lots of Emergences the Last Few Days!

 Thought I'd give you a mini photo dump of the last few days! 

As we enter April, more and more species are starting to appear. Today brought me a common furrow bee in the old oak wood, while earlier in the week we've had early mining bees, male common mourning bees and a red mason bee up and about. Also perhaps a white banded sweat bee. 

Add to this the increasingly unhinged hairy footed flower bees, now getting too fast to photograph as the weather warms, and the delightful dark edged fee fly, there's plenty to see at my favourite time of the year.

Hope you are finding new critters out and about too. 

Si 

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.04.26 

A New Species! The Common Mourning Bee

 Was walking through the library gardens nature reserve during today's glorious spring weather, when I noticed a very dark bee feeding off dandelion. 

While I was photographing it, I knew it was a species I was unfamiliar with, and a long walk and some research later, I was able to identify it as a female common mourning bee and indeed this is a new species to me. The female is entirely black, with only a few pale patches of hairs on the abdomen and the legs. 

We are at the north edge of its UK range here, and it is a parasite, or cuckoo bee. It parasitizes the nests of hairy footed flower bees, which explains its presence in this little nature reserve, which is full of hairy footed flower bees whizzing about. 

It was a fine start to a fine day out in the sun, seeing what local nature I can find. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 31.03.26 

Rampant Hairy Footed Flower Bees

 Spring has sprung big time here in Newark over the last few days.

I have so many critters to show you, it will take more than one post to show you them all. So I've decided to start with what are one of my most difficult targets - the hairy footed flower bee. 

These fast moving solitary bees - they aren't bumblebees despite their appearance - emerge early in spring and are only active for a few weeks. They love the library gardens nature reserve, whizzing around the star of bethlehem and red dead nettle flowers, settling only briefly, especially if another male comes close.

So to take photographs of them is rather challenging, good photos even more so. I think these are ok, my Pixel 10a seems up to the job, but the focus is often a bit soft because of their rapid movement.

Have you seen any? 

Si 

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.03.26 

Exploring the Public Parks of Grantham

 Glorious spring weather saw a visit to Wyndham Park in Grantham, a park that I thought was a fine natural habitat full of ponds, boating lakes, an excellent cafe and wildlife everywhere. 

It wasn't quite like that. It was actually pretty small, with a boating lake for remote controlled sailing boats about the size of a swimming pool, and not a whole lot of natural habitat. 

Fortunately, Queen Elizabeth Park, a long linear park running alongside the River Witham, was just across the road. We took a path alongside the fast flowing turquoise waters, and although information boards teased the presence of kingfishers and otters, of them there were no sign. 

I did see my first brimstone butterfly of the year, lemon yellow flutterings above the grass. Many buff tailed bumblebee queens were looking for nest holes in the soft earth, and the park was full of the loudest great tits I've ever heard, their "Deeee-Dooo" calls sounding out from almost every tree. 

Plenty of robins, blue tits and wrens were about too, and a red kite soared overhead, its forked tail expertly manoevering it across the blue sky. 

Where were there were crocuses, there were also honey bees, saddle bags filled to the brim with pollen. 

I love spring so much. 

Si 

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 04.03.26 

Late Season Critters

 It's been a week of mist, fog, and grey skies depositing various amounts of rainfall on our heads. Storms are expected later in the week. 

But the critters of warmer months have not quite left us yet. My household pipistrelle bat still comes out after sunset to perform acrobatic feats just above me in the postage stamp garden, and where the last of the flowers bloom, bees and bumblebees are still to be seen.

That being said, darkness closes in, more so when the clocks fall back next weekend. When I go running, I'm clad in various lights and fluorescent clothing, and cricket whites already seem long ago. 

Early December, and then we will see the first snowdrops and the time of renewal begins. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.10.25

Sunbathing Dragonflies

 For some reason, the cycle track bridge over the A1 becomes a favourite sunbathing spot for dragonflies this time of year. 

More specifically, common darters, and even more specifically today, female common darters, three of which were out enjoying autumn sun on the bridge today, their huge brown eyes following me as I tried to get photographs. 

Most of the time, dragonflies are pretty skittish and hard to photograph, but at this time of the year with colder nights - and it was chilly last night - they take a while to warm up and are a bit more amenable to posing for irritating photographers.

The coralberry bushes were busy too today, lots of bees going like hooligans at the last of the flowers. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.09.25

The Last of late Season Colour

 The warm weather disappeared largely very quickly, replaced by unsettled weather and occasionally heavy rain that blocked my guttering and caused water to run down my kitchen and living room walls. 

Plaster wrecked, good job I'm renting. 

Back issues have eased, but sciatica remains an issue some mornings when I wake up. I get into some mad positions when I sleep. 

So, what's out there?

White butterflies are still around, honey bees too and bufftailed and common carder bumblebees. All feeding of the last flowers in bloom - hawkbut, bristly oxe tongue, the occasional creeping thistle. Ivy mining bees have also been around feeding off guess what ivy flowers. 

I'll show you what I've found. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.09.25