Sander Bot and Frank Van de Meutter.
Bloomsbury Wildlife (pbk) published 2023.
400 pages, 1797 colour photos, illustrations, and distribution maps.
ISBN 978-1-3994-0245-3
With Christmas drawing closer you might be looking for that special gift to give a budding naturalist or entomologist, well stick around this might that book.
The first thing you will notice if you spot this hoverfly, are its abdominal markings. They remind me of hockey sticks, but the shape is often referred to as clubbed or bowed. Some prefer to refer to them as smoothwing, others glasswing due to the lack of microtrichia (tiny hairs) on the wings. There are 5 species listed for the British Isles but there are only 2 that you are likely to come across anytime May to mid-August. These are pryrastri and selentica the main difference being white/cream abdominal markings for the former and yellow for the latter.
If this hoverfly seems familiar, even if you haven’t found one in the wild, it’s probably because you have seen the 1st edition of Britain’s Hoverflies by S. Ball and R. Morris published by WILDguides, where it is featured on the front cover.
This poem was inspired by a walk to my parents earlier this month.
Autumn returns, with rustling leaves,
birdsong drifts where summer left.
A jay glides past with nuts in its crop,
Caching food for colder weather.
Each slide explores a different genus: The genus name is split such that each letter forms a sentence, highlighting unique features of the incredible syrphids within each group, posted alongside artwork and habitat preferences.
All the photographs and artwork featured are my own, making this a truly personal project.
Juat added Syrphus 27th November, previously Volucella and Helophilus. This is just the beginning!
Thank you for your support—every visit helps in keeping this project thriving.
Drop by often and enjoy the journey into the world of hoverflies genera!
Every year I look forward the light festival that comes to town, this is the eighth year visiting Barnsley.
The reason I look forward to it is that these events are often full of nature inspired installations that blend art and nature beautifully. It also brings the whole town together, as long as it’s not wet or clashes with an England football match as it did one year. It can bring people of all ages into town even though its dark.
I love to see how art as a medium can be used to illustrate ecological concepts and environmental concerns of the day. I think it is important that we stop and look at what those issues might be, and art is a super medium to bring those concerns to life without judgement, if the message is clear. These installations are often interactive yet stimulating and I come away with a sense of wellbeing and fresh ideas for myself and aspire to be more creative going forward.
Last weekend there were more people at the Bright Nights than I have seen previously so well done the organisers, I even had to queue to see some of the installations.
Footballer (Helophilus pendulus) Size: 11-15mm Flight: Apr- Oct. Species of the week – 20th September If you have a pond then this hoverfly ...
