Sunday, March 17, 2013

Slow progress

It may well be a marathon and not a sprint but you can still get a long way behind in a marathon! Up to 160 with various bits and bobs including a dead baby Slow Worm in the garden, a Sparrowhawk finally(!), a few moths and Capillary Thread Moss (Bryum capillare) in the front garden.

Bryum capillare

This was flying around the greenhouse this morning and I am thinking that it is one of the Rove Beetles, either Staphylinus caesareus/erythropterus? Anyone know if I can ID it to species?? Internet chatter would suggest that gold hairs on the pronotum point to caesareus.


  1. Rich, It's one of the 3 species of Staphylinus, as you've already deduced. S. erythropterus is by far the commonest but has golden pubescence on the scutellum - you need to get the light right to see this. Otherwise, it looks like caesareus which is only known from the New Forest and Devon. Have you still got it?

  2. Yep, I'll have a look and let you know. Cheers!

  3. Can't see any golden pubescence. I'll see if I can get it to someone who knows more than me! I am in Devon though so possible?

  4. Would be happy to look at it Rich.