Three years ago this post detailed the emergence of many Jade Hunter dragonflies after a period of high river flows. This season there have been three floods, and Odonata generally have been very scarce, but a casual check of the same area of shingle after flows had receded resulted in the sighting of two Jade Hunters, phone snap.
The moth light was illuminated for the first time for many months, and while moths were few and far between, black field crickets were in large numbers and made themselves quite objectionable. Two mole crickets also came to the light.
Water bugs are fairly common visitors to the light, and a couple of subgenus Hydrophilus came in.
Quite a number of this small water bug, Diplonychus eques, also came in, a first record for the location. These are efficient mosquito controlling creatures, known to consume 75-80 odd larvae per day.
Probably better known by its common name, a Disappearing Grasshopper, Schizobothrus flavovittatus was attracted to the light. So named because after a flight they dive into the grass and disappear.
