Jesus College Live Wildlife

2 caterpillars today; a Peacock and a Mullein. The Peacock is usally found on nettle but the Mullein moth was found on Yellow figwort (Scrophularia vernalis) and not the Mullein plant (Verbascum thapsus).

It has been raining today and so here is a Banded demoiselle from yesterday. It was fluttering around the handkerchief meadow in Library Court. The males are this metallic blue whilst the females are a bronze/green.

Two foxes were out on the rugby pitch this lunchtime, both looking rather damp. Perhaps they popped out to see what all the thunder, lightening and hail had been about earlier. -The hail was still on the trail an hour after the storm.

A beautiful Jewel wasp aka a Ruby-tailed wasp called Holopyga generosa seen today in the Orchard on the Hazel. At 7-9mm this is tiny. (New for site).

A male Emperor dragonfly sheltering from the wind in North Court meadow today.

Library Court Meadow has several Thick-thighed/Swollen-thighed beetles (Oedemera nobilis). The males have the large thighs - I do like it when the names are apt!

A Blackbird with what looks like nesting material on the bikes by the Jesus Lane gates. Blackbirds usually have 2-3 broods a year from March to July, so perhaps this is the second brood.

Meredon equistris/Narcissus bulb fly. This hoverfly mimics the Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum). The mimicry heps protect it from predators and both species have been seen on site.

The dragonflies are here. A Borad-bodied chaser (Libellula depressa) in Chapel Court today. It is a female/immature as the males are blue. There has also been an Emperor and a Migrant hawker flying around site too this year.