End March , things can only get better

 It has turned cold and windy again which has made life difficult for the flies and prevented me doing much.

Last week I had a planned visit to Scotland to see family. This had been postponed earlier and the later date had me researching on iRecord and asking contacts where to go for a couple of species I would not get locally. Unfortunately the weather was against me and apart from a couple of Bumblebees I barely saw a flying insect during my stay.

Now back down South there appears to be a slight improvement but still not exactly warm.

However I have managed to turn up a couple of common Syrphus species, identified via the microscope, and photographed this indeterminate one in the garden today.

                                                            Syrphus species

The year list has continued to grow slowly with a couple of Long-winged Duskyfaces ( Melanostoma scalare) in the garden. A species I will, no doubt, see very, very, many of during the year.

Long-winged Duskyface 

The garden is starting to produce flowers such as these Kingcups and a few hoverflies are making the most of them when the wind drops. Spraying a sugar solution on our variegated bush has certainly proved valuable though.

Kingcup

So with the first quarter of the year closing tomorrow I have reached 11 species. Mustn't grumble eh !