Hawthorn Shieldbug

The fine weather has brought out some interesting insects, including a couple of shieldbugs that I hadn't seen before. This is the Hawthorn Shieldbug, and I found an example of its close relative the Birch Shieldbug on the same dogwood bush the day before.

There weren't as many butterflies about as I was expecting, but a lunchtime stroll around campus still threw up six Speckled Woods, a Small White, a couple of Red Admirals, a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell. There have been a few Clouded Yellow sightings in Yorkshire so I'm keeping my eyes peeled.