Syncerus caffer caffer (Sparrman, 1779)

This is not a water-buffalo.

Semi-captive - photographed on a privately owned game-range, in Lusaka, Zambia, in August 2011 using an Olympus E-420 DSLR with 40-150mm lens. 

As the nominate subspecies, it doesn't really need an adjective, and can just be called the Buffalo. Sorry, Americans, but Bison bison is clearly a bison, not a buffalo. 

As already stated, it is also not a water-buffalo. If you are so attached to your colloquial names for what was formerly the most numerous component of the Nearctic megafauna - a title now held by the cosmopolitan ape, Homo sapiens - then you may refer to this lovely creature as an African Buffalo or, if you are certain that it belongs to this particular (the nominate) subspecies, the Cape buffalo.

If you feel like avoiding the term buffalo altogether, you could call it:

Syncerus caffer caffer

(Sparrman, 1779)

 - Bovini  

- Bovinae 

- Bovidae   

- Pecora       

- Ruminantia  

- Cetruminantia

- Artiofabula      

- Cetartiodactyla  

- Ferungulata         

See also Hipposideros vittatus.

- Laurasiatheria        

- Boreoeutheria          

- Eutheria                     

- Theria                          

- Mammalia                     

- Cynodontia                     

- Theriodonta                      

- Therapsida                          

- Sphenocodontidae                

- Sphenocodontia                      

- Eupelycosauria                         

- Synapsida                                    

- Amniota                                         

See also Synchiropus splendidus, Thelotornis capensis, Trachylepis varia, Zootoca vivipara, Lygodactylus capensis, Troglodytes troglodytes, Chalcophaps indica, Ardea goliath, Sterna hirundo, Burhinus vermiculatus and Tockus alboterminatus.  

- Reptiliomorpha                                       

- Tetrapoda                                                  

See also Rana temporaria and Chiromantis xerampelina.

- Sarcopterygii                                                 

- Osteichthyes                                                   

- Teleostomi                                                         

- Gnathostomata                                                     

- Vertebrata                                                               

- Craniata                                                                    

- Chordata                                                                      

- Deuterostomia                                                                

- Nephrozoa                                                                          

See also Tettigonia viridissima, Stictogryllacris punctata, Heteropternis thoracica, Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Humbe tenuicornis, Sibylla, Pephricus, Grypocoris stysi, Ranatra, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Hagenomyia tristis, Phyllobius pomaceus, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Malachius bipustulatus, Oedemera noobilis, Cheilomenes lunata, Melolontha melolontha, Neojulodis vittipennis, Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasiini, Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Andrena nigroaenea, Panorpa germanica, Chloromyia formosa, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Metadon inermis,Dolichotachina caudata Megistocera filipes, Crambus pascuella, Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Metisella willemi, Acada biseriata, Anthocharis cardamines, Sphinx ligustri, Rhyothemis semihyalina, Pseudagrion hageni, Enallagma cyathigerum , Lestinogomphus angustus, Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Hyllus argyrotoxus, Alopecosa barbipes, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi, Pardosa amentata.

- Bilateralia                                                                               

- Eumetazoa                                                                                

- Animalia                                                                                      

- Eukaryota                                                                                      

  

  

And that, folks, is all. 

This delightful pair were photographed at Parays game farm - like them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Parays-Animal-Sanctuary/168769346520490

 

                                                            

Tettigonia viridissima (Linnaeus, 1758)

On a whim, I took a trip to the Isle of Wight the other day. In amongst Ryde's endless pier, missed buses and angry Weimeraners, I encountered this:

Photographed in October 2013 near Culver Down on the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, UK, using an Olympus E-420 with a Zuiko 40-150mm lens and 3 KOOD magnifiers.

Although its colouring masks it very well in the scrubby vegetation it calls its home, this large katydid is rendered quite conspicuous by its song, one of the loudest noises I've heard from common British insects and performed without any inhibition with (quiet) observers mere inches away.

This, the largest of Britain's truly resident bush-crickets - exceeded in length by the more slender Large Conehead Ruspolia nitidula, a rare seasonal migrant - is the Great Green Bush-Cricket

Tettigonia viridissima

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Like many katydids or, if you prefer, bush-crickets, it is an omnivore, in stark contrast to the usually herbivorous (although not always strictly) omnivore. Fear not, it doesn't eat humans but, having fairly powerful mandibles, it can deliver a painful (but venomless) nip if handled. 

Anyhow, with precisely this much ado, onwards with the taxonomy:

This delightful creature belongs to:

 - Tettigoniini

- Tettigoniinae

- Tettigoniidae  

- Tettigonioidea  

- Ensifera             

See also Stictogryllacris punctata.

 - Orthoptera             

See also Heteropternis thoracica, Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis and Humbe tenuicornis.

- Panorthoptera            

- Orthopterida                 

- Polyorthoptera                

- Anartioptera                      

- Polyneoptera                       

See also Sibylla.

- Neoptera                                 

See also Pephricus, Grypocoris stysi, Ranatra, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Hagenomyia tristis, Phyllobius pomaceus, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Malachius bipustulatus, Oedemera noobilis, Cheilomenes lunata, Melolontha melolontha, Neojulodis vittipennis, Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasiini, Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Andrena nigroaenea, Panorpa germanica, Chloromyia formosa, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Metadon inermis,Dolichotachina caudata Megistocera filipes, Crambus pascuella, Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Metisella willemi, Acada biseriata, Anthocharis cardamines and Sphinx ligustri.

 - Manopterygota                              

See also Rhyothemis semihyalina, Pseudagrion hageni, Enallagma cyathigerum and Lestinogomphus angustus.

- Pterygota                                          

- Dicondylia                                          

- Insecta                                                  

- Hexapoda                                               

- Arthropoda                                               

See also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Hyllus argyrotoxus, Alopecosa barbipes, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi and Pardosa amentata.

 - Ecdysozoa                                                   

- Protostomia                                                   

- Nephrozoa                                                       

 See also Synchiropus splendidus, Rana temporaria, Chiromantis xerampelina, Hipposideros vittatus, Thelotornis capensis, Trachylepis varia, Zootoca vivipara, Lygodactylus capensis, Troglodytes troglodytes, Chalcophaps indica, Ardea goliath, Sterna hirundo, Burhinus vermiculatus and Tockus alboterminatus.

 - Bilateralia                                                                

- Eumetazoa                                                                 

- Animalia                                                                      

- Eukaryota                                                                      

     

And that's all, folks!

For the rather depauperate British grasshoppers, you could do worse than the Orthoptera Recording Scheme website, which admittedly isn't the most user-friendly resource out there, but is chock-full of information once you find your way around... 

 

Sphinx ligustri (Linnaeus, 1758)

Time for a moth.

Photographed July 2013 in Bosham, West Sussex, UK, Using Olympus E-420 DSLR with 40-150mm lens and 3 KOOD magnifiers.

This moth, with a twelve centimetre wingspan, holds the honour of being the largest fully native moth in the UK, the Privet Hawkmoth:

Sphinx ligustri

(Linnaeus, 1758)

I would formerly have assumed that everyone knew that moths were nothing to be afraid of, a co-worker's over-response to a moth (and later, an equally harmless beetle) has given me pause. 

With the exception of a handful of Asian owlet moths in the genus Calyptra, which will bite and feed upon humans on occasion, but do not seem to be vectors of diseases, moths don't - and generally can't - bite. Nor can they sting. Their hairs and scales - particularly in some of the more colourful species - can be an irritant, but outside of serious infestations of specific pest species in food storage, this rarely builds up to a concern. 

This particular species is completely harmless, and feeds on privet, lilac and ash. In addition to flashing a colourful abdomen when disturbed, males can also hiss; again, in response to alarm. The rather conspicuously pink abdomen suggests that eating them isn't entirely without risk. 

Anyway, with that, on with the taxonomy: 

- Sphingini 

- Sphinginae 

- Sphingidae   

- Sphingoidea   

- Bombycina       

See also Metisella willemi, Acada biseriata, Anthocharis cardamines and Laelia robusta.

- Cossina               

- Ditrysia                  

See also Zebronia phenice and Crambus pascuella.

- Heteroneura              

- Neolepidoptera            

- Glossata                         

- Lepidoptera                      

- Amphiesmenoptera             

- Panorpida                              

See also Chloromyia formosa, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Metadon inermis,Dolichotachina caudata Megistocera filipes and Panorpa germanica.

- Endopterygota                            

See also Phyllobius pomaceus, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Malachius bipustulatus, Oedemera noobilis, Cheilomenes lunata, Melolontha melolontha, Neojulodis vittipennis, Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasiini, Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Andrena nigroaenea and Hagenomyia tristis.

- Eumetabola                                   

See also Grypocoris stysi, Ranatra, Anoplocnemis curvipes and Pephricus. 

- Neoptera                                          

See also Heteropternis thoracica, Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Stictogryllacris punctata, Sibylla and Humbe tenuicornis

- Manopterygota                                    

See also Rhyothemis semihyalina, Pseudagrion hageni, Enallagma cyathigerum and Lestinogomphus angustus.

- Pterygota                                               

- Dicondylia                                               

- Insecta                                                       

- Hexapoda                                                    

- Arthropoda                                                    

See also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Hyllus argyrotoxus, Alopecosa barbipes, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi and Pardosa amentata.

- Ecdysozoa                                                        

 - Protostomia                                                        

- Nephrozoa                                                                                                        

See also Synchiropus splendidus, Rana temporaria, Chiromantis xerampelina, Hipposideros vittatus, Thelotornis capensis, Trachylepis varia, Zootoca vivipara, Lygodactylus capensis, Troglodytes troglodytes, Chalcophaps indica, Ardea goliath, Sterna hirundo, Burhinus vermiculatus and Tockus alboterminatus. 

- Bilateralia                                                                 

- Eumetazoa                                                                  

- Animalia                                                                        

- Eukaryota                                                                         

I leave you with one more photograph to show the insect in context, not as well camouflaged if it might be if it hadn't mistaken a lamppost for a tree; 

Same date, place, and time; same camera with one less magnifier.

 And that is all, folks. 

Pardosa amentata (Clerck, 1757)... Probably.

There are a number of Pardosa in the UK, and, without manhandling it under a magnifying glass, I cannot be absolutely certain that this is not, in fact, Pardosa hortensis. However, the general appearance is more in line with known P. amentata and I'll allow myself a little uncertainty in order to let the spider carry on spidering around. The distinct dorsal strip on the cephalothorax, in addition to the white spots along the abdomen, seem to favour P. amentata. Location and more distinctive features would seem to rule out the rest.




Time for a spider:

Photographed in March 2012, in Bosham, West Sussex, UK. Olympus E-420 DSLR with Zuiko 40-150mm lens and 3 KOOD magnifiers.

This lovely little Spotted Wolf Spider belongs to:

- Eukaryota
  - Animalia
    - Eumetazoa
      - Bilateralia
        - Nephrozoa

See also Synchiropus splendidus, Rana temporaria, Chiromantis xerampelina, Hipposideros vittatus, Thelotornis capensis, Trachylepis varia, Zootoca vivipara, Lygodactylus capensis, Troglodytes troglodytes, Chalcophaps indica, Ardea goliath, Sterna hirundo, Burhinus vermiculatus and Tockus alboterminatus.

            - Protostomia
              - Ecdysozoa
                - Arthropoda

See also Heteropternis thoracica, Humbe tenuicornis, Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Stictogryllacris punctata, Sibylla, Chloromyia formosa, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Metadon inermis, Dolichotachina caudata, Megistocera filipes, Panorpa germanica, Metisella willemi, Acada biseriata, Anthocharis cardamines, Laelia robusta, Zebronia phenice, Crambus pascuella, Phyllobius pomaceus, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Malachius bipustulatus, Oedemera noobilis,Cheilomenes lunata, Melolontha melolontha, Neojulodis vittipennis, Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasiini, Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Andrena nigroaenea, Hagenomyia tristis, Pephricus, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Ranatra,Grypocoris stysi, Rhyothemis semihyalina, Pseudagrion hageni, Enallagma cyathigerum, Lestinogomphus angustus and Ligia oceanica.

                  - Chelicerata
                    - Arachnida

See also Dicranopalpus ramosus

                      - Micrura
                        - Megoperculata
                          - Araneae
                            - Opisthothelae
                              - Araneomorphae
                                - Neocribellatae
                                  - Araneoclada
                                    - Entelegynae

See also Hyllus argyrotoxus, Argiope bruennichi and Enoplognatha ovata.

                                      - Lycosoidea
                                        - Lycosidae

See also Alopecosa barbipes.

                                          - Pardosinae 

and, I'm reasonably certain,

Pardosa amentata

(Clerck, 1757)

As a wolf spider, this lovely little creature is an active hunter of small invertebrates in the undergrowth. Less active than you might think - anything from days to almost a month can pass between it needing a meal.

It is - as with almost all spiders - venomous, but this venom is intended for their prey and of less concern than a bee-sting. Additionally, these spiders are considerably more difficult to incite to bite than a bee is to sting.