We could have had it all

There's been so much going on recently that I've not had the time to post anything but I have still been able to find the odd new beetle species. I popped out last week one evening for a walk in the southern most bit of the Brecks to have a look for weevils and an assortment of other stuff.

Only about 100 metres from where I parked I found this extensive patch of St John's Wort...

A closer look at the plants and I could see quite a few large leaf beetles doing their best to hide from my prying eyes. These were Chysolina hyperici which feeds on St John's Wort and becomes the 9th species in this genus that I've seen.

There were various small patches of Great Mullein and on all of these were sat the weevil Cionus longicollis. This species is very rare outside Breckland and is visibly much bulkier than other Cionius weevils I have seen.

One I've seen before but never in such abundance, there were lots of Galeruca tanaceti scuttling around on bare earth between patches of Yarrow. Had to be careful not to crush them underfoot as I walked about.  

This insect on a flower caught my eye and I realised it was my first knowingly seen conopid fly. Sicus ferrugineus. These are parasites of bumblebees and females pounce on worker bees and inject an egg into the bee abdomen using a specialised ovipositor. Funky looking things too.

It was a nice hour's walk made slightly surreal because as I was driving home I spotted a mass of birders lining the road all looking up at some telegraph wires. With nothing behind me I slowed right down and looked through a gap in the hedge only to be met with a large bluish bird sat perched up. Only a bloody Roller! Not paying much attention to birding news these days I had not clocked that this had turned up and it was pure luck that I went past and saw it. 

A UK tick and all, but funnily enough I was more pleased with the new beetles. Funny how things change.

So here's some vaguely relevant inspiration...