I had a day at the office today and as the sun was shining I made sure that I took a sweep net and beating tray for a bit of surreptitious lunchtime beetle hunting. It was nice to be out and about and lots of bird song gave it a real spring time feel. Quite a bit of insect activity too, mainly small flies but a couple of Comma were my first of the year
I beat lots of Scot's Pine which revealed only my second record of Eyed Ladybird amongst a few a bits and pieces. Examining the fungi on cut silver birch stumps gave me an aleoch that will need dissecting plus this tiny (1.2mm) Ciidid.
With 9 antennal segments and the cute little horns, I think this is a male Sulcacis nitidus, a new species for me. The larva feed on bracket fungus and the beetle is found in the south-east with some records up in Cheshire too. Given its size I can imagine it may be being overlooked somewhat too. In older literature it is known as S. affinis (Gyllenhal, 1827) or Ennearthron affinis.
The post title comes from a new single by Damefrisør. I first heard it played on 6Music and I have played it quite a bit since. Rather good.
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