National Insect Week and our last day at the zoo

The Safari had a couple of quick looks at Patch 2 today but there was nothing out there, didn't even see a Grey Seal today although another observer at the top end of town had a couple of Harbour Porpoises and a Grey Seal...we were obviously in the wrong place at the right time!

A flying visit to the nature reserve to meet CB and see how he was getting on with his CES ringing scheme this morning had him pointing out a very small but very colourful 'true' bug.

Which turned out to be the Mirid Bug (Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi) a species not recorded in Lancashire before, well according to the NBN anyway. Also there were a few Meadow Browns, our first of the year and a Brown Hawker dragonfly also our first of the year. A Cetti's Warbler sang all the while we were there. Most of the other common warblers were in song too but no Willow Warblers were heard and he hasn't caught any this season either.

Mid-afternoon saw us back with the team at the Education Department at the Zoo to do our last session with them for National Insect Week. Poor weather meant there were far fewer punters around today but that didn't stop the guys collaring, = enthusing, passers-by to hunt for bugs and beasties.

Plenty of Pillbugs again and loads of slugs of several species but star of the show was a Devil's Coach Horse Beetle - not seen one for years.

One of the Education team had an eye for the tiny wee things and soon had us straining our eyes at an Owl Midge, not a Nettle Tap Moth as originally thought (Thanks to CR for the re-ID)

Even smaller was this little chap but what on earth is it?

Those extremely clever iSpotters came up with Tachypeza, a Dance Fly. Doesn't even have an English Wiki page! Guess hat - no Fylde records and barely any Lancashire records either, oh surprise surprise!

Where to next? Hopefully the mothy will be out at least once over the weekend.
In the meantime let us know what's almost too small to ID in your outback.