Friday 7 June 2019

Fly attacked by fungus


Found this poor fly attached to a leaf stem in the garden, I looked up what was the cause and its probably infected with the fungus Entomophthora muscae and releasing spores that will infect other flies. It devours the flies body fluids over the course of a week before hijacking its brain and making it climb to a perch where its own drool is used to attach it (I assume mine has swung round in the breeze) to a stem. The zombie apocalypse begins.
Fly infected by fungus


Dock Beetle

I love looking for these lovely shiny beetles in summer. The raggedy holes on dock leaves are a giveaway, turn the leaves over and you will find the black larvae that have done the damage and possibly clumps of yellow eggs. The actual beetles are green with a golden sheen and the females abdomens become hugely distended when they are ready to lay their eggs.

Female Gastrophysa viridula

Gastrophysa viridula larva

Gastrophysa viridula Eggs