Wednesday, August 04, 2010

New flower, new spider-hunting wasp

The plant of Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa)  first recorded in the window box in 2006 is carrying its first flowers.

20100804 Wbx & South View 013

These flowers dangling from red bracts are followed by berries that, by all accounts, are edible so I might be able to harvest my first Wbx crop in a few weeks time.

While photographing this I noticed a small, black spider-hunting wasp sitting on a Wbx tutsan leaf.

20100804 Wbx & South View 021

This is Anoplius nigerrimus, a common species here but one that scarcely ever stays still long enough to get a decent photo.  This one was very obliging and seemed to be taking an unusually long rest on the leaf.  Later though I saw it restlessly hunting for spiders with its usual agitated, questing character.

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