This small beetle was found under bark of a fallen Beech trunk in the Chilterns yesterday - it is Rhizophagus, probably R. dispar (to be confirmed). They feed on a mix of fungi and other insects under the bark. #beetles #saproxylic #DeadWoodMatters #insectodon #shiny

The other place often features #FlyFriday so let's start it off here as well. This is the spectacular Pocota personata, a #hoverfly trying very hard to make you think it is a #bumblebee - check the antennae for the tell-tale difference. The photo shows my first encounter with this species, from a #DipteristsForum field trip last spring. This is a fairly rare and elusive #fly whose larvae develop in rot-holes in mature Beech trees. #insectodon #saproxylic #DeadWoodLife #entomology #Diptera

The other place often features #FlyFriday so let's start it off here as well. This is the spectacular Pocota personata, a #hoverfly trying very hard to make you think it is a #bumblebee - check the antennae for the tell-tale difference. The photo shows my first encounter with this species, from a #DipteristsForum field trip last spring. This is a fairly rare and elusive #fly whose larvae develop in rot-holes in mature Beech trees. #insectodon #saproxylic #DeadWoodLife #entomology #Diptera