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Melangyna umbellatarum ♂ on Sunday in Bengeo garden, species loves white umbels. 107th species of hoverfly recorded here. BNA – Herts branch

Disturbed colony of tiny ant Temnothorax nylanderi today in Bengeo garden. Distinctive species with its dark band & associated with old woodland & parkland. They are able to nest in minutest of crevices & form very small colonies of 100-200 workers. BNA – Herts branch #saproxylic

Phymatodes testaceus today in Bengeo garden, strongly associated with Oak. Usually nocturnal, this individual walked onto recycled piece of wood in full sunlight. National Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme #OakTanbarkBorer #Cerambycidae #saproxylic

Rhagium mordax today in Bengeo garden, large attractive longhorn beetle mainly associated with Oak. National Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme #Cerambycidae #saproxylic

Silvanoprus fagi from Sunday night in Bengeo garden, Herts. Very rare species (RDB1) with few records outside New Forest. Feeds under bark of Beech & coniferous trees. BNA – Herts branch #Silvanidae #saproxylic #attractedtolight

Spring hoverflies (7): Xanthogramma citrofasciatum ♀ today in Bengeo garden. Xanthogramma species are spectacular & use ant-nests as hosts for their larvae. X.citrofasciatum in particular uses Yellow Meadow Ant (Lasius flavus). BNA – Herts branch

Cheilosia illustrata ♂ feeding on Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) today in Bengeo garden. 108th species of hoverfly recorded here. BNA – Herts branch

Blepharipa pratensis ♂ today in Bengeo garden, large tachinid parasitoid of Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). Recent arrival in UK but now commonest large tachinid here in spring. BNA – Herts branch

Anthocomus fasciatus ♀ & ♂ today in Bengeo garden, attractive soft-winged flower beetle. Regarded as scarce but increasingly common here. BNA – Herts branch #Malachiinae #saproxylic

Spring hoverflies (8): Scaeva selenitica ♂ feeding on Dame's Violet (Hesperis matronalis) today in Bengeo garden, large striking species with enormous eyes & yellow lunules on T3 & T4. Associated with Pine but disperses considerable distance so can be seen anywhere. BNA – Herts branch

Seioptera vibrans ♂ today in Bengeo garden, distinctive picture-wing fly that is rare in Herts. #Ulidiidae

Alosterna tabacicolor feeding on Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) today in Bengeo garden, small brown longhorn beetle with brown legs that is uncommon in this area. National Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme BNA – Herts branch

Ballus chalybeius ♀ today in Bengeo garden, nationally scarce woodland salticid but really common here. BAS TurnFear2Fascination 🇬🇧 🇮🇱 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🕷️ BNA – Herts branch #OakJumpingSpider

Phaeostigma notata ♂ on unmown lawn today in Bengeo garden. Britain's largest snakefly, associated with Oak & immediately identifiable by its dark pterostigma. BNA – Herts branch #Raphidiidae

Chrysotoxum bicinctum ♀ today in Bengeo garden, superb wasp-mimic hoverfly that loves long grass. Really good reason not to mow your lawn. BNA – Herts branch

Goniglossum wiedemanni today in Bengeo garden, wonderfully bizarre fruit fly associated with White Bryony (Bryonia dioica) & nationally scarce. BNA – Herts branch

Criorhina berberina ♀ yesterday in Bengeo garden, superb mimic with two forms. This form 'oxycanthae' is stunning imitator of carder bumblebees. Disguise is so effective in flight that only when they land do you realise that they are a hoverfly. BNA – Herts branch #saproxylic

Hybomitra bimaculata ♂ today in Bengeo garden, sizeable woodland horse fly with obvious hairy eyes. Males are harmless but females are bloodsuckers though they cause no problem here. BNA – Herts branch #Tabanidae