Hayes Common Insects, August

Kite-tailed Robber Fly, Machimus atricapillus. Hayes Common, 24 August 2014.

If I take my camera while out for a local walk I can usually spot a few things to photograph.  There were several of these predatory flies in the northern grassy square on Hayes Common.  In fact they turn up in my photos from several places.  I don't really see the resemblance of its tail to a kite, but it is an easily distinguished shape.

Green Shieldbug, Palomena prasina.  Hayes Common, 24 August 2014.

  A well disguised true bug that sucks the sap from plants.  It's one of a handful of shield bug species that are easy to find in this area.

Spider, Linyphia triangularis.  Female.  Hillside Lane, Hayes, 24 August 2014.

This spider spins a hammock-like web with strands leading upwards, and waits for little insects to hit the strands and fall onto the hammock.  It runs around underneath its web and catches them.  I had to lie on my back to get a shot at this angle.

Common Grass-veneer, Agriphila tristella.  Crambidae.   Hayes Common, 24 August 2014.

There were dozens of these grass moths flitting about in the grass.  It's not that they normally fly by day, but they are very easily disturbed and move off to another piece of dry grass, where they are very well disguised when they land.  Their underwings are light grey and when they close them, they seem to disappear.

Wolf Spider, Pardosa species.  Possibly Pardosa amentata.  Hillside Lane, Hayes, 24 August 2014.

On a discarded piece of newspaper I spotted this wolf spider.  Unlike the previous one, this spider does not spin a web, but runs after its prey, hence the sturdy legs and bigger eyes.