Another sunny yet windy morning – the ’March winds’ are definitely upon us. That didn’t stop me from finding something new.

On the same sycamore sapling I found two new species on the undersides of adjacent leaves. The first was a leafhopper. Although there are several small similar-looking green planthoppers some can be ruled out as they are usually seen in summer/autumn. This one is most likely the Smaller Green Leafhopper (Empoasca vitis).

The second was not only a new species, and genus, and family, but was my first record for the Order Psocodea (barkflies or barklice), of which I was blissfully unaware until I had identified the subject of my photo. It is most likely a member of the Ectopsocus briggsi agg.

A third new species for the morning was found wriggling under a rotting log – a Brown Centipede (Lithobius forficatus).

Certainly not the first on Banstead Downs this spring, but the first that I have noticed anyway, the (Common) Daisy (Bellis perennis) was added to the wildflower list.

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