A very windy and overcast day, so not much in the way of insects on the wing. No butterflies, 2 bumblebees and 1 hoverfly, although there were plenty of small flies around on the woodland paths.

Most prominent of the insects now is the Seven-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), which I found on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) leaves, grass blades, Goat Willow twigs, Common Comfrey leaves and Hogweed leaves, among many others.

The Platform Hammock Spider (Neriene peltata) can be found quite easily by looking under new Sycamore leaves, which seems to be its haunt of choice. Also found on a Sycamore leaf was a small (+/-3.5mm) parasitoid wasp that I have been unable to identify even at family level.

Looking under loose bark uncovered a Buzzing Spider (Anyphaena accentuata).

First seen with flower buds about to open on 27^th February, White Dead-nettle (Lamium album) is now flowering in many parts of the Downs. A tiny flower seen for the first time on the Downs this morning is Small (or False) Ivy-leaved Speedwell (Veronica sublobata). Had it not been next to a Lesser Celandine on which a small fly had caught my attention I might have missed it altogether, nestled as it was among the other foliage.

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