Helophilus (Diptera: Syrphidae)

Helophilus cf. pendulus, Helsinki 10.7.2012

I think this is H.pendulus, based on the leg markings. Beautiful, and very common too.

Lestidae of Finland: Lestes sponsa

Lestes sponsa, f, Helsinki 10.7.2012

Lestidae of Finland consists of four species that fall in two genera: 3 species in genus Lestes and one species in genus Sympecma. Out of these, the most common species by far is the Common Spreadwing/Emerald Damselfly, sirokeijukorento, allmän smaragdflickslända, Lestes sponsa (Hansemann 1823). The Lestidae are a sister group to all other damseflies (Zygoptera), and their internal taxonomy seems a bit freaky (Dijkstra & Kalkman 2012).

Ubiquitous and common, sponsa ranges from South Coast to Lapland and from Ilomantsi to the West Coast. It is also the most common Lestes in most of Europe, and one of the most common Odonata species in the northern Europe. It lives in all kinds of lentic waters and slow-flowing rivers, only missing from some oligotrophic and/or large lakes. It is an autumn species, with emergence beginning in late June; last fliers are usually seen in September.

Sponsas can be very numerous, and congregations of hundreds and thousands are not rare. They often oviposit in groups. Large numbers can be seen around small, fish-empty and sometimes ephemeral pools and ponds, especially those with rich vegetation, such as Typha stands.

Identification of Lestes sensu lato in field is quite straightforward. Metallic, green gloss, spread wings and goofy jizz usually make identfication straightforward. Species identification can be bit more challenging. Hand charasteristics include five-cornered wing cells somewhere and other relatively useless features. Just look at it! European Odonata are easy.

Sponsa is usually identified by the combination of following features:
1) Very common. Although not a basis for identification, about 95 - 99 % of Lestes individuals in Finland are sponsa. Maybe even more. So you start with the assumption that it is probably sponsa.
2) Females: pale antehumeral stripes (cf. Lestes dryas). Dark back of the head (cf. Lestes virens). Dark pterostigma (cf. virens). There is a lone dark spot at the base of the first pair of legs. The ovipositor's size is useful, if one has experience, but I would caution against using it as a primary means of identification if you are a novice with sponsa/dryas -pair!
3) Males: young look like female sponsa. Adults have no metallic sheen on the S2, instead the entire segment is pruinose (cf. dryas). Back of the head is dark and pterostigma dark (cf. virens). Males' lower appendages are relatively straight, not strongly curved towards each other. Be careful with young sponsa males, where their pruinosity is not yet fully developed and they can thus resemble dryas!

Dryas is scarce, virens is a vagrant, and our fourth Lestid, Sympecma paedisca, resembles Enallagma more than a lestid. More of them later.

References:
Dijkstra, K.-D. B., Kalkman, V. J. 2012: Phylogeny, classification and taxonomy of European
dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata): a review. - Organisms Diversity and Evolution (in press) Link

Musk Beetle Aromia moschata

Big.

Pernaja Hamnskär 4.7.2012

Razorbill (Alca torda) was common. Pernaja, FIN

Guillemots are weird.

Razorbills came to check us out. We're already leaving!

Went to Pernaja to see something. Dozens of Common Murres (Uria aalge) were obviously the best observation. There are only two permanent colonies in Finland: One in Åland, one near Aspskär. Aspskär's colony has been growing steadily and now numbers over 200 nesting Murres; the colony is spreading to nearby skärs known as Skarven (Swedish for Cormorant). Weather was superb.

Bird counting, summary

Sorry for not updating for a while. Been busy with work - counting birds and butterflies and dragonflies. Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides and Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva have been common this year. Phydes has been so numerous that it doesn't take any great forest for one to settle down. Best day was maybe 11exx!

Capercailie seems to be more common than I thought in Sipoonkorpi. Today I found a flock of chicks, so pretty!

Dragonfly scene is going slow. Saw a Scarce Blue-tail Ischnura pumilio in Vuosaari a couple of days ago.

Staphylinus ceasereus

Big. Looks aggressive.

Prometheus and retarded biology

"Oh my God. Their [Engineer aliens'] DNA is a 100 % match to ours [humans']!"

And what do the Engineers look like?

Three meters tall, bald white-skinned superaryans with pitch-black eyes and superhuman strength.

Genotype plasticity only goes so far. I call space wizardry. Why try to make it scientific if it's retarded? Why say 3 % concentration of CO2 will kill in two minutes, wheb it has been proven on Earth that it doesn't? gaah