May
Wasp Beetle - Clytus arietis
These boldly striped beetles are part of the long-horn beetle family, but are less well endowed than many of their relatives. Commonly found basking on bramble leaves at The Lodge.
Blotch-winged Hoverfly - Leucozona lucorum
This boldly marked and attractive hoverfly is reasonably common at The Lodge, and unlikely to be confused with any other species. Often seen in the gardens and in the woods around Jack's Pond.
Hawthorn Shieldbug - Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale
The UK's largest species of shieldbug, and as the name suggests, strongly associated with hawthorn. Could be confused with the smaller birch shieldbug, but that has less distinct projections on the side of the pronotum, and these aren't coloured red/brown.
Fencepost Jumper - Marpissa muscosa
A Lodge speciality, this is the largest species of jumping spider found in the UK, easily distinguished by its size and elongate abdomen. Most easily found on or around the log pile on the old heath.
Green Fairy Longhorn - Adela reaumurella
The males of this little micro-moth have some of the most impressive antennae of any British insect, especially when seen in swarms dancing around sunlit leaves in early May.
Sandpit Mining Bee - Andrena barbilabris
A common species at The Lodge, and easily found thanks to its tendency to nest in heavily compacted sand, such as the paths through the heaths. Females are red/brown with white hairs on the hind legs, and a distinctively small head giving them a hunchbacked appearance.