Moody

Another busy day saw both Offspring joining R and me at home this afternoon, so unsurprisingly I didn't have much time for bug hunting. But the quarter hour of rummaging I managed at the very end of the afternoon produced another garden wildlife first, which is always especially pleasing. 
Tachycixius pilosus is only the second lacehopper I've ever found here; the first was genuinely exciting because it's rarely reported, but this species is said to be common and widespread. I don't mind that though, because I'd never seen one before. It's about 5mm long - so easily overlookable - and adults like this are usually found on deciduous trees and shrubs. The larvae develop at the base of grasses, which makes me wonder if this one is freshly eclosed.

I've chosen this image for my post because it's got a moody, arty vibe going on which I rather like, but there's a much more descriptive photo on my Facebook page if you'd like a clearer view.