Still pretty mild for January - mild enough for these insects to be active:
Small.........
An unidentified fly feeding on winter flowering sweet box (Sarcococca confusa) this afternoon, carrying a lot of pollen on its hairy body. The books say that sweet box is highly scented - but not to me, I can't smell it. Maybe it's similar to the ability to smell Freesias - some can, some can't. Sweet box certainly attracts flies, though.
Smaller..........
Owl midges, about 3mm. long, on the surface of rainwater in a bucket in the garden. They are breeding in vast numbers in the compost bin during this mild weather - every time I open the lid swarms fly out and are fatally attracted to the water. For more on owl midges click here and here and here .
Smallest..................
A booklouse (psocid), less than 2mm. long, living in a bag of walnuts (imported from France) that we stored in our conservatory. For more about this unusual but very common little insect click here
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