When I identified the dock bug, I learned that an instar was a stage between moults of the larvae of an insect. And this is the fourth instar of the green shield bug, which I could tell from the pattern on its shell and its shape, which is more rounded than the shield shape of the adult. There are five instars before the adult emerges.
UPDATE – You will notice that the green shield bug is on some water pepper. The water meadow is thick with flowering water pepper and water mint at the moment, as well as fresh grass. Presumably it is a fresh crop of reed canary grass, the old flowering grass having dried out, keeled over and mostly disappeared into the undergrowth.
Yesterday, I saw a frog hopping along the riverbank, but it was too quick for me – as usual. Other misses include a mouse or vole that ran across the path (Hard Knot Pass) in front of me and, what we think was the elusive green cricket flying up the garden towards a willow sapling growing at the foot of the bank (Vole County). Mr C and I were looking out from the decking and quickly rushed down the steps, but could we find it!! I think it must have gone into the undergrowth, as we didn’t see it fly away.
