The visit to Kyleakin led to my finding the oomycete Albugo lepigoni on Spergularia media (Greater Sea-spurrey). Oomycetes are a distinct phylogenetic lineage of fungus-like eukaryotic microorganisms. There are only 30 records on NBN for this species.
A stop by the A87 and a quick swish of the net yielded two bugs: Ulopa reticulata – only the second record for Skye on NBN and Thamnotettix confinis (thanks to Stephen M for determination) with only two Skye records plus one on Pabay on NBN.
A wander near the Abhainn Lusa on the road to Kylerhea yielded Green Hairstreak butterflies, Red-breasted Carrion Beetles (Oiceoptoma thoracicum) on a deer carcass and the first Micropterix aureatella (Yellow-barred Gold) micromoths of the year.
Back home this morning I found the Psyllid Trioza urticae on nettles – new to VC104 according to NBN but probably everywhere and a micro-caddis that is probably Oxyethira falcata with a wing length of about 3.5 mm but which will go to Tony to check as it could be a different species e.g. O. flavicornis.
It’s amazing what is out there if you go looking.