What have I seen on Wild Parsnip? - A diary of wildlife on Banstead Downs

Pollinators just love Wild Parsnip (gallery includes other umbellifers like Cow Parsley and Wild Carrot)

German Wasp [Vespula germanica]

Adult on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) with mating pair of Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) to right - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 21 Jul 2025

ichneumon wasp [Ichneumon suspiciosus]

female I. suspiciosus on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 Jul 2026

Plain-faced Drone Fly [Eristalis arbustorum]

male E. arbustorum on Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 24 Jul 2026

Striped Shieldbug [Graphosoma lineatum]

G. lineatum on a Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) stem - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 22 May 2026

Brown Hairstreak [Thecla betulae]

female T. betulae feeding on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 25 Jul 2026

Willow-umbellifer Aphid [Cavariella pastinacae]

adults and nymphs on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Jul 2026

Harlequin Ladybird [Harmonia axyridis f. spectabilis]

adult of melanistic form of f. spectabilis on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 27 Jul 2026

ichneumon wasp [Ichneumon suspiciosus?]

Female on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 25 Jul 2025

Spotted Cranefly [Nephrotoma appendiculata]

mating pair of N. appendiculata on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 02 May 2026

Harlequin Ladybird [Harmonia axyridis f. conspicua]

adult of f. conspicua on Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) eating aphid - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 31 Jul 2026

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle [Pyrochroa serraticornis]

adult P. serraticornis on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 12 May 2026

Common Blue [Polyommatus icarus]

P. icarus on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 15 May 2026

Brown Argus [Aricia agestis]

A. agestis on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 15 May 2026

Dimorphic Strider [Macrophya montana]

mating pair (female left) of M. montana on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) - Location : Banstead Downs, Surrey, England – Date of image : 23 May 2026