News was out that a Large Tortoiseshell had been seen and photographed along the path above the old railway track somewhere along here at around 1:30pm.
Within a few minutes of the news I was there walking up and down the path and old railway track. Sadly I couldn't locate it, so I gave up and went home.
It was only later that I found out that it was seen a few minutes after I'd got home at around 3:15pm and then again at 4:30pm. Just my luck. More Here and Here.
I might have missed out on a real rarity, but I did record several Gatekeepers, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlets, Small Skippers, Large Skippers, a Speckled Wood, a Large White, a Green-veined White and 2 Small Blues. Also a Silver Y moth
On the way back home I came across a Slow Worm.
The old railway track just south of Tesco's.
and looking south.
One of many Marbled Whites here.
Another
And another.
Quite a few Gatekeepers here.
The two spots in the black "eye" are a useful to identification.
A possible confusing species to a Gatekeeper, a Meadow Brown.
No confusing a Ringlet.
And a shot you don't normally get, is with the wings wide open. Well partially in this case.
A Small Blue butterfly. And believe me it is small.
One of the Mason Bees maybe.
A Fly sp.
A Slow Worm which I just spotted in the undergrowth as it made its way along the bottom of a hedgerow.
Mermaid Track and Rufus Castle.
The 1st July and the first day for a very long time that we had cloud cover and a few spots of rain. However it was pretty humid and even with a onshore breeze, the temperature was still in the early 20's.
A late morning walk and a few butterflies about with 2 Gatekeepers, several Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Large Skippers, Small Skippers, Large Whites and a Red Admiral.
Also about dozens of Red-tailed Cuckoo-bees and a few Common Carder Bees on a large patch of Ribbed Melilot (Melilotus officinalis).
Other bugs and beasties included a German Scorpionfly (Panorpa germanica), A male Swollen-thighed Beetle, a Potter Wasp and dozens of nymph Southern Green Shieldbugs (Nezara viridula)
Here are few images from today:
Marbled White
Gatekeeper
And another
A Potter Wasp
As above.
Common Soldier Beetle
Southern Green Shieldbug nymphs
And again.
Busy nymphs
A Red-tailed Cuckoo-bee on Ribbed Melilot (Melilotus officinalis).
German Scorpionfly
And again
A male Swollen-thighed Beetle.