Back to the decent weather and really sunny conditions this afternoon. There was even a Bee-eater at the Bill, which was heading south. Not sure why it was flying back to the continent!!
There were quite a few butterflies about with several Large Whites, Green-veined Whites, Small Whites, 2 Orange-tips and 2 Speckled Woods.
A few moths were on the wing and I recorded 1 Swan-feather Dwarf (Elachista argentella), a Green Longhorn moth, an Eudonia sp. which landed on my leg and then flew off before I could ID it properly and another new moth for me on Portland a Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella).
Lots a bees about and great to see Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella) and another Flavous Nomad Bee (Nomada flava).
A new hoverfly seen today a Chalcosyrphus nemorum. It doesn't have an English common name, however in Finland it is called a Pajupuuhari.
And some beetles another Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa), a Black Snail Beetle (Silpha atrata), a weevil sp. and a 7-spot Ladybird.
Here are few images from today:
There were a few butterflies about like this Speckled Wood
This is a Vetch Piercer, Grapholita jungiella
A Green Longhorn moth.
This is the hoverfly Xylota segnis
Marsham's Nomad Bee (Nomada marshamella)
A Flavous Nomad Bee (Nomada flava).
This is a Black Snail Beetle, Silpha atrata getting..........
...........ready to take off.
A 7-spot Ladybird. These and a 10-spot I found in April appear to be the only ones on Portland.
On the archway stones at Rufus Castle there is a beetle making its way right. Can you spot it.
A bit closer........
A weevil in a buttercup,but as to which species!!
"Cuckoo Spit", somewhere in that froth is a the larva of a Froghopper
Wakeham
Having repaired my moth trap, I put it out last night to see what was about. I wasn't that confident about catching anything, especially as Martin Cade was telling me that his catches at the Portland Bird Observatory have been very poor so far this Spring.
Having repaired my moth trap, I put it out last night to see what was about. I wasn't that confident about catching anything, especially as Martin Cade was telling me that his catches at the Portland Bird Observatory have been very poor so far this Spring.
Well Martin was spot on, with this mornings trappings consisting of just 5 moths of 2 species, and all them pugs. Not sure if there's any significance in them all being pugs, but there were 3 Double-striped Pugs (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) and what I believe to be 2 Valerian Pugs (Eupithecia valerianata). If they are not Valerian's then they are very pale Common Pugs with very faded black spots on the forewing's.
It appears that both the pugs I thought might be Valerian's are both very pale Common Pugs (Eupithecia vulgata).
A very pale Common Pug
A Double-striped Pug............
.............and a very worn one.