7 Jun 18

Rufus Castle, St Andrews Church and Pennsylvania Castle Wood

A very cloudy afternoon and certainly humid. Not a single butterfly seen, but lots of micro moths again. Also some very vocal Kestrels, which makes me think there are some youngsters about. Also vocal were a Common Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff.

A lot of different bugs and beasties about with several moths a Carnation Tortrix (Cacoecimorpha pronubana), a Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella), dozens of Plum Tortrix (Hedya pruniana), Common Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana) and a Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella).

Lots of hoverflies on the wing especially Marmalade Hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus), they were everywhere, 2 Pied Hoverfly (Scaeva pyrastri) and quite a few Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare).

A few beetles about including my favourite the Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa). There was also a Miridae which I thought was a Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus), but I'm now thinking is a Lucerne BugAdelphocoris lineolatus. I also struggled to ID a small brown beetle. he closest I can get is possibly a Sap beetles or pollen beetle (Nitidulidae)

I found a couple of caterpillars one was either a 5 or 6 Spot Burnet and the other was on a Privet was a Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata).

Unsurprisingly there were lots of snails and slugs about and two firsts for me on Portland were a Brown-lipped Banded Snail (Cepaea nemoralis) and a Netted or Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum).

A new spider for me a Stretch-spider, Tetragnatha extensa. Though I might have to recheck this.

Also still lots of Dark Bush-crickets, Pholidoptera griseoaptera about and a Crane Fly, Epiphragma ocellare in Penn's wood.

Here are a few images from this afternoon.

A Carnation Tortrix, Cacoecimorpha pronubana

A Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella).

A Common Nettle-tap moth, Anthophila fabriciana

Garden Grass-veneer, Chrysoteuchia culmella

A very large and busy hoverfly the Pied Hoverfly, Scaeva pyrastri. This one was in the grounds of St Andrews Church and another by Rufus Castle.

Lots of these about this afternoon a Marmalade Hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus.

And another with its wings folded.

Not a Marmalade Hoverfly but a Chequered Hoverfly, Melanostoma scalare

An interesting caterpillar.........

........on a Privet and is the caterpillar of the Magpie Moth (Abraxas grossulariata). Apart from Privet it also feeds on Blackthorn, Hawthorn and Hazel, amongst a few others.

The caterpillar of either the 5 or 6 spot Burnet Moth 

Love them or hate them two Garden Snails having a feast.

A Brown-lipped Banded Snail, Cepaea nemoralis. All the ones I've come across before have been White-lipped Banded Snail, Cepaea hortensis.


I believe this is a Netted or Grey Field Slug (Deroceras reticulatum). Probably one of the smallest slugs I have come across.

This is a very distinctive Crane Fly going by the scientific name of Epiphragma ocellare and is a Crane Fly which likes damp woods, such as Penn's wood where I found it.

A Bloody-nosed Beetle, Timarcha tenebricosa. So many of these about.

This is a Miridae and at first I presumed it was Common Green Capsid, Lygocoris pabulinus. However after scrolling through lots of web sites I think this is closer to a Lucerne Bug, Adelphocoris lineolatus.

With so many British Beetles, this little individual was always going to be a tough one to ID. The closest I can get is a Nitidulidae which is one of the pollen or sap beetles.

A Still lots of these Dark Bush-crickets, Pholidoptera griseoaptera about.

I think this is the Stretch-spider, Tetragnatha extensa. However there are very similar looking species and it didn't help that I photographed the underside!