I was not surprised to see this Woodlouse Spider (Dysdera crocata) wandering around the Cottage. With so many woodlouse about, it's good that they have a predator to keep their numbers down.
Mermaid Track, Rufus Castle, St Andrews Church and Pennsylvania Castle Wood.
Another scorcher of a day, thank goodness though for a lovely breeze to keep the air moving around.
Main highlight today was seeing 2 Migrant Hawkers, one at Rufus Castle and the other in the grounds of St Andrews Church, though it is possible they were the same.
Also about were lots of Chalk Hill Blues along the Mermaid Track, where there were quite a few Large Whites and a Speckled Wood. As in past days the numbers of Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Ringlets are well down. And today was the first day I didn't record a Marble White. A couple of Commas seen.
Still lots of Six-spot Burnet moths on the wing and a couple of Silver Y's.
Hoverflies were out in force with Marmalade, The Footballer and several Syrphus sp.
This prolonged hot weather seems to have seen a drop in bees, certainly in the middle of the day. Maybe they are more active early morning late evening. Needless to say I only saw a few, mainly Red-tailed Cuckoo-bees (Bombus rupestris), a Small Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) and an Andrena sp.
No Wall Lizards seen today, in fact I didn't even hear one scurrying away!
Here are few images from today:
A Speckled Wood in its usual resting place under the Sycamores along the Mermaid Track
A male Chalk Hill Blue
And a female
Here she is just about to be nudged off the flower......
.......by a male.
A Meadow Brown
And another
A worn Ringlet.
A couple of Commas about. This one is on the buddleia in the grounds of St Andrew's Church.
Small Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
This is a Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) hanging below an Ash Tree by Rufus Castle.
Not sure if this is the same one, but this/another one was on a buddleia the grounds of St Andrew's Church.
Ships Today
