Wakeham
Back to the track and meadows this morning after a few days visiting other locations and what was noticeable was a significant rise in the number of Marbled Whites. A few days ago there were 3 or 4, today at least 20 if not more with several pairs mating.
Still good numbers of Meadow Browns, though only 1 Painted Lady seen on the buddleia as you come through the gate off the main road. Also about a Red Admiral and a Comma.
No Six-Spot Burnets seen at all and just the 1 Garden Grass-veneer seen.
A few beetles about with both Swollen-thighed and Common Red Soldiers recorded, along with a Dock Bug and a 7-Spot ladybird.
Here are a few images from this morning:
The track as you come through the gate off the road at Wakeham
On the right-hand side of the track the buddleia is in full bloom ans and attracting a lot of butterflies such as..........
.......Comma........
..........Painted Lady and also Red Admiral and Meadow Browns.
A Meadow Brown on a
And a pair of Meadow Browns on a bramble.
There were 20+ Marbled Whites in the meadows and along the track with many mating pairs.
A Garden Grass-veneer moth.
Common Red Soldier Beetle
Dock Bug
7-Spot ladybird
The pupae of a Harlequin Ladybird
Hoverfly - Epistrophe diaphana
These very delicate yellow flowering plants have just come into bloom.
They are Lady's Bedstraw, Galium verum
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
Butterflies Recorded: 30+ Meadow Brown, 20+ Marbled White, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Comma
Moths Recorded: 1 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees, Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Ichneumon Wasps Recorded: 1 Amblyteles armatorius
Hoverflies Recorded: Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax) and an Epistrophe diaphana.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded: Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis), 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus) and Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
This afternoon and a bit of relaxation in the back garden. Plenty to see with a Palmate Newt, a Common Toad and 3 Frogs in the pond.
Also seen were 2 Emperor Dragonflies, a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, a Meadow Brown, 2 Large Whites, a male Blue-tailed Damselfly and a wasp investigating the Bug Hotel.
Here are a few images from a very pleasant afternoon:
Looking out into the garden
And looking back to the cottage with the pond on the right.
One of the 3 Frogs in the pond.
Also a Common Toad and........
............a Palmate Newt.
A male Blue-tailed Damselfly and a beetle sp.
A Hummingbird Hawk-moth visits the garden briefly.
Just managed to catch this Emperor Dragonfly in flight. Must try harder to get a better shot!!
A wasp sp. visits the Bug Hotel. Plenty of room for it.
This is Bo the resident Herring Gull and..........
........two of her remaining youngsters.
This is juvenile number 2 resting up in the shade. Sadly the third one has not been seen for a few days now.
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On this day..........
2018Today's Sightings Here.
2017