Port and Wey: 23 Apr 20

Wakeham

Another good Lockdown garden tick this afternoon with my first 2 Swifts of the year, as they flew up high over the garden. That is now 42 for the garden and 103 for my Portland Year List.

No new insects in the garden, but the Narcissus Bulb Fly was back again, as was a Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea).

The Narcissus Bulb Fly, Merodon equestris form bulborum with a red tip to the abdomen. As far as I can see there are at least 4 other forms:- equestris, transversalis, narcissi and vaildus

Dead Head Hoverfly, Myathropa florea. This individual was quite small and is the result of the larvae being small before it pupated.

And my effort at trying to catch the small hoverfly Epistrophe eligans in flight at 1/2000sec

In the Moth Trap this morning were 12 moths of 8 species, including two firsts for my Portland Moth List, a Chinese Character and 2 Powdered Quakers.

A: 1 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)

B: 2 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis)

C: 4 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)

D: 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)

E: 1 Rusty Dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)

F: 1 Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata)

G:1 Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)

H:1 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)