What a beautiful warm day and two new invertebrates to add to my Portland Insect List. The first was a female Red Banded Sand Wasp preparing her nest and the second, an unusual looking Tachinid Fly called a Phasia hemiptera.
Other things of note was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, which I caught a quick glimpse of before it shot away.
Here are a few images and videos from today:
A male Chalk Hill Blue
And a female Common Blue
This is a Small Copper
Red Banded Sand Wasp and a new.......
.........species to add to my Portland List.
It was fascinating watching this female Red Banded Sand Wasp, preparing her nest. More on this Wasp Here.
A Common Green Grasshopper, blending in with its surroundings.
And another of my favourite "Ugly" Flies a Thick-headed Fly, Sicus ferrugineus
A short video of today's Conopid.
Here's a short video of the female Phasia hemiptera on the Japonica.
A very very packed Church Ope Cove.
A scenic shot looking down the steps from St Andrew's Church towards the cove cliffs.
And a hop and skip by a happy Ted.
Though not so happy here, but at least he is the shade, with a tub of water on its way.
Birds Recorded: Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, House Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch and Goldfinch
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Copper, Small Blue, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue.
Moths Recorded: Six-Spot Burnet moth (Zygaena filipendulae) and Sycamore Piercer (Pammene aurita)
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
Digger Wasps Recorded: Red Banded Sand Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa)
Hoverflies Recorded: Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) and The Footballer (Helophilus pendulus)
Grasshoppers and Crickets Recorded: Common Green Grasshopper (
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: 1 Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus) and a Tachinid fly (Phasia hemiptera)
This is the Maltese Passenger Ship "Marella Explorer 2" sailing out of Weymouth Bay. More on this vessel Here.
This is the Portuguese Container Ship "Elbstrom" on its way from Cork to Rotterdam (Holland). More on this vessel Here
This is the British sailing vessel "Dabchick" on its way from Plymouth to Portland Harbour. More on this vessel Here.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded: 1 Thick-headed Fly (Sicus ferrugineus) and a Tachinid fly (Phasia hemiptera)
Ships Today
