This afternoon Ted and I had a walk around the meadow and butterfly reserve. I thought I'd timed it just right, as a large bank of cloud came over and the oppressive heat from this morning disappeared. Unfortunately it didn't last long and as it passed over so the sun came out again and the temperature soared up into the high 20's. It got so hot that I decided it wasn't fair on Ted and we made our way home after only a short time out.
So what did we find, well there were a few butterflies about with a couple of pristine Commas and still a few Gatekeepers about.
There were even a few moths about with a Light Brown Apple, Yellow-spot Tortrix, a Rosy Conch and a few others I need to ID.
So what did we find, well there were a few butterflies about with a couple of pristine Commas and still a few Gatekeepers about.
There were even a few moths about with a Light Brown Apple, Yellow-spot Tortrix, a Rosy Conch and a few others I need to ID.
Here are a few images and videos from today:
A very parched meadow with a few butterflies about including this........
.........male Common Blue.
I'm not sure what moth species this.
Here it is again with its wings closed. One to ID later.
This is a Black-headed Conch, Cochylis atricapitana.
And a very worn Rosy Conch (Thank you to Ed Wilson for the ID)
A very striking orange abdomen on this Honey Bee
And Perryfield Quarry Butterfly Reserve
A nice surprise on the reserve was this Common Darter, which even allowed me to.......
........video it before it had enough.
On the reserve there were more Common Blues.
And this is a Light Brown Apple Moth.
Another Honey Bee with very little orange showing on its abdomen.
A male Long Hoverfly
Oh dear I'm not doing to good on Moth ID's of late. Another moth sp.
Wakeham Railway Cutting and a right dust bowl. Just as well there's a path running alongside it.
At the bottom end of the Cuttings where there is a bit of cover I came across this Lesser Hornet Hoverfly.
Here it is on Valerian
And a very small Dead Head Hoverfly
A 7-Spot Ladybird. I also came across a 22-Spot Ladybird
Thirsty boy. Not sure why Ted insists in putting his paw into the bowl.
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded: Common Darter
Butterflies Recorded: Large White, Small White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Comma, Common Blue and Chalk Hill Blue
Moths Recorded: Light Brown Apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana), Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana), Rosy Conch (Cochylis roseana) and a few moth sps
Bees Recorded: Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
Hoverflies Recorded: Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta), Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea), Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and Lesser Hornet Hoverfly (Volucella inanis)
Beetles and Bugs Recorded: 7-Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) and 22-spot Ladybird (Psyllobora 22-punctata)
Harvestmen Recorded. Leiobunum rotundum
Ships Today
This is the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ship "Lyme Bay" just off Portland in the sea fog
