It was an excellent day for butterflies, though there were a couple of absentees with neither Large White and Red Admiral putting in an appearance. There are a few more Marbled White's emerging now and so it came as no surprise when an Emperor Dragonfly turned up looking for a meal.
A quick look and you would say 3 House Sparrows. A closer look and the middle bird at the back is the "resident" male Common Whitethroat
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and a bee sp.
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) and a hoverfly sp.
A male Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus). It was a big surprise to see this fly next to the meadow as the nearest water are probably my garden ponds a good 100metres or so away.
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Common Whitethroat, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch
One of quite a few juvenile Wrens which were begging for food along the lane.
A scarce sight nowadays, a Greenfinch singing from one of the Buddleias.
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Butterflies Recorded:
4 Small Skipper, 7 Ringlet, 5 Meadow Brown, 6 Marbled White and 1 Common Blue
Small Skipper
Small Skipper
Small Skipper
Small Skipper
A Small Skipper on Knapweed
Ringlet
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
Marbled White
This Marbled White has just emerged and having pumped its wings up............
.................., is about to take its first flight.
A female Common Blue
Moths Recorded:
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) and a Common Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana)
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) and a Common Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana)
There are large numbers Garden Grass-veneers (Chrysoteuchia culmella) in the meadows.
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
And another, but very worn, Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Common Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana)
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera), Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Common Carder (Bombus pascuorum), Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) and a bee sp.
A Honey Bee
A male Red-tailed Bumblebee
A male Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Stuck on this one!!
Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus), Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) and a hoverfly sp.
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
hoverfly sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), 1 Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus), 2 Broad Centurian (Chloromyia formosa) and 2 flies sp.
Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), 1 Semaphore Fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus), 2 Broad Centurian (Chloromyia formosa) and 2 flies sp.
A male Yellow Dung Fly (Scathophaga stercoraria)
Broad Centurian (Chloromyia formosa)
And another Broad Centurian (Chloromyia formosa)
fly sp.
fly sp.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva), Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and a Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus).
Common Red Soldier Beetles (Rhagonycha fulva), Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis) and a Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus).
Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
Common Green Capsid (Lygocoris pabulinus)
Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) and Dark Bush-cricket nymphs (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Great Green Bush Cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) and Dark Bush-cricket nymphs (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
The meadows were absolutely full of Great Green Bush Crickets (Tettigonia viridissima)
Dark Bush-cricket nymph (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)
Caterpillars Recorded:
caterpillar sp.
Mystery bug:
bug sp.
Plants Recorded:
Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea) and Wheat
Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea)
Ted:
Spot the dog
Ted was having a great time in the meadow and also wandering off.......
........down the footpaths. A quick whistle and he's back.