Port and Wey: 31 May 23

Old Quarry Lane and Wakeham Meadows

It's that time of year when I like to visit the lane and meadows for the butterflies. Unfortunately it hasn't been that brilliant so far this Spring, but today's Large Skipper was a big surprise, as this is the first time I have seen one in this area since I moved here 6 years and 1 day ago.

Having said that there were 5 other butterfly species noted, including quite a few Small Blues, which are in greater numbers than I have seen before.

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Blackbird
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
Azure Damselfly

A female Azure Damselfly along Old Quarry Lane

Butterflies Recorded:
1 Large Skipper
2 Large White
1 Speckled Wood
4 Small Blue
8 Common Blue

Below are a few images of a male Large Skipper. The first one I have recorded in this area.

A Small Blue and.........

..........another one.

This is a female Common Blue.

And this is a male Common Blue

And the underwings of the male Common Blue

Moths Recorded:
Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

veneer sp.

A Vetch Piercer (Grapholita jungiella)

And a veneer sp.

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Large Meadow Mining Bee (Andrena labialis)

A Honey Bee on Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis)

A Garden Bumblebee coming into land on a Yellow-rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

A female Large Meadow Mining Bee (Andrena labialis) and.........

...........another shot of it on Meadow Vetchling. More photos of this bee Here.

Sawflies Recorded:
Bramble Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea)

At long range I managed a record shot of this Bramble Sawfly.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Blue Blowfly (Calliphora vicina)
Red Spotted Parasite Fly (Eriothrix rufomaculata)

Below are a few photos of the Red Spotted Parasite Fly.