8 Sep 23

Wakeham

It was a bit to warm for a walk so instead I spent the afternoon in the back garden. There wasn't much on the bird front, but there were plenty of other interesting things about.

Butterflies Recorded:
2 Large White
3 Red Admiral

A  Red Admiral on a Buddleia (Buddleja davidii)

Moths Recorded:
1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum)

Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla)

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum).................

................... on Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber)

And here are a few stills. This one it has its proboscis feeding on the nectar.

Here the proboscis is slightly retracted.

And a derriere shot

A Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla) which I inadvertently disturbed in the Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Black Honey Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera). Also known as the European Dark Bee.

Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) and a Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) on a Passion Flower (Passiflora sp.)

A Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) on Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis). A plant that is also known as Kenilworth Ivy, Coliseum Ivy, Oxford Ivy, Mother of Thousands, Pennywort and Wandering Sailor. Phew!!

This Common Carder Bumblebee is on Common Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus). A plant that is also known as Mexican Aster.

Another Common Carder Bumblebee this time on one..........

.........of my Gladiolus (gladiola sp.)

Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)........

.............. on an Ice Plant (Hylotelephium spectabile).

This Honey Bee has a fair bit of orange on its abdomen, unlike....

..........this individual which I believe is a Black Honey Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera). This bee is native to the UK, but was thought to have been extinct up until 11 years ago when it was rediscovered. It is also known as the European Dark Bee More on this bee here

And a worker Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) on the Cosmos. It's the first Red-tailed Bumblebee I have seen in quite awhile.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) drinking from the "Bath" Pond.

Hoverflies Recorded:
Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)
Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)
Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

Syrphus sp.

hoverfly sp.

Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) on a California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Dead Head Hoverfly (Myathropa florea)

A Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) on Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)

A Syrphus sp. on a California Poppy

A hoverfly sp. on the "Bath" Pond

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
#1 - fly sp.

#2 - fly sp.

#1 - fly sp.

#2 - fly sp.

Spiders Recorded:
Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)

One of many Garden Spiders (Araneus diadematus) I suspect which have set up their webs in the back garden.

Plants:

Common Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Passion Flowers (Passiflora sp.).

Above the colourful Common Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) are two Passion Flowers (Passiflora sp.). Both plants busy with bees.