17 Aug 24

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Meadows and Wakeham Wildlife Site

Well today didn't pan out how I envisaged it, as having taken Ted for a walk and about to return home, it appeared he had a problem with his right ear. Poor fella was yelping very loudly, so having got back home and unable to find what the problem was, I got straight onto the vets and he was booked in for an early afternoon appointment.

It was such a shame, as the walk was one of the most interesting I have had for awhile, with plenty of highlights which included a couple of warblers passing through, and a new Ichneumon Wasp for my P&W list.


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

A very vocal Buzzard over Wakeham

Butterflies Recorded:

5 Large White
3 Green-veined White
2 Speckled Wood
5 Meadow Brown
6 Common Blue

1 Chalkhill Blue

I'm not sure what has happened to this Speckled Wood. It looks in pretty good condition, apart from the crumpled wing.

A very drab looking Meadow Brown.

The Common Blues are looking worse for wear as well.

However this female Chalkhill Blue seems to be in better shape.

Moths Recorded:
20+ Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana)

Despite there being many Yellow-spot Tortrix (Pseudargyrotoza conwagana) about, this was best I could do photo-wise.

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

A Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) resting on a Bramble leaf.

And another Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

And my mystery bee is a !!

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

Having not seen any Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) at their nest a few days ago, I'm pleased to say they are still about.

A really stunning looking Ichneumon Wasp for my P&W list. This is a Hepiopelmus variegatorius.

Hoverflies Recorded:

1 Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)

10+ Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax)

2 Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)
8 Long Hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta)

A Common Dronefly (Eristalis tenax) and small "green" fly

This is a Plain-faced Dronefly (Eristalis arbustorum)

These are...........

...........all..........

..........Long Hoverflies (Sphaerophoria scripta)

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Greenbottle (Lucilia sp.)

Yellow-banded Conops (Conops quadrifasciatus)

#1 -  fly sp.

#2 -  fly sp.

This is a............

...........Yellow-banded Conops (Conops quadrifasciatus)

#1 -  fly sp.

#2 -  fly sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)
Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

A Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata)

A female Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)

A 3rd instar Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima)

A female Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima)

Plants:
Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
Common Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)

Ted:

Something has caught...........

...........Ted's attention!!