1 Jul 25

Wakeham

It was another scorcher of a day on the island. And very fortunately not as hot as it was inland with temperatures in excess of 30C. Highlights from the back garden were several Swifts screeching above Wakeham.

Other highlights were the sheer numbers of hoverflies about, especially on and around my neighbours Buckthorn Rhamnus sp. Most were Marmalade Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus, but there were also many smaller hoverflies I have yet to ID.


Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
7+ Swift
Dunnock
Blackbird
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch

This male Blackbird was finishing off the last remaining cherries on our Cherry Tree in the back garden.

Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
2 Green-veined White Pieris napi
2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
1 Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

A Green-veined White Pieris napi having...............

............. a drink from the "Tractor Tyre" pond.

A Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria hiding in the neighbours Buckthorn Rhamnus sp.

Moths Recorded:
1 Orange-spot Tansy Moth Dichrorampha flavidorsana

An Orange-spot Tansy Moth Dichrorampha flavidorsana

Bees Recorded:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Colletes sp.

A Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum homing in...............

.................on this species of nightshade which has been climbing up my neighbours Buckthorn and is now overhanging our garden. It's not Deadly Nightshade Atropa belladonna, but Bittersweet Solanum dulcamara.

A Colletes sp.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
2 Wasp sps.

A very tiny wasp sp. I think!

I was photographing this "bug" on the leaf, when this wasp flew in. Little bugs are right up their street for a meal, but fortunately for the bug the wasp was heading elsewhere. I suspect the wasp is either a Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris or less likely a German Wasp Vespula germanica.

Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea
2 Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta
20+ Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
20+ hoverflies sp.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#4 - hoverfly sp.

#5 - hoverfly sp.

A Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea

A Long Hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta on an Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare

And another Long Hoverfly leaving this Common Daisy Bellis perennis in the lawn.

A Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus heading towards a Red Valerian Centranthus ruber

And another Marmalade Hoverfly. And..........

...............last one.

#1 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#2 - hoverfly sp.

#3 - hoverfly sp.

#4 - hoverfly sp.

#5 - hoverfly sp.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
#1 - fly sp.

A Greenbottle Lucilia sp.

#1 - fly sp.

Bugs and Beetles Recorded:

1 bug sp.
1 Great Willowherb Plant Bug Dicyphus epilobii 

A Bug sp.

As above.

And the bug which was living a charmed life..........

..........was a Great Willowherb Plant Bug Dicyphus epilobii AKA Hairy Willowherb Plant Bug

Plants:
Buckthorn Rhamnus sp.
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Crown Daisy Glebionis coronaria
Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare


General Shots:

The "Tractor Tyre" pond in 2018 and........

..................today