It looks like we're back to the sunny and warm weather again, though that really didn't help with the numbers of invertebrates seen. Apart from a few Common Ragworts to keep the insects going, the likes of Wild Fennel, Hemp Agrimony and Common Knapweed are going over fast. Consequently there are less hoverflies and flies visiting these plants. So where have they all gone!!
The main highlight today and I should imagine for awhile yet was seeing that the Wasp Spider was still present in the smaller meadow. It was also interesting to note that the same/different Chiffchaff was calling again from around the wildlife site. And I nearly stepped on a lizard, which disappeared very rapidly into the undergrowth. So no chance of ID'ing it.
Birds Recorded:
1 Buzzard
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
A Common Buzzard is helped along its way by two Carrion Crows.
Feral pigeon
Reptiles Recorded:
1 lizard sp. - seen but not enough to ID as either a Wall Lizard or Common Lizard.
Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
1 Hawker sp.
Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
1 Hawker sp.
Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
1 Green-veined White Pieris napi
2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
5 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
0 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
5 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
8 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
2 Chalk Hill Blue Polyommatus coridon
I did have this down as a Small White Pieris rapae and then the size and shape of those dots had me wondering whether it was in fact a Southern Small White Pieris mannii. Well its neither it's a Green-veined White Pieris napi. The black dots are the wrong shape and the veins are quite prominent running through the upper wings. More on these white butterflies here.
Moths Recorded:
6 Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana
3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
5 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
0 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
5 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
1 Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
8 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
2 Chalk Hill Blue Polyommatus coridon
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Another Meadow Brown. Today was the first day I didn't see any Gatekeepers Pyronia tithonus
A very worn Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta.
A female Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
And a male Common Blue
6 Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana
3 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata
With several Yellow-spot Tortrix Pseudargyrotoza conwagana seen this afternoon, you would have thought I would have managed at least one decent shot.
Bees Recorded:
Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
5 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
1 Ichneumon Wasp sp.
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
A Honey Bee Apis mellifera on Common Ragwort
A worker Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
5 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
1 Ichneumon Wasp sp.
An Ichneumon Wasp sp.
5 Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
Waisted Beegrabber Physocephala rufipes
Not that easy to spot, but this is a Waisted Beegrabber Physocephala rufipes which I nearly stood on.
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
1 Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis
A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea
And one of two Harlequin Ladybird larvae seen today.
A female Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis on Common Ragwort
Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
1 Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus
Spiders Recorded:
1 Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi
Plants:
Bramble Rubus fruticosusa
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Common Teasel Dipsacus fullonum
Greater Burdock Arctium lappa
Hemp Agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum
Lesser Burdock Arctium minus
Wild Clematis Clematis vitalba
1 Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus
A Common Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus missing its right back leg.
1 Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi
As I said in my opening notes, hopefully this stunning Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi................
...........will be around for awhile. This is the business end.
Plants:
Bramble Rubus fruticosusa
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Common Teasel Dipsacus fullonum
Greater Burdock Arctium lappa
Hemp Agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum
Lesser Burdock Arctium minus
Wild Clematis Clematis vitalba
Wild Fennel Foeniculum vulgare
Provence Rose Rosa gallica
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
Ted
Provence Rose Rosa gallica
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
There are still a few roses on this Provence Rose Rosa gallica
And today's hot dog is Ted. Which is not surprising when...........
......................he won't stop running!!