It was a day of rest in the back garden, well not completely as I also did a bit of weeding, pruning, propagating and re-potting. The latter was mainly Evening Primroses Oenothera biennis, which have self-seeded all over the Rose garden.
When I did lift my head up there was plenty to see with a Chiffchaff passing through the garden, a Jersey Tiger moth which didn't seem to know where to settle and a Red-spotted Parasite Fly, which is a fly I don't often see in the back garden.
However the best was to come when I was very fortunate to record a new beetle for my P&W list, when I was photographing a Thick-legged hoverfly on an Oxeye Daisy
On the bee front, the number of Red-tailed Bumblebees in the garden was down to single figures, but the Buff-tailed Bumblebees were well into double figures for the first time this year, especially on the Lavender.
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon
On the bee front, the number of Red-tailed Bumblebees in the garden was down to single figures, but the Buff-tailed Bumblebees were well into double figures for the first time this year, especially on the Lavender.
Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
1 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon
Butterflies Recorded:
3 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
3 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
Moths Recorded:
...............to be a Red Marsh Ladybird Coccidula rufa AKA Meadow Ladybird. The two names seem appropriate as it was both in the "meadow" and next to the "tractor tyre" Pond. If confirmed it would be a new beetle for my P&W list. More on this beetle here.
1 Jersey Tiger moth Euplagia quadripunctaria
Bees Recorded:
4 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
8 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
4 Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
2 Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
6 Common Furrow-bee Lasioglossum calceatum
I did eventually try one of the figs on the Common Fig tree Ficus carica. Just a taster and to be honest it wasn't that bad. The closest I can get to a taste and texture is a banana.
This Jersey Tiger moth Euplagia quadripunctaria.....................
...................couldn't quite work out where it wanted to be.
Eventually it settled in the neighbours Buckthorn Rhamnus sp.
4 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
8 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
4 Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
2 Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
6 Common Furrow-bee Lasioglossum calceatum
A Common Furrow-bee Lasioglossum calceatum on Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
This one, hanging on the tree just, has the usual Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris having a feed, but what I wasn't expecting to see was this Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris, which repeatedly took small pieces away and then returned empty handed!!
Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
5 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
Hoverflies Recorded:
1 Thick-legged hoverfly Syritta pipiens
A Thick-legged hoverfly Syritta pipiens on this Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare alongside a "pollen beetle" sp.
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
10+ Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
1 Red-spotted Parasite Fly Eriothrix rufomaculata
Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
1 Red Marsh Ladybird Coccidula rufa
5 Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
A Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris drinking water from one of the plant saucers
1 Thick-legged hoverfly Syritta pipiens
Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
10+ Greenbottle Lucilia sp.
1 Red-spotted Parasite Fly Eriothrix rufomaculata
A Red-spotted Parasite Fly Eriothrix rufomaculata on Common Ragwort
1 Red Marsh Ladybird Coccidula rufa
This beetle on the Oxeye Daisy appears................
Plants:
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Common Fig Ficus carica
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis
Lavender Lavandula sp.
Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
Pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria judaicais
Perennial Sweet Pea Lathyrus latifolius
Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
Red Valerian Centranthus ruber
Buddleia Buddleja davidii
Common Fig Ficus carica
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis
Lavender Lavandula sp.
Nasturtium Tropaeolum majus
Pellitory-of-the-wall Parietaria judaicais
Perennial Sweet Pea Lathyrus latifolius
Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
Red Valerian Centranthus ruber