8 Sep 25

Old Quarry Lane, Wakeham Wildlife Site and Wakeham Meadows

After a few days away from my local patch, it was quite different from my last visit here. For starters all that rain we had, has revitalised the grasses and instead of lots of parched areas, there is green grass everywhere you look. Even my lawn has benefited from the wet stuff and is now in need of a cut.

The only downside to all that wind and rain, is the fact that neither of the Wasp Spiders were in residence, one web has completely disappeared whilst the other was spider less. I did have a look around both sites to see if they had rebuilt elsewhere, but to no avail. I will keep looking, but I guess their absence is down to their life cycle which has ended now but will restart again next year. More on the life cycle of the Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi here, here and here.

On the upside though, the Ivy Bees Colletes hederae have returned. This seasonal bee was first seen in the British Isles in Dorset in 2001, having arrived from continental Europe. For me this is a real stunner of a bee and a species that is solely dependent on Ivy Hedera helix flowers and is the reason why it can only be seen between September and the end of October/early November, depending on the amount of Ivy still in flower. If Ivy flowers are in short supply they will feed on other late-blooming flowers from the daisy family (Asteraceae), such as Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris, Chicory Cichorium intybus and Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale

Birds Recorded:
Herring Gull
Wood Pigeon
Collared Dove
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
2 Chiffchaff
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch


Escapees, Ferals, Possibles Etc.
Feral pigeon


Dragonflies and Damselflies Recorded:
1 Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum

Butterflies Recorded:
4 Large White Pieris brassicae
2 Small White Pieris rapae
2 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
4 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
2 Peacock Aglais io
1 Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas
2 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus

A Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta

And another Red Admiral

And a Peacock Aglais io. It's been awhile since I have seen one and this afternoon I came across two.

From left to right on this Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris we have Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas, Common Blue Polyommatus icarus and a Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum

And a close up of the Small Copper.

And also a close up of the Common Blue Polyommatus icarus.

And in the next meadow another Common Blue.

Moths Recorded:
10+ Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella

One of 10 Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella seen today.

Bees Recorded:
Honey Bee Apis mellifera

Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum
8 Ivy Bee Colletes hederae

My first Ivy Bee Colletes hederae of the year

And another Ivy Bee.

And again the Common Blue and a closer shot of the Common Carder Bee.

Wasps, Ichneumon Wasps, Parasitic Wasps and Gall Wasps Recorded:
10+ Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris
1 Ichneumon Wasp Ischnus inquisitorius

Also on the Ivy was this Common Wasp Vespula vulgaris and many more.

Here are a couple of photos of...................

.............the Ichneumon Wasp Ischnus inquisitorius

Hoverflies Recorded:
5 Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax
4 Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea
1 Orange-belted Leafwalker Xylota segnis

A Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax

A Dead Head Hoverfly Myathropa florea

An Orange-belted Leafwalker Xylota segnis.

Flies, Craneflies, Gnats and Midges Recorded:
Many unidentified flies
Blue Blowfly Calliphora vicina
Flesh Fly Sarcophaga sp.

Greenbottle Lucilia sp.


Bugs and Beetles Recorded:
2 Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis

A Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea

And another Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis - form succinea

Crickets and Grasshoppers Recorded:
5 Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera

Lacewings and Scorpionflies Recorded:

1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea

A Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea

Slugs and Snails Recorded:
Garden Snail Cornu aspersa
White-lipped Banded Snail Cepaea hortensis


Spiders Recorded:
2 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus
1 Nurseryweb Spider Pisaura mirabilis

0 Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi - Just one web left but no inhabitants at both locations. See notes above.

A hunting Nurseryweb Spider Pisaura mirabilis in amongst the Ivy.

This is all that remains of the first Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi web I found of the 7 Aug 25. Sadly the second web in the next meadow has disappeared totally. Hopefully next year there will be more Wasp Spiders to be found.

Plants:
Bramble Rubus fruticosusa
Buddleia Buddleja davidii

Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale
Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra
Common Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris
Dog Rose Rosa canina
Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum
Ivy Hedera helix
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
Wild Fennel Foeniculum vulgare

Ted:

What are you up to Ted.

Ships today:

This is the Portuguese Vehicles Carrier "Auto Energy" on its way from Zeebrugge to Portbury. More on this vessel here.

In the foreground is the Dutch Sailing Vessel "Loxley" on its way from Cardiff to an unknown destination. More on this vessel here. And to the rear is the British Sailing Vessel "Black Jack" on its way from Torquay to an unknown destination. More on this vessel here.