A queen Buff-Tailed Bumblebee was out and about at Gidlow Lane yesterday

On the evening of Saturday 28th April, a Pipistrelle-type bat feeding at dusk around the courtyards at the rear of The Old Courts venue

The Vapourer - one of these moths at Mesnes Park this morning, also 5 Speckled Wood

Very few butterflies active on Parson's Meadow in bright weather around mid-day, as per the general lack of butterflies and moths at the moment. 8 Common Blue noted across what is a large site, 3 Speckled Wood, 2 Small White, 1 Brimstone and 1 Skipper sp. Also a lack of day-flying moths among the grassland, 1 Silver Y, 1 Cinnabar and very few of the smaller spp disturbed from grass. Female Banded Demoiselle near the River Douglas

3 Common Blue on verges at Prescott Street yesterday

Common Blue in the DW today

Saturday 7th March: Peacock butterfly near DW Stadium

Friday 6th March: Tree Bumblebee at Chapel Lane car park

I haven't heard of rats doing that either but at least it gives some benefit of the Himalayan Balsam being there, it's still a bad invasive but in some areas there isn't any control so it's nice to see it being utilised by British Wildlife in some ways.

---

--------------------------------------------------------

I'd rather the balsam wasn't there, but the flowers do provide a good nectar source for my bees at the end of summer. I even saw some of my bees working Japanese Knotweed in Stalybridge Country Park last week!! I still loathe the plant.

It does seem to be a really good year for Migrant Hawkers this year, Dave

I haven't heard of rats doing that either but at least it gives some benefit of the Himalayan Balsam being there, it's still a bad invasive but in some areas there isn't any control so it's nice to see it being utilised by British Wildlife in some ways.

A Migrant Hawker flew up King Street this afternoon.
Earlier this week a Brown Rat on the bank of the R Douglas in Scholes was climbing up Himalayan Balsam stems and eating the seeds. Can't remember seeing one doing that before.

Migrant Hawker around trees at Caroline Street today

5 Red Admiral and 1 Small Tortoiseshell feeding alongside the railway between NW station and King St footbridge today

Young fox running across the road in front of me on Stadium Way this evening when leaving the gym!

Brimstone today on open space between Riverway and the River Douglas, by the Scholes end of Millgate, with several Green-Veined White among an unmown strip of grass where daffodils have been left

Peacock this afternoon alongside the River Douglas by Wigan Little Theatre, the footpath sheltered and warm in the sun. Also along the river, an impressive show of Snowdrops opposite the Oak Hotel and plenty of Lesser Celandine in flower between Tesco and Coppull Lane

Single Painted Lady at the Anvil (near the bus station ) this afternoon

50 Peacock today on and around Buddleia in the environs of the railway along the Wigan North Western to King St footpath. Much more buddleia further down the line presumably holding more. Also singles of Red Admiral and Comma, 4 Small Tortoiseshell and several Small White

Common Spotted Orchid in the midst of the town centre, with a tall plant having appeared in a planted bed not far from the town hall

Poplar Hawk Moth on front of Marks and Spencer this morning

A large pale Mayfly species was out in modest numbers today on the River Douglas between Central Park Way and Greatacre, though only on sections which were faster flowing. Anybody know much about these critters?

Fox on Parson's Meadow this morning

Small White over shrub beds at Chapel Lane/Queen Street today

Whoooohooo ! Nice one Jimmy ........ keep 'em coming.

Roger.

-- Edited by Roger Baker 3 on Sunday 15th of July 2012 07:01:56 PM

Young Brown Rat at bottom of Tesco Car Park jtn of Hilton St.

Jimmy

good numbers of White-Tailed Bumblebee feeding on Clover in the Parish Church gardens 12th Jun

A large male Three-Spined Stickleback in full technicolour breeding colour was in the margins of the River Douglas, by the lift to Tesco, today. Vast numbers of a small, dark Mayfly species swarming over the river surface.
2 Large White along the canal at Ince/Scholes

alongside the River Douglas today just north of Central Park Way: singles of Holly Blue, Green-Veined White and Peacock and three male Orange Tip

a decent clump of Wood Anemone on the banks of the River Douglas between Central Park Way and Coppull Lane today, plus a couple in the floodwater channel at the side of Tesco

Tawny Mining Bee on Chapel Street car park today

River Douglas Way (Central Park Way to Coppull Lane) today: Opposite-Leaved Golden Saxifrage, Lesser Celandine and Bluebell in flower, lots of Garlic Mustard - some on the brink of flowering, lots of emerging Himalayan Balsam and some Japanese Knotweed

Tawny Mining Bee today on a verge at Chapel Lane Car Park

11 Spot Ladybird on my jacket at The Wiend today

singles of Small Tortoiseshell and Comma along the River Douglas between Tesco and Coppull Lane today, one Mayfly species over the river

queen Buff-Tailed Bumblebee on the bank of the Douglas by Riverway yesterday

6th March: about a dozen Coltsfoot flowers had opened up on the derelict former Town Hall site during the day - only one visible as I walked past in the morning

Peacock (butterfly!) today by Central Park Way

Dragonflies:Migrant Hawker today along the River Douglas by Tesco

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 30th of October 2011 02:19:07 AM