Out-of-county (other wildlife)

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

RE: Out-of-county (other wildlife)

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

A 5.30-7am visit and an afternoon visit to Newchurch Common today.

No new butterflies but 5 species seen. Today 1 Downy Emerald was seen in a totally different area of Shemmy Moss a long way from yesterdays two. Amazingly a new damselfly was recorded in the shape of a teneral Common Blue Damselfly, again on Shemmy Moss where 50+ Large Red Damselflies were seen.

The beetle Plateumaris sericea was recorded on Shemmy Moss. Bugs were well represented with the spectacular red and black Cinnamon Bug on Shemmy along with 82 Hairy Shieldbugs in one smallish area on dandelion flowers, seedheads, stems and leaves! Also here were 6 Dock Bugs.

A minute Frit Fly (that's the correct spelling!) was on a speedwell flower and could only be taken down to family, a Chlorops species.

Two Kentish Snails were on the mosses too.

Flowering pants included Common Field Speedwell, Germander Speedwell, Shining Cranesbill, Field Forget-me-Not, and Dove's-foot Cranesbill.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Another morning stroll on Newchurch Common, warm and sunny intervals, followed by a return pm when the sun came out and it was pretty warm!

A day of six butterfly species again, the majority on Shemmy Moss. Nothing new but good numbers with 12 Green-veined Whites, 8m Orange-tips, 6 Peacocks, 4 Commas, a male Brimstone and a Speckled Wood.

The headline invertebrates were 2 Downy Emerald dragonflies, both on Shemmy Moss. One showed exceptionally well, initially landing briefly on my and the right next to me as I sat watching. Later I was even able to coax it onto my finger to help it warm up before it flew off - magical! Also seen were 60 Large Red Damselflies in the same area.

After several days with none, today saw 2 Scarlet Tiger Caterpillars in the SW corner glade on Big Pool.

Two new hoverfly species were added on Shemmy Moss, the nationally declining Sericomyia lappona (2), and Dasysyrphus tricinctus (2). Also seen was a female Epistrophe eligans on Newchurch Common, previously only males had been seen.

Flavous Nomad Bees were abundant on Shemmy Moss, with at least 12 seen.

A tiny Woundwort Shieldbug was a new species for patch ever, on the edge of Shemmy Moss. Also new was the weevil Phyllobius argentatus, again on Shemmy Moss.

The plant Wood Sage was recorded by the Whitegate Way near the Gull Pool bench.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Tuesday 30th of April 2024 09:34:12 PM

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

A morning on Newchurch again, cold, windy and totally un-spring-like!

But, a hoverfly only seen once before this year, Epistrophe eligans, was seen near Small Pool.

Species seen before but photographed again were St.Mark's Fly, Alder Leaf Beetle and Common Carder Bee. But slim picking in the cool conditions.

A largish new patch of Wood-sorrel was found near Small Pool, encouraging as the old stronghold is now choked with bramble and other ground cover plants. Huge swathes of Wood Forget-me-Not were seen, again near Small Pool. The single Large-leaved Avens plant now has c.3 flowers whereas the hundreds of Wood Avens plants across the patch are all in pre-flowering stage.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Monday 29th of April 2024 09:35:11 PM

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Newchurch am, dull and dry. A good invertebrate day with a really nice plant 'rediscovery'!

The distinctive white-antennae tipped Sawfly Tenthredo livida was near the main track towards the SW corner of Big Pool.

A Green Dock Beetle was near Big Pool Island Cut in a nettle bed. Also in the same area Green Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus), a Broad-nosed Weevil Tanymecus palliatus, and Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata), were found. Pterostichus niger, a ground beetle was in woodland south of Big Pool.

White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) was also in woodland south of Big Pool.

Cucumber Orb Spider (Araniella cucurbitina), a Crab Spider Xysticus cristatus, and Spring Harvestman (Rilaena triangularis) were all found in the nettle bed near Big Pool Island Cut.

Old dessicated Jelly Ear Fungus was found in a small area of woodland near Big Pool Island Cut.

A once common, but noteworthy plant, that was lost due to flooding was re-found not far from its previous site in the bigger woodland near Big Pool Island Cut, namely the 'lesser' Orchid Common Twayblade. About 20 plants were found and so far these are only just emerging but showing signs of the flower spikes already in some specimens.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

Newchurch am, dull and cool.

Still 2 Large Red Damselflies even in cool weather.

Wood Sorrel was in flower near Small Pool and Common Dog Violets were found by the path on the extreme west edge of Gull Pool Woods.

Doc Brewster · Status: Offline

A Newchurch Common walk am in the sun but still quite cool after a frost last night.

On Shemmy Moss 2 Green Hairstreaks were seen as well as 4 Peacocks.

The first Hairy Shieldbug of the year was near Big Pool Island Cut. Another 2 Green Tiger Beetles were on Shemmy Moss. An Ashy Mining Bee was on Shemmy Moss and was the most unusual amongst all the commoner bee species seen, and was on Shemmy Moss.

The Large-leaved Avens on Shemmy Moss was examined closely and we are 99% certain that the ID is correct. To help in this we also found huge swathes of Wood Avens, in a more wooded situation, along the Whitegate Way opposite Gull Pool and it did look significantly different. Also seen was Greater Celandine on Novia Scotia Lane.

-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 26th of April 2024 05:53:57 PM