Good day for insects today, with ringlet (possibly the first time I've noted one here), large skipper, comma, meadow brown, large white, speckled wood and red admiral (a few) all about.
The meadow pond and field was especially productive:
c40 common blue damselfly 1 blue-tailed damselfly (another on Ivy Green) 2 banded demoiselle 1 or 2 brown hawker 1 false oil beetle Oedemera nobilis male 1 scorpion fly male On the pond itself, amongst the numerous backswimmers, pond skaters, whirligig beetles and 3 great pond snails were around twenty or so of the semaphore flies, Poecilobothrus nobilitatus, performing their courtship dance; had a thoroughly enjoyable time watching these gorgeous little creatures doing their thing.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 2nd of July 2017 06:14:29 PM
Fritillary sp on hardy farm this morning. I am no butterfly expert so could not precisely ID as it flew past. On Friday I was clearing the cow field of balsam and saw plenty of ringlet, meadow brown and gatekeeper. Chris
First meadow browns of the year today, with four or five about. Also several speckled wood and skipper sp. (large, I assume, as would this not be a little early still for small here?), a couple of comma and six-spot burnet, and a single red admiral.
Plenty of common blue damselfly, several ovipositing, around the meadow pond and surrounds, and a single blue-tailed amongst them, too. Brown hawker around the brook.
A few damselflies around the meadow pond today: c15 common blue, 1 large red, and 2 banded demoiselle.
Butterfly wise, brimstone in good evidence, as well as small tortoiseshell, small white, large white, orange tip and speckled wood. Also a stunning lacewing sp.
-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 29th of May 2016 08:30:22 PM
Spent yesterday doing a few butterfly counts for the Big Butterfly Count (link here, if anyone's interested: http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/); the species noted were:
Meadow brown (by far and away the most numerous, unsurprisingly) Gatekeeper Large skipper Small skipper Small tortoiseshell Comma Green-veined white Small white Peacock caterpillar
Also plenty of dragon/damselfly:
Brown hawker Common blue damselfly Blue-tailed damselfly Banded demoiselle
Common blue damselfly and a common toad last night.
Also a very fleeting glance of what looked like a small tiger moth. Far too small for a garden tiger, but would wood tiger be likely here? Size and habitat were about right.
Did the big bee count here today (what you spot in 2 minutes), and then found out I can't log the sightings because I don't have a smart phone. Bad one. Anyway:
c10 early bumblebee 3 red-tailed bumblebee 2 buff-tailed bumblebee 2 tree bumblebee
Broad-bodied Chaser (1 male) Southern Hawker Brown Hawker - all at the meadow pond where reed has been cleared. Also Common Darter Blue-tailed Damselfly
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Wednesday 5th of September 2012 04:21:03 PM
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