Real excitement this afternoon when, amongst a throng of hairy shieldbugs, I spotted one that wasn't. It soon dawned on me that it was a new species to me, and not long afterwards that it was better than that; I'd found a Tortoise Shieldbug. Looking at the NBN Atlas (which is up to date to last Autumn), it is the first record for Greater Manchester, and only the third if you include Cheshire. This is why I spend most of the Winter pouring over insect books.
Also had green shieldbug, and 8 species of butterfly, of which Large White and Holly Blue were new for the year.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Thursday 20th of April 2023 08:19:45 PM
Butterflies present en masse this p.m. Six species, as follows - 9 comma, 7 each of small tortoiseshell & peacock, 2 small white, and 1 each of orange tip and brimstone (both males). I felt much more confident that local numbers had not been affected by last years drought after this lot!
What appeared to be very much a Common Hawker was roosting quite high in a tree at the picnic area. Not really their kind of habitat, but might say something about the drought. Also in the same place, I was amused to see a comma chase off a brown hawker several times! That takes some guts considering the size difference.
Apart from 7 species of butterfly, of which small whites (5), brimstone (2), red admiral (1) were new for the year, the smartest insect was my first rosemary beetle. They may be a pest, but I would find it hard to destroy them looking like this. Lots of other species included loads of ashy mining bees, a tree wasp, and lots of nettle weevils. We have lift off, at last.
A very late insect bonus found yesterday p.m. when I came across this Dock Bug, a species with just 2-3 records in our local area, but spreading north. Ironically, I only saw my first ever in Dorset at the end of September! This might be the same one as it looks a bit worse for wear.
-- Edited by Andy Bissitt on Tuesday 12th of October 2021 03:14:06 PM
Not truly the Chadkirk estate, but only spitting distance away, Bunkers Hill had quality not quantity. I only saw c8 butterflies all afternoon (including the Goyt Valley down past Chadkirk kennels), but the 'Hill' had 1 small heath, 2-3 common blues (first for this area), and the real surprise, a faded Painted Lady, surely a recent migrant from Spain (or further?). A middle-barred minor represented the moth clan.
First holly blues of the year here this p.m. Speckled wood and green-veined white also new here this season. Also had a vole sp. in the walled garden eating the remains of a discarded buttie!! Managed a few shots of it so I will be trying to pin down whether it was field or bank when I download them.
...and the butterfly season gets into full swing again. Counts here this afternoon as follows: 14 peacock, 8 comma, 4 small tortoiseshell, 7 small white (at least), 1 male brimstone, and 1 male orange tip. The best spectacle however was the sight of a mating frenzy of at least 15 toads in one of the ponds. I think there was a female somewhere in the middle of the scrum. I've never seen this 'live' before, so it was a pleasing encounter (not for the female toad, I imagine).
2 commas this p.m. Did not quite relieve the sheer disbelief at the destruction that has been wrought since I was last here. Perhaps the 3 greatest tools of destruction that exist have all been (are being) used - the hedge flail, the strimmer and, worse, SHEEP. Just an example: my previous post detailed a possible first for Greater M/c. It might now be extinct again as the area has been trashed. As Morrissey once sang 'Come Armageddon, Come'.
Quite a lot of interesting insects today, not all immediately identifiable. The two outstanding ones were my first Woundwort shieldbug, certainly a new arrival in the area (according to the NBN atlas), or at least not recorded by anyone! The hoverfly rhingia rostrata has also not been with us long either, and this was only my 2nd sighting (both this year). Butterflies were particularly thin on the ground, with just small whites and a speckled wood seen. Odonata were 2 common darter and a male southern hawker. Who knows what the southerly winds might bring in a few days time?
Photos now attached of the two aforementioned finds.
Quite a lot of interesting insects today, not all immediately identifiable. The two outstanding ones were my first Woundwort shieldbug, certainly a new arrival in the area (according to the NBN atlas), or at least not recorded by anyone! The hoverfly rhingia rostrata has also not been with us long either, and this was only my 2nd sighting (both this year). Butterflies were particularly thin on the ground, with just small whites and a speckled wood seen. Odonata were 2 common darter and a male southern hawker. Who knows what the southerly winds might bring in a few days time?
The best of today's finds was something I knew I hadn't seen before and thus gave priority to identifying. Turned out to be a female phasia hemiptera, which is a local species at best. Would like to see a male, which has metallic blue wings apparently.
9 species of butterfly this afternoon, but only the 'whites' in any sort of numbers thus giving the usual problem of identification (unless they land or come quite close). Still managed certain sightings of all four whites (green-veined, small (the most), large (just 1) and a few female orange tips (males also seen, obviously). Best of the others was 2 brimstone which also gave good stationary views. One had been pecked at a good deal. Also saw 1 small purple and gold moth, and the hoverfly epistrophe elegans which I don't think I've managed to pin down before. All made for a decent sort of day as insects begin to build up.
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
The hoverfly (V. zonaria) is really expending its range N & W. Had one in the yard at work in Salford last week. Blue Shieldbug is very nice - yet to see one of those...
Good to know about the hoverfly Steve. The more people that see them, the more they might take an interest in seeking out and recording insects. Without more information on their populations we are going to lose them before we knew they were there. On a more postive note, here's another of the beasts which I saw for the first time at Chadkirk yesterday. Not too many records of these from our area (Deraeocoris ruber): Are they out there more widely?
Yes, nice little bug, Andy (the Deraeocoris ruber). Also had one of those in the yard at work - it's next to the railway line which seems to function as a wildlife corridor (not a corridor of uncertainty!). Am actively recording butterflies, moths and hoverflies (as well as birds of course) but there's only so much you can do. Need to get more people involved!
God. I wish I'd have worked somewhere like that Steve. You actually do some work I take it! If you tell me you've had one of these (chaetorellia jaceae) in that yard, I will be hard to convince. There are no previous records for it in the entire North West on the NBN Atlas (although I realise that not many people have looked for them!!)
Cheers,
Andy
Nice find, Andy. Certainly not found one of those! Sadly, the NBN maps are woefully out of date for some species though. As climate change means that a lot of species are moving North and West, Stockport should be the first part of Greater Manchester to be colonised.
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
The hoverfly (V. zonaria) is really expending its range N & W. Had one in the yard at work in Salford last week. Blue Shieldbug is very nice - yet to see one of those...
Good to know about the hoverfly Steve. The more people that see them, the more they might take an interest in seeking out and recording insects. Without more information on their populations we are going to lose them before we knew they were there. On a more postive note, here's another of the beasts which I saw for the first time at Chadkirk yesterday. Not too many records of these from our area (Deraeocoris ruber): Are they out there more widely?
Yes, nice little bug, Andy (the Deraeocoris ruber). Also had one of those in the yard at work - it's next to the railway line which seems to function as a wildlife corridor (not a corridor of uncertainty!). Am actively recording butterflies, moths and hoverflies (as well as birds of course) but there's only so much you can do. Need to get more people involved!
God. I wish I'd have worked somewhere like that Steve. You actually do some work I take it! If you tell me you've had one of these (chaetorellia jaceae) in that yard, I will be hard to convince. There are no previous records for it in the entire North West on the NBN Atlas (although I realise that not many people have looked for them!!)
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
The hoverfly (V. zonaria) is really expending its range N & W. Had one in the yard at work in Salford last week. Blue Shieldbug is very nice - yet to see one of those...
Good to know about the hoverfly Steve. The more people that see them, the more they might take an interest in seeking out and recording insects. Without more information on their populations we are going to lose them before we knew they were there. On a more postive note, here's another of the beasts which I saw for the first time at Chadkirk yesterday. Not too many records of these from our area (Deraeocoris ruber): Are they out there more widely?
Yes, nice little bug, Andy (the Deraeocoris ruber). Also had one of those in the yard at work - it's next to the railway line which seems to function as a wildlife corridor (not a corridor of uncertainty!). Am actively recording butterflies, moths and hoverflies (as well as birds of course) but there's only so much you can do. Need to get more people involved!
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
The hoverfly (V. zonaria) is really expending its range N & W. Had one in the yard at work in Salford last week. Blue Shieldbug is very nice - yet to see one of those...
Good to know about the hoverfly Steve. The more people that see them, the more they might take an interest in seeking out and recording insects. Without more information on their populations we are going to lose them before we knew they were there. On a more postive note, here's another of the beasts which I saw for the first time at Chadkirk yesterday. Not too many records of these from our area (Deraeocoris ruber): Are they out there more widely?
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
The hoverfly (V. zonaria) is really expending its range N & W. Had one in the yard at work in Salford last week. Blue Shieldbug is very nice - yet to see one of those...
After the arrival locally of the Hornet this Summer, another stunning insect appears on the scene - the Hornet hoverfly. Even non-insect enthusiasts must give these a second look. If not, well you are missing out on one of nature's treats. These two were showing exceptionally well in the walled garden all afternoon and must rate equal to any form of life I've seen in the County this year. There were a lot of hoverflies about (a wet Summer is good for them), and I expect my other photos to reveal at least two other new species for me in the area. At the moment, the only other new 'lifer' insect I'm certain about is this blue shieldbug (one of two), which is another 'damp' lover. I shall be back in the coming days.
Excellent butterfly spotting today with 6 species seen:- 1 brimstone, 11 peacock (maybe numbers on the mend?), 7 comma, 6 small tortoiseshell, and year firsts 2 male orange tip and 2 small white.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 29th of March 2019 11:06:20 PM
If you tell me you've had one of these (chaetorellia jaceae) in that yard, I will be hard to convince. There are no previous records for it in the entire North West on the NBN Atlas (although I realise that not many people have looked for them!!)
