Wednesday 7 May 2014

Brown Argus, Small Heath and a Field Cricket

Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
On Monday I visited Rewell Wood where I found a new micromoth, Grapholita jungiella. There were Grizzled Skippers and an Orange-tip laying on Garlic Mustard. Plenty of Wild Strawberry around. The Goldcrest was singing again.
  I then went to Kithurst Meadow and photographed 5 Duke of Burgundies, including 2 females. A pair were mating high up on a leaf. I found my first Brown Argus of the year, plus Dingy Skippers and  Small Heath.
  Finally I visited Lord’s Piece near Fittleworth where the heath has been managed for the endangered Field Cricket. I was in the company of John and Mike, an ecologist who has studied this fascinating creature for 25 years. The crickets were singing loudly and we found one that was obliging enough to emerge from its burrow and allow me to take photos. I was also shown some new (for me) heathland species: Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetles, Dwarf Gorse and Subterranean Clover.
Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae
14-spot Ladybird, Propylea 14-punctata
micromoth, Grapholita jungiella
micromoth, Grapholita jungiella
Orange-tip, Anthocharis cardamines laying egg on Garlic Mustard, Alliaria petiolata
Orange-tip egg
Orange-tip egg
Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca
bed of Wild Strawberry
Kithurst Meadow:
Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
Crab spider, Misumena vatia
Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages
Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina


female Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina
the male has only 4 functional legs, whereas this female has 6.


mating pair of Dukes high in a tree
Green-veined White, Pieris napi
Small Heath, Coenonympha pamphilus
White-lipped snail, Cepaea hortensis


Brown Silver-line, Petrophora chlorosata
Dwarf Gorse, Ulex minor
Field Cricket, Gryllus campestris
This lovely creature went head-first down his burrow, which was at a slant. It then turned round at the entrance, and came out and fed on plant material:







mating pair of Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetles, Timarcha goettingensi






Subterranean Clover, Trifolium subterraneum, whiteflora
Tormentil, Potentilla erecta
White Dead Nettle, Lamium album

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