Thursday 30 July 2015

Mill Hill butterflies

Peacock, Inachis io
On Wednesday I did my Mill Hill transect: Brimstone, Chalkhill Blue 4, Comma, Common Blue, Essex skipper, Gatekeeper 51, Green-veined White, Marbled White 2, Meadow Brown 17, Painted Lady, Peacock 14, Red Admiral 4, Small White, moths: Six-spot Burnet 8, Rush Veneer. The patch of Hemp Agrimony  at the top of the hill was covered in Red Admirals, Peacocks,  a Painted Lady and a Comma. Chalkhill Blues have made a very poor start which is following the trend of Common and Adonis Blues on the site. As I stooped to photograph Wild Basil I noticed a black Adder curled up.
When I returned home a huge Harvestman greeted me on the door and at 8:15pm Sue noticed a rainbow on the horizon.
Buddleia, Buddleia davidii

This buddleia is usually a butterfly magnet and always has Peacocks and Red Admirals when in flower. I only saw Peacocks this time, and most of the action was on the nearby Hemp Agrimony.

Comma, Polygonia c-album
Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus
Essex Skipper, Thymelicus lineola
micro moth - id needed

Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
Peacock, Inachis io
Ploughman's-spikenard, Inula conyzae
Ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
Rush Veneer, Nomophila noctuella
Six-Spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae
Wild Basil, Clinopodium vulgare
Harvestman species
Adder, Vipera berus

Wednesday 29 July 2015

Kithurst meadow's insect riches

Silver-washed Fritillary ♂, Argynnis paphia
On Monday afternoon I visited Kithurst meadow and found it in excellent condition with tall patches of Hemp Agrimony and plenty of Marjoram giving the air a lovely scent. There were not many Chalkhill Blues, which seems to be a continuing pattern for the Blues this year. There were plenty of butterfly species, including a couple of Painted Ladies.  I returned on Tuesday where I met Mark and we saw Su and Heidi who showed us the patch of Hemp Agrimony where the White-letter Hairstreak was seen recently. A male and female Silver-washed Fritillary nectared on the Hemp Agrimony.
Brown Argus, Aricia agestis
Dark Bush Cricket ♀, Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea with Red Mite lava, Trombidium breei
Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina
moth larva - id needed
Pearl Veneer, Agriphila straminella
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
Red Poppy, Papaver rhoeas
Red Soldier beetles mating, Rhagonycha fulva
Speckled Bush Cricket ♂, Leptophyes punctatissima
wasp - id needed
Tuesday:
Blood-vein, Timandra comae
Brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni
Brown Argus, Aricia agestis

Brown Argus ♀
Chalkhill Blue ♂, Lysandra coridon
Chalkhill Blue ♀
Cinnabar larva, Tyria jacobaeae
Common Blue ♂, Polyommatus icarus
Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata
Common Purple and Gold, Pyrausta purpuralis
Common Restharrow, Ononis repens
Common Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris
Dark Strawberry Tortrix, Celypha lacunana
Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus
Gatekeeper with Red Mite larva
Green-veined White, Pieris napi
Hemp Agrimony, Eupatorium cannabinum where the White-letter Hairstreak was seen

Large Skipper, female, Ochlodes sylvanus
Large White, Pieris brassicae
Meadow Brown ♀, Maniola jurtina
Nursery Web Spider, Pisaura mirabilis
Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui
Peacock, Inachis io
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus
Ringlet with Red Mite larvae
Round-headed Rampion, Phyteuma orbiculare
Silver Y, Autographa gamma
Silver-washed Fritillary ♀, Argynnis paphia
Six-Spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae
Small Purple and Gold, Pyrausta aurata
Small Skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris with Red Mite larva
Small White, Pieris rapae
Tree Damsel Bug, early instar nymph, Himacerus apterus
Wild Marjoram, Origanum vulgare
Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca
Brown Hare, Lepus europaeus