Remember that
Tufted Duck with a nasal saddle
that I saw in January? Well as it happens it has been seem again on 28/04/2022
at Lock of Skene near to Aberdeen, just over 500km away ....
I've been dangling a pheromone lure again, and ended up with x1 Pammene sp. in
the garden on 30/04/2022 and x3 together at Croft Hill yesterday, all to the MOL
lure. The latter were in an area predominantly full of oaks and with no ash in
the immediate vicinity raising hope that they may be something different, but
having looked at the hindwings of a couple I think they are all Pammene
suspectana - gen det will confirm, and potentially from thereon one to ID on
external characters.
As far as I can make out both P. suspectana and P. albuginana, which are
similar externally, share the dark blackened costal streak to the hindwing,
but otherwise the hindwing of P. suspectana is more uniformly grey and P.
albuginana has a paler central area making the costal streak stand out even
more.
P. suspectana allegedly feeds under the bark of ash, but it appears that is a theory and is not actually verified/proven or at least may not be the whole story.
Today was one that was constrained, in that I needed to complete some work around the middle of the day. So this morning I nipped over to Huncote Embankment with the aim of trying to photograph Odonata, and then this afternoon I've been out to Bradgate Park with Nichola.
This morning was warm enough, with good sunny spells but always some brooding clouds in view that in the end came to nothing.
The main plan was to point the camera at damselflies, and specifically to try and photograph Small Red-eyed Damselfly. I have seen this species before, years ago not long after first colonisation. We dropped into the Bluewater Shopping Center on the way back from a twitch, quite probably the Pallid Harrier in August 2002 but memory has gone hazy. I've never looked for or knowingly seen one since then, despite their rapid and widespread colonisation. And today was no different as to be honest the conditions were not great - either bright sunshine causing fervent activity or a cloudy spell when everything settled out of view or range. I think I may have caught one, but the angle is terrible and it's far from totally convincing. I was also confused by the apparent presence of (Large) Red-eyed Damselfly which I thought would be well over by now, but apparently isn't.
I think these shots are Red-eyed Damselfly followed by Small Red-eyed Damselfly based on the terminal segments, but I'll try again on a better day.
Also a few Common Darters around, and plenty of Blue-tailed Damsleflies.
I also spotted by chance what I think may be the first Orange Ladybird larva I've seen.
Later in the afternoon, we headed to Bradgate Park. Despite the reasonable weather and being slap bang in the middle of summer, it was a lot quieter than I expected it might be. All the better. Nice views, plenty of deer - albeit distant - and a few birds and bits whilst we wandered about.
These deer really were a long way off, at least 100 meters, probably more.
A walk around the outer perimeter of the ruins brought some plants and a new fly ....
After this shot I managed to pot what was clearly a robber fly, and it's now pinned and works through quite simply to Machimus cingulatus - though you can't see all features here apart from leg colouration.
There is plenty of fruiting Deadly Nightshade here if you have anyone that you think would benefit from some herbal remedy ....
I spotted a Purple Hairstreak a long way up in an oak, and also some galls on Walnut caused by the mite Aceria erinea ....
The main avian interest though came from a range of juvs ....
Confident and fully independent Stonechat
Confident to the point of cocky Goldfinch in a feeding flock with other juvs
Pathetic begging Reed Bunting that had barely fledged - no tail, no flight
So yesterday after filling me boots with Small Eggar larvae, I ventured over the border into Cambs. (or at least into the Peterborough District). I went to Bedford Purlieus, a site I only recall going to once before which was almost exactly six years ago. Immediately on getting there I had doubts; the small car park was full and there was a group of youths loitering around, though to be fair they did not exactly look like snarky yoofs. I reversed into to make a U turn and depart, when I noticed that one of them had a large refuse sack filled with litter and a pick-up stick. Fair play. Even better, they each got into their own car and fecked off, leaving just a couple of cars behind. If I'd turned up a few minutes earlier I'd have not seen this and just gone somewhere else.
Anyway, boots on and almost immediately after walking through a couple of gates I was confronted by a couple of chasers in a sunny corner just in front of woodland, next to a sun-lit flowering shrub (dog wood?). I carefully laid down my nets, got my camera out and starting getting a couple of shots.
The sun-lit shrub in question
Broad-boded Chaser - nice.
All the time as I stood still watching it, I was aware that the shrub was quite busy with hoverflies, Grammoptera and other bits. And then something flew right past my face onto the bush and got my attention. My nets were on the floor some five meters away, the camera was on zoom macro to shoot a chaser that was five meters away, and this thing was sitting at face height about half a meter from me. I could see what it was, the identification was not in any doubt, but my joy was immediately dampened by the realisation that the chance of capturing the event in any way was slim. I turned, fucked about with the camera and it was gone. My first Agrilus biguttatus, in all it's shiny and spotted-elytral glory. Arse. I loitered around the bush for at least half an hour, switching between net and camera but not joy with the jewel. Best hoverfly during this interlude was this monster ..
Volucella inflata
Once it was clear it was gone for good, I set off for a look around the place. It was nothing like I remembered it. In my mind it was a lush flower-rich and slightly damp meadow with a bit of surrounding woodland. Yesterday it was a parched grassland with too much bracken and loads of woodland with long open rides.
I had a good walk around, though the heat was already rising and ento-action was a bit sporadic. Apart from the wood ants that were absolutely everywhere. Along one of the more shaded rides I spotted this scuttling across the path ...
Glow Worm larva
I also got to one particular patch of bracken that was alive with longhorns dance flighting all over the place. Lots of Alosterna tabacicolor that wouldn't sit still (one netted to check) and a handful of these .....
Rutpela maculata
I saw a fair bit flying about in places, but shrubs and bushes on the woodland edge were better for more hoverflies and other stuff, though the only one sitting still long enough for a photo was these ..
Xylota segnis
Tenthredo mesomela
After a couple of hours I headed off, dropping into Ketton Quarry on the way back as it would be daft not too. Immediately on entering the reserve I saw this on a dog rose flower ...
Stenurella melanura
Another Tenthredo mesomela hit the camera sensor, whilst actively eating another sawfly ....
Whilst walking around I was being buzzed by clegs - I'd already netted one that escaped, but I could see it was probably Chrysops relictus from the wing markings. I managed to net it with a chance sweep over my head that just managed to catch it out. Further into the reserve the same happened again, but on checking the net it was something a lot bigger and I managed to get it into a pot. I had no qualms about processing this one, nasty biting bastards that they are.
Anyway, it was a female with three-striped eyes and a sort of pimple on the top of the head ....
This immediately takes it to Hybomitra. Following the key in Stubbs and Drake was fine, Facial dusting, abdominal markings and mid-tibial hairs made it Hybomitra bimaculata.
I'm not a fan of flies that actively try to bite you, but those eyes really are funky. Here's an artist with funky eyes and a jewel-theme.
