Faecal

Today has been another wet dull day, though to be fair up until this week the lockdown weather has been pretty good. No garden trapping last night, and I forgot to mention that Monday night's effort was poor compared to Sunday.

Anyway, back to Sunday when we last had a properly nice day. I headed out to walk along the disused railway line (Bramble Walk), accessed from the road to Cosby and that runs immediately parallel to the M1. I walked down to a small copse at the end just before the track closes down a bit, swiping the odd hoverfly and hawthorn as I went. When I got to the copse, I had a walk through it and somehow ended up on a path that I had no idea existed.

The blue dot is the end of the lane out of the estate, and the cyan dot is the access point to Bramble Walk. The red dot is a point in the copse where I briefly stopped and took the following snap ....

The black dots are flies, and I've realised after the event that the line of shrubs and trees is the backside of the walk heading back down to where I started. What actually happened is that I found a small muddy pool, got distracted and then marched off down what I though was the same walk heading further down past the copse. I'd actually managed to find another track running roughly SW from the copse which comes out behind the golf course and carries on towards Broughton Astley. I knew after a few meters that I'd gone the wrong way, but carried on anyway as it looked good. A more shaded and damp-feeling track.

I carried on until I got to another dilapidated railway bridge which I think must be at the yellow dot on the above map.

I didn't go any further, but actually this looked like a good place to head for some out of the way searching regardless of lockdown. Along that track, I noticed a broken lying log with some cramp balls on it, and had a quick look ....

Did you notice them ....

Piss-common Fungus Weevil

During the walk the only people I saw were a bloke and two kids on mini-quad bikes coming along the track (maybe a local farmer), and one other couple on some sort of power walk who seemed to want to catch up with me at great pace, though before they reached me was when I took the side-track into the copse. I picked up a few bits whilst out, though aside from the hoverflies and larvae I've already posted I only took a few snaps - most bits were potted up for checking later. But here's a couple of beetles ....

 Acupalpus meridianus - just loafing on a leaf slightly and keeping slightly out of focus

Anaspis maculata - 100s swept from hawthorn

I also saw Grammptera ruficornis, loads of Byturus sp. and I've got a couple of weevils, a carabid and an Aphodia sp. to check.


Here's a couple of flies ..

Yellow Dung Fly

Phaonia sp.

As for the title for the post, well you may have noticed the brown substrate for the last two photos looks, well, a bit shit.

PGW & Garden Inverts

A bit of a catch up before I head off to Devon over the next few days. I was intending to post yesterday but I was too sun, beer and BBQ addled to bother.

On Friday I headed over to what is probably the best bit of woodland we have in VC55, Pickworth Great Wood. It was very warm and the sun was shining constantly, with only the slightest breeze. Perfect conditions.

My only plan was to waft around the Emperor Moth lure again. And yet again, I failed. I've now lost count of the number of sites and attempts I've made with the EMP lure now, and this year it's a new lure so I can't blame that. Maybe I'm not giving it long enough. My frustration was compounded by learning that Adrian Russell had success with his lure at Clipsham Park Wood yesterday, which is close enough to PGW that it really should be there too.

Here's three views from the shooting tower at SK9785814803.

Whilst stood here taking these snaps, I noticed a moth flittering about on the ground. A quick swish of the net and I had it contained and transferred it to a pot. It was one of the orange underwings, and given that it had been recorded and photographed here in late March I assumed it was Orange Underwing. However there is both birch and aspen at this woodland, and it is now mid-April after a cool spell earlier in the month. I decided to try and get shots of the hindwing to check later just in case, and I also got a shot of the moth on the ground before it escaped. I noticed it wasn't quite as well marked as I usually see them at Kinchley Lane, but put it down to wear. However checking the photos and comparing to various on-line resources and books I have just about convinced myself that this is actually a female Light Orange Underwing.

The key is that the dark outer marginal band on the hindwing is unbroken. On Orange Underwing this has an orange block breaking the band. As I walked along the main track I saw at least ten more, though most were fleeting views as they flew up from the ground and no others were netted.

Here are three views from the main intersection in the rides at SK9805814817.

Whilst walking around, there was plenty of birdsong though the main ornithological interest was Ravens cronking overhead, Buzzards mewing and Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming. There were a few inverts to keep me entertained too, including these:

Peritrechus lundii

Dermestes murinus - funky both ways up

Field Damsel Bug (Nabis ferus)

The garden has been providing a few bits as well. This one literally landed on my neck whilst out there in the sunshine. I felt the movement and plucked it off, saw it was a small beetle and potted it for checking. Turned out to be a new one for me.

Acupalpus meridianus

This one was nestled up on an eggtray in the moth trap, which is a garden tick.

Vincenzellus ruficollis

Otherwise there have been a few more NFY moths turning up.

Least Black Arches

Oak-tree Pug