ChrisC

[Wurzel]

I missed you by a day Chris but it sounds like you had a more productive one than me, I was scanning for whites until me eyes bled with no joy Still spring has finally arrived so lots more goodies to look forward too. If you fancy trying Bentley for Pearls this year give us a shout

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ChrisC]

things are picking up nicely in the garden, the garden year list now reads
Red Admiral
Comma
Peacock
Small Tortoiseshell
Small white
GV white
Brimstone
Holly Blue
and joining it today the first speckled wood. not many sticking around for me to get the camera out but i'll take it.

and a new barkfly record for the garden this week too, I think it's Epicaecilius pilipennis
approx. 2mm so a bit cropped.

[ChrisC]

Didn't go looking for butterflies today, I went purely for Bluebells at my local wood. Bluebell woods have a special place in my heart as I was introduced to the natural world at Perivale Wood in Middlesex. home of the Selborne Society which was founded in 1885 to commemorate the eighteenth century naturalist Gilbert White of Selborne in Hampshire. Anyone visiting Noar Hill will possibly have driven past his House and very famous gardens. Anyway, there were a few butterflies around Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Whites but the stars of today for me were the bluebells.

[ChrisC]

had a flying visit to Martin Down this morning, new for the years even that early in the day were small heath and Grizzled but was on my way home again by 10.30. the rest of the day was spent in the garden. lots of whites, Brimstone a couple of peacock and holly blue but that's about all. spent quite a bit of time just sitting and watching things going on. there seem to be a lot of rove beetles this year of various sizes. had the first Rhagium bifasciatum Longhorn beetle of the year and a new tick for the garden was Forget-me-not sheildbug, I should pay more attention to the true bugs as I had never heard of this one. just a few pics, of some of the other stuff as the butterflies weren't playing ball.

watched the mating flight of this Eristalis before he swooped in on his target

[Susie]

What's the spider? That's an evil looking wee beastie.

[ChrisC]

one of the Xysticus group. not really got into trying to differentiate the species yet. but it was only a wee beastie

[ChrisC]

so busy enjoying everyone elses diary I have been neglecting my own. new beetles and spiders for the garden, and of course I have been out after butterflies. just a few pics from the weekend.

[ChrisC]

internet problems have plagued me for a week now so I have lots of catching up to do on other peoples diaries. but last weekend after at last finding Brimstone eggs on the garden buckthorn, I was walking over Ringwood forest which is quite literally on my doorstep and after maybe 10 minutes walking I thought I saw a moth fly into one the conifers. I went to investigate and low and behold it turned out to be a green hairstreak. I've not seen one over here before. to say I was pleased is an understatement. a 10 minute walk for GH? this place just gets better and better.

no pictures but I was also very pleased to see a day flying Beautiful yellow underwing and during the week at dusk a Silver-y and small magpie.

[ChrisC]

at last some internet access, for how long I don't know.
the 2 painted ladies from this week, the one with missing bit of hindwing on the 18th and the other on the 19th.

The Small tortoiseshell and finally got a shot of the beautiful yellow underwing that's been visiting too.

Only other gossip is I found a new breeding garden species in the shape of a Common footman caterpillar.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shots Chris - hopefully the Painted Ladies will shift North a bit

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pauline]

A beautiful Tortoiseshell Chris - the colours are just stunning.

[ChrisC]

the worst picture of a green hairstreak you are ever likely to see I know, but what makes this one special is, it just landed on the buddleia in the garden woohoo!

[Susie]

Awesome!

[David M]

the worst picture of a green hairstreak you are ever likely to see I know, but what makes this one special is, it just landed on the buddleia in the garden woohoo!

As garden 'ticks' go, Chris, that one's mightily impressive.

[ChrisC]

Thanks Susie and David, yep I was chuffed

CHris

[ChrisC]

i'll do the butterfly bit first, Iping common for silver studs,

having spotted Kippers silver washed I thought i'd try my local woods just in case but unfortunately no luck. But along with Speckled wood, brimstone meadow browns and the 2 aberrant Burnets I did find a new beetle

rhagium mordax

I also saw for the first time the glittering greenfly Poecilobothrus nobilitatus
it put on a fine show against all-comers protecting his puddle fascinating to watch

and after years of seeing the aphid remains of the work of this wasp, last night I finally got to view the process in action.
sitting on ones drive with a camera trained on knapweed, using the lcd as a mini tv, for 10 minutes will probably have the neighbours talking but hey, more interesting than some of the programmes they put on these days.

[ChrisC]

a walk in the woods to escape the heat paid dividends, with comma, speckled wood, red admiral, large skipper, smessex skipper, ringlet, meadow brown, silver washed frit and I was chuffed to my first white admiral. no shot of the WA but the swf paused briefly for my only shot.

[Wurzel]

Cracking shot of the Silver Washed - it places it perfectly in its habitat And a three spot Meadow Brown - nice

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[ChrisC]

with hairstreaks and emperors being reported and teasing me while i'm having a few days off I thought i'd get out and about around the woods and Ringwood forest as well as the garden.
garden picking up with Large and smessex skippers the former sticking to the front garden and the latter the back garden, whites, small torts, commas, meadow brown, Ringlet, gatekeeper and a couple of Marbled white fly throughs. believe it or not my first common blue of the year popped in too.

The woods, plenty of the above with additional red Admiral, Brimstone, peacock, white admiral and Silver washed aplenty, only one valezina seen so far. not much staying put for photo ops but still all a joy to see.

Ringwood forest
the previous maximum of Silver studs I have personally seen is 5 over there and no females seen before, admittedly this doesn't mean they haven't been there but today over 30 seen including 2 females. You couldn't move for skippers. I've never seen so many.

the dragons and damsels seem to be having a good year too, I won't list them but a great variety putting on a great show to add to the melee. it's hot but so worth the walk.

being lazy I just did a montage (pete if you're reading hint hint )

[ChrisC]

a few photos from a couple of other sorties over the wood yesterday and Martin Down this morning

and it wouldn't be complete without a new spider for me and one I've been looking for, ironically found by chance today neoscona adianta