Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidal

Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale. Family: Acanthosomatidae. Feeding on Rosehip one of two generations

Scenes in the Meadow

Our Grassland Butterlies are currently at a peak particularly with the last few fine days - even driving dowwn the Purple Hairstreaks for a glimpse on the lower Oak Boughs Below is an unfortunate Ringlet feeding on a patch of Ragwort amongst the tall meadow grass that was being mobbed by a Meadow Brown and in another clip by a particularly voracious Small Copper

 

Grassland Skipper Feeding

 A summer butterfly of grassland

2069 The Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae

The Striking Cinnabar Caterpillar of the Cinnabar Moth can be currently be seen feeding on Ragwort

2176 Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis

2176 Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis Family Noctuidae

 

National Distribution Please Allow Time to Load .

Yellow Shell

The Yellow Shell 1742 is currently flying  It has one generation, and flies  from June through to August,the larvae feeding   on a variety of low-growing plants,such as sorrel (Rumex). and chickweed (Stellaria media)

1574 Common Blue Butterfly Polyommatus icarus

Common Blue Butterfly Polyommatus icarus Family Lycidae A grassland species , Its small the Male is Blue as opposed to the Brown Female often overlooked because of its small size as flitters amongst the grass  heads

 

Ringlets About

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus Family Nymphalidae A butterfly in the Brown Family found on Bramble

 

On the Theme of Red and Blue

Red Campion Silene diocia

 

For get Me Not Myositis arvense

The Sexton or burying Beetle Nicophorous sp was found today unusually on vegetation likely in anticipation of the oncoming rain . This beetle is a Carrion Beetle and likely more at home underground or on the belly of a dead Crow. Unusally it appeared to respind to the bright flash of the camera jolting when the burst of light was emitted

The Brook Today

Well after Heavy Rains , although not as heavy as throughout April the book is swollen and noisy this is a SEGI Site of Special Geological Interest with much of the Geology being cut out by the fast flowing flash floods generated from the steep surrounding slopes of the Clough. In Summer the Marshy area around the stream is bright orange as a result of the high Iron Ore content . Black coal is also dislodged from the surrounding rock layers

 

More Brook Life.........

Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris found in damp Marshy Ground and sometimes seen in ponds and is a member of the buttercup family Caltha is derived from the Greek for 'goblet'.

Owl Midges & Honey Bee

Owl midges, AKA Moth flies, about 3-5 mm This little flies are associated with damp or wet ground and drains and belong to a family known as  Psychodidae   

 

Also found in the adjacent pasture to the Flowing Beck fuelled by the prolific flowering of Dandelions wwas this busy Honey Bee Apis mellifera

Yesterdays Butterflies

After the spell of inclement weather and rain Newly emerged Butterflies enjoyed the brief spell of Spring Sunshine here in the North , Flying along the riverine Corridor containing a Beck in a typical northern "Clough" where the following Butterflies  

The nectaring source for this sudden pulse of Lepidoptera was the adjacent pasture containing a flurry of Danfilions

Comma (Polygonia c-album ) worthy to note in passing that the first generation vary from the second generation to the trained eye - a Spring or Autumn comma can sometimes be deduced

Orange Tips - (Anthocharis cardamines)  Pair just after mating Male with Orange wings , Female with Black and white on Wings , These will be feeding on Cuckoo Flowers and other Brassicaes such as Garlic Mustard

Peacock - (Inachis io ) Ubiquitous on Budleija b this specimen appears to have one of his fresh wing spots pecked likely by a hungry bird

Brimstones , (Gonepteryx rhamni)  whose caterpillars will be availing of Spring Alder Buckthorn and Purging Buckthorn  There is only one brood per year and this is a long lived Butterfly which is seen throughout  the year from March onward Buckthorns Link

What's In the Beck ???

Todays outstanding sunshine managed to get the Insects moving  what a transformation in a few weeks

From this

To This

In tomorrows post we will post some of the findings but observed today where

Orange Tip

Brimstone

Comma
Peacock

Owl Midge

Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis tenax

Apis mellifera

Bombus pascuorum

Bombus terrestris

Sarcophaga spp

Ramsons

Wood Anemone
Lesser Celandine

Barren Strawberry

Dandelions in Bloom 

Longhorn Moth

Wolf's Bane (Slime Mould) Myxomycetes

Ganoderma