V-pug

This is another garden first. Maple Prominent, July Highflyer and the fimbriolata form of Small Fan-footed Wave are all only second records for the garden.

V-pug Chloroclystis v-ata


Maple Prominent Ptilodon cucullina


July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata


Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata f. fimbriolata


Acleris forsskaleana


Beautiful China-mark Nymphula stagnata


Marbled Beauty Cryphia domestica


Canon A640

Dock Bug and Large Skipper

A couple more insects from Woodston Ponds NR.

Dock Bug Coreus marginatus


Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus


Canon A640

Ladybird Dance

I've seen this behaviour before but not quite as persistently as on this individual at Woodston Ponds NR. I think it is a 7-spot Ladybird emerging from its pupa.

7-spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

Canon A640

Large Emerald

A garden first and huge impressive creature.

Large Emerald Geometra papilionaria


The Miller Acronicta leporina


Chilo phragmitella

Boardwalk Dragons

Went to the boardwalks NR at lunchtime in search of Red-tipped Clearwing but only a brief view of a probable one. Dragons were in abundance though with Brown Hawker, Hairy Dragonfly, Emperor, Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue, Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Small Red-eyed Damselflies in addition to the ones shown here.

Note the praenubila form of Four-spotted Chaser with the dark bands near the wingtips. My first of this form.

Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa



Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata f. praenubila


Digiscoped with Canon A640 and Leica APO77 x20

Scarce Garden Moths

Catoptria pinella


Ethmia dodecea


Peppered Moth Biston betularia ab. carbonaria



The Engrailed Ectropis bistortata


Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina


Broad-barred White Hecatera bicolorata



Canon A640

New Forest insects

A suberb (hot) weekend in the New Forest based near Godshill in the NW. These were all taken in the area of Ditchend Brook, Great Cockley Plain and Must Thorn Bottom. I just love those New Forest names - we didn't get chance to visit Burt Balls but did get into Cockley Bushes briefly!

Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo, male


Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii


Small Red Damselfly Ceriagrion tenellum with mite infestation


Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Male


Female


Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens
Male


Mating wheel


Silver-studded Blue Plebeius argus



Canon A640

More Hornet Moths

I've been checking these polars near Hampton for several seasons without any luck but knew they must be there as the trees are riddled with holes to the point where several have fallen over. Struck lucky this morning with two scampering up one trunk. I think it was a male and female, the one photographed being the male with more pectinate antennae and a bushy rear end. See here for some excellent, instructive pictures of a pair 'in action'.

This adds another square to the VC31 map for this species.

Hornet Moth Sesia apiformis, male






The result of years of work by some moth larvae!

Ethmia dodecea and The Drinker

Pushed for time so very nearly didn't bother putting out a trap last night. Glad I did as there were two garden firsts. The Drinker was surely overdue as it's not an uncommon moth but this was the first for my tetrad.

The Ethmia is remarkable as I'd only added E. quadrillella a few days ago. This one is rarer though with only 9 previous VC31 records.

Ethmia dodecea


The Drinker Euthrix potatoria


Apple Leaf Miner Lyonetia clerkella


Canon A640

Brachypterous moth

Found this while checking the poplars for Hornet Moths. Not sure what it is at the moment.


Canon A640

Hornet Moth

Second day checking for this species and got lucky at Orton Northgate where there are quite a few large black poplars. It was 08:00 and already this moth was active and flew shortly after the shot was taken. I guess in this warm weather an earlier visit might be a good idea.

Hornet Moth Sesia apiformis

Canon A640