Small Red-eyed Damselfly

High water levels and windy conditions have removed most floating vegetation from the Boathouse inlet where I first discovered these insects last year. As a result I've not seen any there this year but The Boardwalks nature reserve close by has some weedy ponds that are ideal and sure enough I found a few there yesterday. Today I went back to photograph them and there were about 30, many paired up and ovipositing.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum



Canon Powershot A640, male digiscoped using Leica APO77 20x

Derbyshire Day Out

Some images from a day in Derbyshire. I love the barber-shop quartet of young Swallows in the second shot. The Swallows were breeding in Harwick Old Hall and the insects were along Lathkill Dale.

Swallow Hirundo rustica



Leucozona glaucia


Merodon equestris


Scorpion Fly Panorpa sp.


Canon Powershot A640

Fletton Lake

A bit of rare sunshine this morning and although breezy it was quite warm in the lee of the thick hedge.

Whitethroat Sylvia communis


Myathropa florea, male



female


Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum, immature male


Canon Powershot A640, Whitethroat digiscoped through Leica APO77 20x

Gasteruption jaculator

I've long wanted to see one of these wacky hymenopterans and there was one sitting on an umbellifer as I entered Jones' Covert for a bit of moth surveying today.

The ragwort in the clearings was a magnet for insects, especially Eristalis hoverflies and Peacock butterflies. Several Six-belted Clearwings came to lure on the Birds'-foot Trefoil rich parts of the brickworks but I failed to attract any species in the woodland today.

Gasteruption jaculator




Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea



Volucella pellucens



Canon Powershot A640

Borkhausenia fuscescens

Borkhausenia fuscescens was a garden first and the melanic form of Peppered Moth (ab. carbonaria) is also very rare in my garden, with only one previously, so two last night was exceptional. I'd not noticed the white 'landing lights' at the base of the front of the wings before.

Borkhausenia fuscescens


Peppered Moth Biston betularia f. carbonaria




0644 Borkhausenia fuscescens 1
0870x Oegoconia sp. 1
0972 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana) 1
1036 Acleris forsskaleana 2
1205 Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana) 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1331 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) 4
1344 Eudonia mercurella 1
1405 Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis) 1
1424 Endotricha flammealis 8
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
1708 Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) ab. remutata 6
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) typical 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) f. carbonaria 2
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 1
2031 White Satin Moth (Leucoma salicis) 1
2044 Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola) 2
2047 Scarce Footman (Eilema complana) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 7
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 3
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 3
2341 Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula) 1
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 9
2381 The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 7
2382 The Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda) 1
2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Photos: Canon Powershot A640

Elton Bridgiscoping

A couple of shots taken near Elton Bridge. Shame the Whitethroat shot focussed on the umbellifer seedhead!

Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea


Whitethroat Sylvia communis


Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Leica APO77 20x

Stanground Wash NR

Back again for another look. As yesterday, the insects were the only reward.

Roesel's bush-cricket Metrioptera roeseli


Large Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas, female



Canon Powershot A640

Not Having a Butchers

A recent second hand report of a male Red-backed Shrike had me searching Stanground Wash NR this morning hoping for a butchers at a butcher. No luck there so snapped some of the extant wildlife. The Willow Warbler is one of the first shots digiscoped using the A640 through my Leica APO77 and its 20x eyepiece; at some distance handheld using a centering sleeve.

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus


Mesembrina meridiana


Eristalis sp.


Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus


Orange Hawkweed Pilosella/Hieracium aurantiacum


Thanks to Kevin Du Rose for help with the naturalised plant and the nice people at the Diptera Forum for the fly ID.

Photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Some new moths

The last few sessions have been a busier in the garden moth trap with 89 species recorded in all, among them two firsts for me (first two photos).

Catoptria pinella


Twin-spot Carpet Perizoma didymata


Brown-tail Euproctis chrysorrhoea



Dot Moth Melanchra persicariae


Acleris forsskaleana


Oegoconia sp.


The 89 species:
Bird-cherry Ermine (Yponomeuta evonymella)
Orchard Ermine (Yponomeuta padella)
Ypsolopha scabrella
Batia unitella
Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella)
Bryotropha affinis
Oegoconia sp.
Agapeta hamana
Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis heparana)
Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana)
Variegated Golden Tortrix (Archips xylosteana)
Clepsis consimilana
Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana)
Cnephasia sp.
Grey Tortrix (Cnephasia stephensiana)
Acleris forsskaleana
Acleris holmiana
Celypha striana
Celypha lacunana
Ancylis achatana
Bud Moth (Spilonota ocellana)
Grapholita janthinana
Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Crambus perlella
Catoptria pinella
Catoptria falsella
Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella)
Dipleurina lacustrata
Eudonia mercurella
Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata)
Udea prunalis
Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)
Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis)
Endotricha flammealis
Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella)
Trachycera suavella
Pempelia formosa
Thistle Ermine (Myelois circumvoluta)
Euzophera pinguis
Emmelina monodactyla
Chinese Character (Cilix glaucata)
Dwarf Cream Wave (Idaea fuscovenosa)
Small Dusty Wave (Idaea seriata)
Single-dotted Wave (Idaea dimidiata)
Small Scallop (Idaea emarginata)
Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)
Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata)
Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)
Barred Straw (Eulithis pyraliata)
Brown Scallop (Philereme vetulata)
Twin-spot Carpet (Perizoma didymata)
Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)
Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)
The Magpie (Abraxas grossulariata)
Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata)
Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)
Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria)
Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)
Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri)
Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi)
Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor)
Brown-tail (Euproctis chrysorrhoea)
Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis)
Dingy Footman (Eilema griseola)
Common Footman (Eilema lurideola)
Short-cloaked Moth (Nola cucullatella)
Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis)
Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)
Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (Noctua janthe)
Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum)
Dot Moth (Melanchra persicariae)
Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea)
The Clay (Mythimna ferrago)
Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura)
The Sycamore (Acronicta aceris)
Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica)
The Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)
Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha)
Cloaked Minor (Mesoligia furuncula)
Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.)
Small Dotted Buff (Photedes minima)
Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea)
The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines)
The Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda)
Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus)
Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana)
The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)
The Fan-foot (Herminia tarsipennalis)

Photos taken with Canon Powershot A640

Sitochroa palealis et al

A lunchtime outing to Serpentine BP and Jones' Covert with Weedon's World of Nature, the first for while. I'd brought along some pheromone lures but we were unsuccessful with these. Perhaps the weather conditions were not ideal or the moths were just not flying yet. However such trips are rarely a waste of effort and my tendency not to ignore anything flitting past no matter how seemingly small and insignificant got me some great pics of a reasonably rare moth and a first for me.

Sitochroa palealis is a mainly immigrant species with only 26 previous records for Hunts (VC31). It is established in some parts of Cambridgeshire and may even be breeding locally.

Sitochroa palealis



Endotricha flammealis


Brown China-mark Elophila nymphaeata


Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa, female



Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum, immature male



Cheilosia illustrata


All shots taken with Canon Powershot A640

Weekend's Moths

This is still rather a slow season in the garden but things are picking up a bit. Here are some photos from the weekend's recording.

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria


Gold Triangle Hypsopygia costalis


White Plume Moth Pterophorus pentadactyla


Common Footman Eilema lurideola


Phtheochroa rugosana


Canon A640

6 July
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1
0925 Phtheochroa rugosana 1
1016x Cnephasia sp. 4
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1115 Ancylis achatana 3
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 3
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 3
1413 Gold Triangle (Hypsopygia costalis) 1
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 2
1470 Euzophera pinguis 1
1702 Small Fan-footed Wave (Idaea biselata) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) 5
1921 Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) 1
1922 Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria) 1
1937 Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria) 3
1976 Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) 1
1994 Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 6
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 1
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta) 1
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 2
2283x Dark/Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens agg.) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 4
2381 The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 6
2382 The Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda) 1
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1
2489 The Fan-foot (Herminia tarsipennalis) 2

8 July
0161 Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina) 1
0647 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0994 Clepsis consimilana 1
1010 Red-barred Tortrix (Ditula angustiorana) 1
1016x Cnephasia sp. 2
1020 Grey Tortrix (Cnephasia stephensiana) 2
1048 Garden Rose Tortrix (Acleris variegana) 1
1083 Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) 1
1115 Ancylis achatana 4
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 5
1338 Dipleurina lacustrata 3
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
1344 Eudonia mercurella 1
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1
1380 Phlyctaenia perlucidalis 1
1390 Udea prunalis 1
1424 Endotricha flammealis 2
1458 Thistle Ermine (Myelois circumvoluta) 1
1690 Small Blood-vein (Scopula imitaria) 2
1705 Dwarf Cream Wave (Idaea fuscovenosa) 1
1713 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata) ab. remutata 1
1921 Scalloped Oak (Crocallis elinguaria) 1
1976 Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1
2050 Common Footman (Eilema lurideola) 4
2107 Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba) 4
2160 Bright-line Brown-eye (Lacanobia oleracea) 3
2283x Dark/Grey Dagger (Acronicta tridens agg.) 1
2321 Dark Arches (Apamea monoglypha) 5
2343x Common Rustic agg. (Mesapamea secalis agg.) 3
2345 Small Dotted Buff (Photedes minima) 1
2381 The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 8
2434 Burnished Brass (Diachrysia chrysitis) f. aurea 1
2489 The Fan-foot (Herminia tarsipennalis) 4