The Alijar Hacienda

Rustic it may have been but the owners were very friendly, there was plenty to eat at breakfast and its 13th century character certainly came through. The huge wind turbines in the adjacent fields were less attractive.

The crew searching the area:



And what we found there:
The Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)


Bryony Ladybird Epilachna argus - click for larger image


Rustic rural charm








Nikon CP995

Next - What a Bonanza

Arriving in Southern Spain

We made great time getting down to Jerez on Friday evening but delays by the hire car agents meant that hoped for late evening birding was out as we headed off to our rustic hacienda accommodation at Alijar near Sanlucar.

Somehow these dodgy characters were allowed into the country!



A look around the hacienda in the night produced a calling Scop's Owl, seen in the lamplight on the roofs and these nocturnal beasties.

Scarce Bordered Straw (Heliothis armigera)


Idaea manicaria


Sutigera coleoptrata (A centipede relative)


Nikon CP995

Next - The Alijar Hacienda

Garden Moths

16 moths of 10 species in the garden MV trap this morning. The Green Carpets were particularly fresh and green.

0986 Syndemis musculana, 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria), 4
1832 Currant Pug (Eupithecia assimilata), 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata), 2
1979 Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae), 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina), 2
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica), 2
2078 Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis), 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola), 1
One micro retained for ID
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris), 1
Ophion sp. (Ophion sp.), 1

Lime Hawk-moth (Mimas tiliae)


Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)


Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)


Syndemis musculana


Currant Pug (Eupithecia assimilata)


Micro for ID (forewing = 5mm)


Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)


Ophion sp. (Ichneumon)


Nikon CP995

Moths at Stibbington

The only decent night for nocturnal insects for ages so traps were out at home and at Stibbington Pits LNR.

0649 Esperia sulphurella, 1
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia), 1
1725 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata), 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria), 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata), 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi), 1
1997 Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula), 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac), 1
2007 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula), 6
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina), 2
2028 Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda), 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda), 3
Black Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus humator), 1
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha), 18

Pale Tussock (Calliteara pudibunda), male



Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata)


Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)


Pebble Prominent (Eligmodonta ziczac)


Sallow Kitten (Furcula furcula)


White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda)


Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata


Nikon CP995

The Island, Elton

A favourite walk around Elton along either side of the River Nene just downstream of Elton Bridge. As well as those insects pictured here there were plenty of Nettle-tap moths (Anthophila fabriciana).

Cercopis vulnerata (a Froghopper)


Ephemera vulgata (a Mayfly), male


Adele rufimitrella (a longhorn moth)


Nikon CP995

Pond Life

A couple more scenes from our small garden pond. Click on the pictures for larger images.

Common Frog (Rana temporaria)


Common Frog (Rana temporaria) and Helophilus pendulus (a hoverfly)


Water Measurers (Hydrometra stagnorum?)


Nikon CP995

Helophilus pendulus

All the pictures here are of a female. The important identification features:

• twin, bold yellow stripes on the thorax;
  
• black stripe down the middle of the yellow 'face';
  
• yellow hind margin to tergites 3 and 4 (near abdomen tip);
  
• hind femur third to half pale and hind tibia half or more yellow;
  

Click on the pictures for larger images (about 100kb each).




Nikon CP995

Helophilus key

Cuckoo's Hollow

Tonight was a planned moth night at the Cuckoo's Hollow area of Werrington. Previous sessions have been very successful (see blogs passim) but with a strong northeasterly wind blowing and a low nighttime temperature forecast I was worried we would have nothing to see at all. I needn't have worried.

There was a huge turnout of local wildlife fans, including eight children and we made an early start in the daylight by beating some of the trees and bushes. The most productive area was a patch of Hawthorn that had been in the late afternoon sun and out of the wind. Three Hawthorn Shieldbugs, an Epistrophe elegans (hoverfly) and the only dayflying moth, Incurvaria masculella were the result as well as a number of other insects (mainly weevils) and spiders.

The lights went on at dusk and a steady stream of moths were enough to keep up your interest until we packed up at around 11pm.

0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus), 1
0130 Incurvaria masculella, 1
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria), 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata), 2
2007 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula), 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina), 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta), 3
2102 Flame Shoulder (Ochropleura plecta), 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens), 1

Two other insects came to light during the evening: a Dark Bush-cricket nymph and the Soldier Beetle Cantharis rustica.

A nocturnal gathering

Another gathering


Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus)


Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria)


Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)


Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula)


Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens)


Incurvaria masculella (female)


Cantharis rustica (a Soldier Beetle)


Dark Bush-cricket nymph (Pholidoptera griseoaptera)



Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata), beaten from Sycamore


Scarce Umber (Agriopis aurantiaria)


Nikon CP995