Berner Oberland Wildlife

Mainly lepidoptera with assorted other things seen during a week in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. Most were in the Murren area.

Swallowtail Papilio machao

Moorland Clouded Yellow Colias palaeno

Alpine Heath Coenonympha gardetta

Titania's Fritillary Boloria titania

Mountain Fritillary Boloria napaea

Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene

Purple-edged Copper Lycaena hippothoe

Sooty Copper Lycaena tityrus, female

Yellow-spotted Ringlet Erebia manto

Large Wall Brown Lasiommata maera

Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica

Northern Eggar Lasiocampa quercus

Small Argent & Sable Epirrhoe tristata

Catastia marginea

Psodos quadrifaria

Six-spot Burnets Zygaena filipendulae

Anania funebris

Lampronia rupella

Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris

Roman Snail Helix pomatia

Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara

White-faced Darter Leucorrhinia dubia

Early Purple Orchid Orchis mascula

Small White Orchid Psuedorchis albid

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Glacier Crowfoot Ranunculus glacialis

Yellow Alpine Pansy Viola sp.

Unknown flower

Moss Campion Silene acaulis

Alpine Gentian Gentiana alpina

Huge recumbent fold

The Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps, winds its way into the distance, carving the valleys of the future on its 23km journey through the mountains

Small Emerald

Came to the kitchen window last night in the pouring rain.

Small Emerald Hemistola chrysoprasaria

Festooned with Hawks

The Festoon turns out to be pretty scarce in Hunts. Only 3 or 4 previous records I think.

The Festoon Apoda limacodes

Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus

Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor

Privet Hawk-moth Sphinx ligustri

Canon Powershot A640

0173 The Festoon (Apoda limacodes) 1
0647 Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella) 1
0970 Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (Pandemis cerasana) 1
1002 Lozotaenia forsterana 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 1
1115 Ancylis achatana 1
1293 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella) 1
1390 Udea prunalis 1
1392 Udea olivalis 1
1428 Bee Moth (Aphomia sociella) 1
1474 Ephestia parasitella 1
1711 Treble Brown Spot (Idaea trigeminata) 1
1765 Barred Yellow (Cidaria fulvata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 1
1958 Clouded Silver (Lomographa temerata) 1
1976 Privet Hawk-moth (Sphinx ligustri) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1
1992 Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 1
2128 Double Square-spot (Xestia triangulum) 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 1
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 1
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
2381 The Uncertain (Hoplodrina alsines) 1
Black Sexton Beetle (Nicrophorus humator) 1

Elephant Hawk

Another rather small catch last night but a few nice moths among them.

Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor



Peppered Moth Biston betularia


0787 Bryotropha terrella 2
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
1002 Lozotaenia forsterana 1
1076 Celypha lacunana 2
1392 Udea olivalis 1
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1
1860 Green Pug (Chloroclystis rectangulata) 1
1931 Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) 1
1991 Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila elpenor) 1
2061 Buff Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2089 Heart & Dart (Agrotis exclamationis) 8
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum) 1
2198 Smoky Wainscot (Mythimna impura) 1
2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 2
2333 Large Nutmeg (Apamea anceps) 1
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 2
2337x Marbled Minor agg. (Oligia strigilis agg.) 1
2380 Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica) 3
2477 The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis) 1

Canon Powershot A640

Kinver Cranefly

Encountered this cranefly during a trip to see the cave houses at Kinver Edge in Staffordshire. I reckon it is Ctenophora nigricornis.

The small patch of adjacent heathland had the highest density of Tree Pipits I've ever come across.

Ctenophora sp.

Canon EOS500D 18-55mm IS USM

Pale Tussock and Purple Bar

Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda

Purple Bar Cosmorhoe ocellata

Bradley Fen Dragons

A lunchtime trip to the insect-rich area south of the Millennium Bridge.

Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa

Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata

Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Swarowski ATM 80 HD x25-50

Grizzled Skipper, Easton Hornstocks

Another visit looking for herps. Only 1 Common Lizard and a lot of newts encountered but some good insects, including these and a few Treble-bar and Cinnabar moths and a Volucella bombylans hoverfly.

Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae

Anaglyptus mysticus, a longhorn beetle

Canon Powershot A640

Wasp Beetle, Garden

Nice longhorn beetle in the garden this morning. The Grass Snake was basking on the roof again.

Wasp Beetle Clytus arietis

Canon Powershot A640

Grass Snake on the roof

Found today occupying space under a tile on our house roof. Hopefully manage better shots at some point but in very awkward spot.

First Hawk-moth

Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi

Knot Grass Acronicta rumicis

Cockchafer Melolontha melolontha

Canon Powershot A640

0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 2
1776 Green Carpet (Colostygia pectinataria) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth (Laothoe populi) 2
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2289 Knot Grass (Acronicta rumicis) 1
2380 Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica) 1
2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 1
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) 8

Garden Red Kite

This Red Kite has taken to perching in a tree in the garden and calling incessantly. Up to 5 still wheeling around the house daily.

Canon EOS500D 70-30mm IS USM

Nene Washes Regulars

Nothing unusual here today. But some digiscoping opportunities.

Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Here's looking at you. A 'false face' on the nape.

Garganey Anas querquedula

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava

Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus

With added midges!

Digiscoped with Canon Powershot A640 and Swarowski ATM 80 HD x25-50

A few more moths

Nothing unusual but mainly different from yesterday.

Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica

Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina

Phtheochroa rugosana

Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica

Scrobipalpa costella

Canon Powershot A640

0819 Scrobipalpa costella 2
0925 Phtheochroa rugosana 1
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
1174 Epiblema cynosbatella 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 1
2011 Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina) 1
2063 Muslin Moth (Diaphora mendica) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2380 Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica) 1
Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) 6

Garden Grass Snake

Karen had a Grass Snake around our garden pond a couple of times today. Wow!