West Penwith Wildlife

Our annual pilgrimage to the far west of Cornwall yielded a excellent haul of wildlife images. This post very nearly didn't happen due to the mysterious case of the disappearing SD card. The card then miraculously and happily appeared at the bottom of a very unlikely rucksack on our return. Phew!

The wildlife was dominated by a strong passage of Manx Shearwaters over the sea on several days but the only Balearic Shearwater to show, which landed very close to the house and well within filming range, unfortunately left before I could fire up the equipment. Otherwise the highlights were an amazing Ocean Sunfish, several Basking Sharks, a single Harbour Porpoise and a couple of playful Grey Seals that approached the canoe near the Minack Theatre. I'm sure one was purposely surfacing just behind the boat and expelling air suddenly to try and make us jump.

Ocean Sunfish Mola mola

You get an idea of scale as this medium sized Basking Shark passes the Pilot Gig 'Brisons' just off Sennen Cove.

Basking Shark Cetorhinus maximus

This Slow Worm appeared on the path in front of us during a long walk in the Bosigran Farm area between Zennor and Pendeen.

Slow Worm Anguis fragilis

One of the more intriguing beasts was this tiny, early instar nymph of a scarce bug spotted by Alex while climbing in the idilic, secluded cove of Green Bay near Porthcurno. It really is very small indeed but rather distinctive with the spiky and hairy legs and antennae and striking colouring. It is a specialists of soft cliffs and dunes.

Boat Bug Enoplops scapha, 2nd instar nymph

The Emperor Moth is striking enough as an adult, but as a caterpillar it is a mean, green, eating machine.

Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia, larva

OK, some more insects. No pics of the Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and Painted Ladies that were around the coasts (and over the sea at times) though I'm afraid.

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum

Field Grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus

Oh yes, and birds. Sennen Cove has had increasing numbers of Mediterranean Gulls every time I return and this year there were 30 or so. Here are a few in different plumage states and a Kittiwake, a species that joined them in varying numbers on the shoreline.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus

Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla

The default passerine of the clifftops:

Stonechat Saxicola rubicola

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Athalia Sawfly

This genus of sawflies is difficult to identify to species but I've read that the arrangement of teeth on the ovipositor of the female can be used and, happily this is a female. The USB microscope has revealed some detail so posting this on the offchance that someone has the necessary literature and can help.

Athalia sp. female 'saw' detail

Honeysuckle Moth

Another addition to the garden moth list. Quite a common moth so surprising it hasn't turned up before. A rather distinctive little fella with the characteristic ypsolopha 'headstand' resting posture but a more individual upturned and divided wingtip.

Honeysuckle Moth Ypsolopha dentella

More microscopic fun

A couple more insects identified with the help of the little USB microscope. The first is a possibly scarce leafhopper dependent on elm. Unfortunately deceased, but the closeup shows the three spurs on the tip of the hind femur typical of the genus. The only other species has no all-green form.

The fearsome large red ichneumon is a common species, one of two with these yellowish markings around the head and thorax. The other differs in the distance of the ocelli (the black 'eyes' in the middle of the head) from the occipital carina (the faint brown suture line at the back of the head) and the shape of the abdomen.

Iassus scutellaris

Ophion obscuratus

Canon Powershot SX50 HS and USB microscope

Black Arches and a garden first

Not a huge catch but some properly scarce moths among them. Black Arches is a real favourite with those amazing antennae and the striking black and white 'plumage'. It is a woodland species so can be unusual in less arboreal gardens and this is only the second here. Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix however is a garden first and a moth I've only ever recorded once before elsewhere. There was also a third for the garden in the shape of a Tawny Speckled Pug but I didn't get a photo unfortunately.

Black Arches Lymantra monacha

Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix Pandemis corylana

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

TL0894 insects

Alder Spittlebug is a common froghopper but it was interesting to see this pair in cop. Speckled Bush-cricket appeared in the garden as well as out in the wider 1km square where there were also Lesser Marsh Grasshoppers. List creeping up to 456.

Alder Spittlebug Aphrophora alni

Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima

Lesser Marsh Grasshopper Chorthippus albomarginatus

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Microscopic examination

Although I've not had anything like enough time available to make a serious attempt at the 1000 species in 1sq km challenge I have been keeping the list going, mainly with the contents of the moth trap. It is now on 438. Among the moths are usually some other identifiable insects and a new toy has helped pin down one of these. The flower bug Lygus pratensis is very similar to others of the genus, all of which are rather variable in colour and markings. According to this source they can be distinguished on the basis of the tiny hairs on the corium (base of the wing area). Although it is a red data book species it has spread a lot throughout southern Britain and is probably a lot more common now. In any case it was a nice subject for my new USB microscope toy which is just up to the job of picking out the necessary detail.

Lygus pratensis

On a slightly different tack I also came across a party of 6 larvae mining a sorrel leaf in our veg patch recently. A rather large larva that turns out to be this leaf-mining fly that feeds on docks, etc.

Pegomya solennis

Canon Powershot SX50 HS and USB microscope

Lesser Cream Wave

Recent moth trapping sessions in the garden have produced a few new records including this pale wave species. Purple Throrn is just a great moth. A few turn up every year but this year the first generation in spring did not appear so it has been nice to get a few of the second generation in summer.

Ruddy Carpet was another garden first. A rather attractive moth when fresh, unfortunately this one turned up on a night of heavy rain and as a consequence is well past its best unfortunately.

Lesser Cream Wave Scopula immutata

Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria

Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Silver-washed Fritillary, Southey Wood

Lots of Crossbills being seen at the moment so I took a lunchtime dash to Southey Wood. Didn't see any but did find at least 3 of these huge butterflies.

Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

More moths as temperatures soar

So as the mercury creeps ever upwards the numbers of moths attracted to the light trap keeps going up. Among them some worthy of note. Buff-tip is nowhere near as common as it used to be. A large moth that does a very good impersonation of a birch twig. Buff Arches on the other hand has never been numerous but a few turn up every year. White Satin seems to be increasing in numbers. The striking micros without a common name are the 2nd or 3rd record for the garden: E. dodecea is a bit of a scarcity in Hunts with perhaps less than half a dozen records.

Buff-tip Phalera bucephala

Buff Arches Habrosyne pyritoides

White Satin Moth Leucoma salicis

Aethes rubigana

Batia lunaris

Ethmia dodecea

Zeiraphera isertana

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Hot July moths

The warm weather has been bringing some top quality moths to the garden in the past week. Lilac Beauty is probably the best and only the second record here as is The Drinker. There have been a couple of Heart & Clubs, which aren't that usual either (note the feathered antennae except for about the last quarter, this and dark hindwing separate it from Heart & Dart or Turnip Moth).

Lime Hawk-moth used to be the most frequent hawk-moth in the garden but in recent years has been absent or down to a single record so that's pretty scarce too these days.

Lime Hawk-moth Mimas tiliae

Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila elpenor

Lilac Beauty Apeira syringaria

The Drinker Euthrix potatoria

Common Emerald Hemithea aestivaria

Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria

Figure Of Eighty Tethea ocularis

Heart & Club Agrotis clavis

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Moths of late June

Some notable moths appearing in the garden trap in the past week or so. Orange Footman is only the second record and Heart & Club only the fourth but the micro is a first. I've gone for A. spinosella rather than A. subfusca as it is a month earlier than my records of the latter and the upper wing has less contrast and more strongly defined strigulae.

I've also included a medley of hawks and a prominent here.

Argyresthia spinosella

Orange Footman Eilema sororcula

Heart & Club Agrotis clavis

From the top: 2 Small Elephant Hawk-moths Deilephila porcellus, 2 Privet Hawk-moths Sphinx ligustri, a Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi and an Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus

Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina

Canon Powershot SX50 HS

Lesser Stag Beetle and Tree Bees

A couple of six-legged stars of the garden at the moment. The Tree Bees are nesting in a bird box.

Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus

Tree Bee nest Bombus hypnorum

Canon Powershot SX50 HS