I didn’t see one of these large and well-marked flies for a while. Adult Graphomya maculata flies take nectar from flowers (in this case, Mint), but the larvae are predatory, feeding on other larvae in muddy pools and damp leaf litter.
This morning’s stars were two new moths for my garden, Least Yellow Underwing (Noctua interjecta) and Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata), among another big catch (132 moths of 44 species). As summer progresses there start to be more and more Yellow Underwings of different species, and the first Common Rustics.
The dried out lawn is looking pretty sad and brown. About the only flower left is Yarrow, which can obviously tolerate drought. Usually I would have mowed off the flower heads, but it seems a waste of time to mow the few spikes of grass seed-heads and plantain flowers that are poking up out of the dead turf. Besides it’s too hot! Talking Plantains, I noticed this mildew on some of the leaves; it is a mildew specific to Plantago species called Golovinomyces sordidus, a species I didn’t notice before.
Despite the sunny, warm days earlier in the year there were not that many butterflies, but with the current heatwave there start to be a lot, including species like Common Blue and Gatekeeper that I don’t see every year. So far 10 species this weekend: Small & Large White, Common & Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma and Brimstone, plus a Hummingbird Hawkmoth visiting the lavender.
A few different moths today, including two new ones: Brown-line Bright-eye (Mythimna conigera, #1025), which I also caught while trapping at a neighbour’s a few days ago, and Beech Mast Piercer (Cydia fagiglandana, #1026), a micro found around Beech trees. Still plenty of moths about - 94 individuals of 27 species recorded. All four below are “summertime” moths that fly in a single generation during July-August.
The conditions are too good, so I was trapping again last night; this time at home. There were lots of great moths (134 moths of 37 species), including no less than 8 Elephant Hawk Moths and 5 Ruby Tigers. Two new species. Bordered Beauty (Epione repandaria) and Many-plumed Moth (Alucita hexadactyla), and some others that I didn’t feature yet this season are pictured below.
Another warm night, this time trapping in the garden of some local friends. Didn’t catch as many moths as maybe I expected, but still a good variety and plenty of new ones for this year. Brown-line Bright-eye is not one that I’ve caught before.
These leaf mines are caused by the larvae of small flies burrowing through the leaves. Miners are specific to different families of plant. The pea leaf mine, Liriomyza pisivora, is one I haven’t recorded previously in the garden.
As well as the hawk moths and other interesting macros, the moth trap attracted a wide supporting cast of smaller moths: pugs, grass moths, greys and other micros. Here is a selection of the 44 species I was able to identify.
UK’s mini-heatwave means there’s plenty of moths. There were twenty-five Scarlet Tigers in and around the moth trap this morning, and three types of hawk-moth: Elephant, Small Elephant and Poplar.
A couple of new moths among a big haul of moths this morning. Lobster Moth, so named because of its very ugly crustacean-like caterpillars, is a fairly large woodland species found around beech & birch trees. Buff Aches is a very handsome moth whose caterpillars can be found on brambles. Both species fly in one generation around mid-summer.
Taking advantage of a lovely warm, still and dry evening, I caught a good selection of moths, including my first Elephant Hank-moths of the year.
Loved these beautiful red Common Poppies in the evening light on Bredon Hill, Worcestershire.
Lots of beetles taking pollen on the Hogweed flowers at Kemerton Lakes Nature Reserve. Mostly they were Swollen-thighed Beetle (Oedemera nobilis), of which there were very many, but I did also find this nicely marked Black & Yellow Longhorn (Rutpela maculata).
Not an ideal night for trapping, as it was a bit windy, but more moths again - 51 moths of 30 species, including several new ones for the year. Swallow-tailed Moth, The Miller and Common Carpet are not ones I catch very often.
This Dock leaf has been reduced to a lace-like skeleton. Turning it over the culprits are small black larvae of the Green Dock Beetle (Gastrophysa viridula).
This juvenile Jackdaw got itself grounded in our alley and couldn’t get airborne again. I put it up on a neighbouring roof to give it some height and get it away from the local cats, while all the other jackdaws in the area flew around checking what was going on. After a while an adult bird came down to check on the youngster, and then afterwards when I next looked both birds had gone - hopefully to somewhere safer.
A fairly typical selection of moths for the end of May. 17 moths of 15 species recorded, which is average for the time of year.
Been busy, so a small delay adding some photos from last week. These are fairly typical moths for May-June. plus the first Cockchafer of the year.
Found this fly, the first Snipefly for my garden, in the kitchen window. Rhagio scolopaceus is ab fairly large fly with long legs and distinctive black marks on the wings. It typically lives in woodland where its larvae grow in leaf litter. They are called “downlookers” as the males often perch on tree trunks looking down towards the ground, but this one is a female and was in a more up-looking mode.
#1018 Downlooker SnipeflY (Rhagio scolopaceus)
Passionate about nature, based in Gloucestershire UK; this site is about creating a wildlife friendly family garden and exploring the diversity of animal & plant species that share it with us.
As a nature lover and wildlife gardener I started wondering about the biodiversity in my backyard and just how many species from plants to insects to birds to mammals might live in or visit it.
Much of the wildlife in my small, village garden has been present right under my nose for years without my really appreciating it, so on the way I am learning a lot about different species and how to make a wildlife-friendly environment for them; also getting engaged more in conservation activities around Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and the Cotswolds.
My garden species tally started from zero on June 1st 2018, the target was 1000 species, which I eventually hit in June 2024. But there’s still plenty to see and learn about.
I'm very interested in your comments & advice: whether it's about the blog, some help with identification or just how to make my own little Eden better for wildlife. So please leave a comment or drop me a line if you feel like it!
Graham Tompsett
microedenproject@gmail.com
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