Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Peacock (Aglais io) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies are all now present in large numbers, as is the Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major). New today were Raspberry Beetle (Byturus ochraceus) swarming all over the dandelion flowers in one area, a Small Green Nettle Weevil (Phyllobius roboretanus) that landed conveniently on the back of my hand and a Walnut Orb-Weaver Spider (Nuctenea umbratica) that was cocooning a fly that she had snared in her web.

On one sycamore tree, in fact at different points along the same branch, I saw a caterpillar of the Mottled Umber moth (Erannis defoliaria), the galls of the Sycamore Gall Mite (Aceria cephalonea) and apterous (wingless) adult Sycamore Periphyllus Aphid (Periphyllus acericola) giving birth to nymphs. I was simply taking photos of the aphids as there was a mix of adults and nymphs and only on processing did I see that some of the images clearly showed that the adults were giving live birth. Some reading told me that this is the norm in late spring and summer, but in autumn eggs are laid that survive through the winter and in spring hatch and produce the adult aphids that then give live birth. A rather complex life cycle compared to many other insects, but that is what I find so fascinating with my periodic rambles on the Downs and what brings me back time and time again. The natural world is so full of things that we never give a second thought to and there is so much high quality information available on the Internet from experts in the various fields that I find myself sitting for hours researching the subject of my photos.

As for flowers, the only new appearance noted today was Wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica), although the most spectacular blossom right now has to be the huge ‘candles’ of the Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) trees. Also in full bloom are a few Wayfaring Tree (Viburnum lantana) and Common Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides).

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