Monday, 2 Jun 2025
Heard a Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) calling this morning but couldn’t locate it. Lots of glimpses of something flitting around the treetops but no clear view. The insects were a lot easier to see and I added some new ones with Green Oak Tortrix moth (Tortrix viridana), Wilke’s Mining Bee (Andrena wilkella) and a hoverfly, Banded […]
Wednesday, 4 Jun 2025
Several Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) calling this morning but still no clear sighting. It was a very good day for insects with lots of new additions – Common Froghopper (Philaenus spumarius), Yellow-lined Plant Bug (Deraeocoris flavilinea), Small Green Pot Beetle (Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis), Meadow Tortrix moth (Grapholita compositella), Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes?), Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) and Tapered Drone […]
Saturday, 7 Jun 2025
The first Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) of the summer on the Downs put in appearance this morning – well the first I have really noticed anyway. There was also a small flock of 6 or 7 Common Swift (Apus apus) swooping low over the main grassland area hawking insects. The insect list continues to swell. […]
Monday, 9 Jun 2025
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) butterflies are starting to appear, while it was yet another good day for other insects. New sightings were 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana), a leaf-curling sac spider (Clubiona lutescens), Variable Tenthredo (Tenthredo livida) and a Lauxaniid fly (Minettia inusta). On a large stand of as yet non-flowering […]
Wednesday, 11 Jun 2025
On a heavily overcast and quite breezy morning I saw literally one butterfly, a Marbled White. Other insects added to the year’s tally were Marbled Orchard Tortrix (Hedya nubiferana) and a Running Crab Spider (Philodromus albidus) on Hemp-agrimony. On some holly near the prison I noted the presence of the Holly Leaf Miner (Phytomyza ilicis) as […]
Thursday, 12 Jun 2025
Not seen since 5th April one of the resident Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) swooped low enough near me that I was able to get a decent photo with just a 135 mm lens. A second wave of Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) butterflies seems to be starting, and there were also large numbers of Speckled Wood (Pararge […]
Friday, 13 Jun 2025
On a very hot humid day with only a gentle breeze Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) are still present in large numbers along with Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) but today outnumbered by Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) which seems to be reaching peak numbers. Some new additions were Artichoke Beetle (Sphaeroderma testaceum), Silver Y moth (Autographa gamma) […]
Saturday, 14 Jun 2025
Very windy again today. Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) still the dominant butterfly, seemingly on every patch of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense). Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) are definitely increasing in numbers. An insect added to the year’s list was Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) moth. On a Hogweed I came across a Flower Crab Spider (Misumena […]
Monday, 16 Jun 2025 – London Wetland Centre
Something different today. I spent the morning at the London Wetland Centre. I usually go there for birdwatching, but decided this time to leave the 300 mm lens at home and concentrate instead on insects. I won’t give details of everything I saw, just post a gallery of the insects (and some snails) that you […]
Tuesday, 17 Jun 2025
Among the butterflies today was the first Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) of the season. New insects added were Brown Oak Tortrix (Archips crataegana) and the first tumbling flower beetle (Variimorda villosa) of the season. On the flower front the first of the Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) is close to blooming. Nature note for the […]
Saturday, 21 Jun 2025
The oppressive heat of the last week, with the 30°C mark being breached yesterday and no doubt again today coupled with no rain is starting to be seen. The grass verges along the woodland paths and main grassland areas are tinged with yellow. Highlight of the walk today occurred only 100 m onto the Downs […]
Monday, 23 Jun 2025
We need rain. There is a distinct straw-coloured tinge to all the greenery now. Marbled White is still the most numerous butterfly, Meadow Brown and Small Heath numbers are increasing and the latest to emerge in good numbers is Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus). Two weeks ago today I posted an image of the spectabilis form of […]
Wednesday, 25 Jun 2025
A few showers of rain yesterday, not that you’d notice. Still Marbled White butterflies everywhere you look and both Small Heath and Ringlet seem to be increasing in numbers. First sighting of the summer this morning of a single Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). Other insects seen were Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina) 3rd instar nymphs […]
Thursday, 26 Jun 2025
Latest butterflies to put in an appearance are Large White (Pieris brassicae), Green-veined White (Pieris napi) and Comma (Polygonia c-album). Other insects photographed were Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp (Cerceris rybyensis), Common Tachinid fly (Tachina fera), Roesel’s Bush-cricket (Roeseliana roeselii) and Dimorphic Strider sawfly (Macrophya montana). On a leaf of a Common Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) I came across what I think […]
Friday, 27 Jun 2025
Having seen my one and only Green-veined White (Pieris napi) this summer yesterday, another presented itself for a photo opportunity this morning. New additions to the insect list are Ringed Tubetail (Fagisyrphus cinctus) hoverfly and Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva), a major emergence of these, swarming all over Cow Parsley and Hogweed. Also, on the large […]
Saturday, 28 Jun 2025
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) are now the most numerous butterflies. New insects for this year’s Downs list are the flies Common Splay-wing (Phania funesta) and Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), an ichneumon wasp (possibly genus Trychosis, cf. T. legator), a possible Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes?) and the very photogenic (and […]
Monday, 30 Jun 2025
A scorcher today. It was 29°C already at 11:00. I’d normally be on the Downs then but have been home over an hour already. Saw the first Peacock (Aglais io) butterfly since 28th April and there were three new insects added to my list – Median Wasp (Dolichovespula media), Nettle-tap moth (Anthophila fabriciana) and a tumbling flower […]