Explore the diverse flora and fauna on the Downs from season to season through personal observations and photographs

Tuesday, 29 April 2025

Latest addition to the butterfly list is Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages), while I saw my first ever Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria) and Muslin moths (Diaphora mendica). A shield bug seen on hawthorn blossom turned out not to be a Hawthorn Shield Bug but rather a Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina).

Yesterday I saw only apterous adults, but today I added alate (winged) adult Sycamore Periphyllus Aphid (Periphyllus acericola) on the same tree. Although first seen on 12th April and again yesterday I finally managed a reasonable photo today of a Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major). It is usually seen hovering close to the ground, so hopefully if I ever see one land I might get a better focussed image.

 

         

Highlight of the day, though, was a distant (Google Earth tells me 280 m more or less) Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), only my second sighting on Banstead Downs in 11 years of walking here. At least the first time I got some photos of both buck and doe.

 

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