Saturday, 9 Aug 2025
Another two insects added today with Acorn Weevil (Curculio glandium) and Wall Mason Wasp (Ancistrocerus parietum). I also added a female Kite-tailed Robberfly (Machimus atricapillus) and an adult Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) to my image gallery. The purple fruits of the Common Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), sometimes referred to as dogberries, are now ripening. They look […]
Sunday, 10 Aug 2025
Although I have seen it before, at Warnham Nature Reserve in West Sussex and on Park Downs only 2 miles from here, this morning I recorded European Hornet (Vespa crabro) on the Downs for the first time. Although I watched it darting round for a few minutes, it did not land anywhere so I was […]
Monday, 11 Aug 2025
Butterfly numbers generally are dwindling, although Small Copper numbers have increased again. Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown still dominate, but there are still significant numbers of Chalkhill Blue, even though these are starting to look increasingly worn and tatty. The odd Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and Brimstone are still to be seen. There were no new […]
Tuesday, 12 Aug 2025 – Park Downs
Having been alerted to the presence of several Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies at Park Downs, another of the Banstead Commons Conservators properties, I decided to try my luck. I did find a single male and will restrict my post to images of the species not yet seen on Banstead Downs (with the exception of the hoverfly). […]
Thursday, 14 Aug 2025
Butterfly numbers greatly reduced. Small Copper is now the dominant species. A few Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), Small White (Pieris rapae), Speckled Wood and Gatekeeper still present. New insects added were Large Rose Sawfly (Arge pagana) and an unexpected passenger on my shorts after walking along the edge of the sheep enclosure, a Castor Bean Tick […]
Friday, 15 Aug 2025
New insect today another one of those very confusing ichneumon wasp males that all look very similar. My best guess on this one and it could be the most appropriate name for it in this case is Ichneumon confusor. On the upper surface of an English Oak leaf I came across what I believe to […]
Sunday, 17 Aug 2025
New insects added were the caterpillar of the Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi) and a female Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis). This the first species of damselfly recorded on the Downs and together with the Southern Hawker dragonfly only the second member of the Odontata. I discovered an Apple Leaf Miner moth (Lyonetia clerkella) leaf mine […]
Tuesday, 19 Aug 2025
A migrating Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) spent a good part of the day searching for insects, spiders and worms from its perches on the fenceposts of the new sheep enclosure. I spent quite a while chasing it from post to post before finally getting a decent photo. I found leaf mines of the larva of […]
Thursday, 21 Aug 2025
Today I was invited to take part in a search with someone from Butterfly Conservation UK and from the Banstead Commons Conservators, looking for a rare moth species, the Surrey Midget (Phyllonorycter scabiosella). More specifically we were looking for the leaf mines caused by the larva of the moth on the basal leaves of Small […]
Friday, 22 Aug 2025
Two new insects today, a Mother of Pearl moth (Patania ruralis) and a Silver Birch Aphid (Euceraphis betulae), as well as leaf mines on a birch leaf caused by larvae of the Birch Tortrix (Epinotia immundana) moth and on oak leaves caused by larvae of the Oak Cloud (Acrocercops brongniardella) moth and a Stigmella sp. […]
Saturday, 23 Aug 2025
There are two reliable locations for seeing the Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) dragonfly and I was fortunate to see it at both this morning. It is such a strong, fast flyer and rarely seems to settle anywhere that getting photos is extremely difficult. The larvae in the Buckthorn Bent-wing (Bucculatrix frangutella) leaf mines are now leaving […]
Monday, 25 Aug 2025
Very few butterflies on the wing. A few Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood, a single Large White and some distant unidentified blues. The Common Sycamore Aphid that have been keeping tight formation in aestivation on the underside of sycamore leaves for the past few months have vanished. They will have dispersed and migrated to other sycamore […]
Wednesday, 27 Aug 2025
Butterfly numbers are dwindling. Just a few Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) and Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) to be seen. New insects were Large Tiphia (Tiphia femorata) wasp and a Lauxaniid fly, possibly Meiosimyza rorida. Nature note for the day I think most of us associate holly with Christmas, with wreaths and […]
Thursday, 28 Aug 2025
Only Speckled Wood and Small Copper butterflies to be seen today. Some of the Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) took a liking to some rotting apples beneath a Crab Apple tree. New species added were a leafhopper (Arboridia ribauti) on a Wild Cherry leaf, a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis) and a possible Banded Comb-Footed Spider […]
Saturday, 30 Aug 2025
A surprisingly large number of Small Copper still, which is by far the dominant butterfly, with a few Small White and Meadow Brown. New species added were a Sycamore Moth (Acronicta aceris) caterpillar, Diamond-back Marble (Eudemis profundana) moth, Oak Borer (Agrilus angustulus) beetle and Sallow Gall Midge (Iteomyia capreae) galls on Salix sp. leaf. […]
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2025
Second scorcher in a row. I even aborted my walk at 09:30 as it was a good 4-5 degrees hotter than yesterday at the same time. Not too much insect activity either. Most of the plants are looking distinctly frazzled, even the hogweed. Did manage a nice photo of a Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) on […]
Thursday, 3 Jul 2025
We had 2 hours of rain yesterday morning but still need a lot more. On the butterfly front there were good numbers of Common Blue, Small Copper, Green-veined White, Marbled White, Brown Argus and Speckled Wood. Coup of the day was locating two Striped Shieldbug (Graphosoma italicum) in a patch of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium). […]
Friday, 4 Jul 2025 – Polesden Lacey
Just for a change of scenery, I paid a visit today to the National Trust property of Polesden Lacey near Great Bookham in Surrey. I am posting only those species that I have not seen on Banstead Downs and in the case of the first two, may never see on the Downs. […]
Saturday, 5 Jul 2025
Heavily overcast and breezy morning so conditions not great for photography. Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterfly numbers increasing dramatically, probably the most prominent species right now. Saw (and heard!) a pair of very noisy Jay (Garrulus glandarius) in the oak trees at the south end of the sheep grazing enclosure. There is a Common Red Soldier […]
Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025
An unexpected curtailment of this morning’s walk, but 30 minutes was enough for me to locate a 22-spotted ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata) larva on Hogweed. Also found another new flower, one of my summer favourites, Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris). […]