After the ringing session on Sunday, I stayed on at Linacre to enjoy the sunshine and go looking for some insects. I wasn't disappointed, and managed some very good numbers of butterflies (17 species, including a new one!), 3 new moths, 1 new ladybird species, 4 species of odanata and lots of hoverflies and bees.
First the butterflies. Species seen were: Purple Hairstreak (2, maybe up to 4 seen on oaks below the bottom reservoir on 12th), Meadow Brown ( a minimum of 32), Gatekeeper (9), Peacock (2), Large White (13), Small White (3), Green-veined White (6 feeding/drinking on mud on the top reservoir, Comma (7), Painted Lady (1 in the ringing site), Small Copper (2), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Speckled Wood (2) Ringlet (1), Red Admiral (1), Holly Blue (1 - my first Linacre record of the year), a single Brimstone (my first Linacre sighting this year), and the brand new species, Essex Skipper (seen feeding with a 6-spot Burnet moth).
The new moths seen were a single Ghost Moth (found in the ringing site) and a Dingy Footman (seen in vegetation by the middle reservoir. A couple of 6-spot Burnet moths were also seen in the field by the top reservoir (second record for Linacre) and a single Cinnabar Moth caterpillar was also spotted.
Odanata (dragonflies and damselflies) were represented by the first Brown Hawkers of the year (3), another hawker species (Migrant or Southern), a single male Blue-tailed Damselfly and 20+ (minimum) Common Blue Damselflies, including several pairs "in cop" (mating).
The new species of ladybird seen was a 14-spot, found on one of the ringer's hats!! A single Black and Yellow Longhorn Beetle was also found in the ringing site.
Last, but not least, a single Greylag Goose was seen on the top reservoir.
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