Linacre Insects - A New Species!

 I was down at Linacre on Thursday (29th) doing the last check on the nestboxes (more details to follow). The weather was pretty decent, with sunny spells and temperatures in the high teens, so I managed to spot a few insects too, including a new species for Linacre - Burnet Companion. 

Burnet Companion is a species of day-flying moth. It's pretty common, but hasn't been recorded here before, so this sighting was a very nice one.

Burnet Companion

Other species seen were: Common Blue Damselfly (3 males), Wall Brown ( 1 worn male), 1 Scorpion Fly, Nettletap (moth), Swollen-thighed Beetle, Large White (1) and a couple of hoverflies; Helophilus pendulus and Myathropa florea.

Common Blue Damselfly

Pleasley Dragons and Butterflies

 Yesterday, the temperatures hit 23 degrees, with lots of sun and blue skies, so Jayne and I drove across to Pleasley Pit to see if there were any dragon and damselflies about. In total, we saw 5 species and 6 species of butterfly.

The first damselflies we saw were Large Red Damselflies. In total, we saw a minimum of 15 pairs "in tandem" and ovipositing. Next up, were Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies, with just 1 of each seen. 

Two species of dragonfly were seen: Broad-bodied Chaser (1 male seen) and Four-spotted Chaser (2 seen).

Four-spotted Chaser

After the dragonflies, we had a quick check on the Small Blues. 10+ were seen, along with 1 Common Blue,  1 Holly Blue, 1 Orange Tip, 1 Brimstone, Large White and a single Burnet Companion (day-flying moth). 

Fineshade Wood - 3rd June 2023

 Jayne and I joined a Butterfly Conservation walk around Fineshade Wood today, in search of the Chequered Skipper. Unfortunately, despite walking around the site for approximately 3 hours, we didn't find any today.

We did, however, record other species, including a "lifer" in the shape of Grizzled Skipper.

Grizzled Skipper

Other species seen were: Red Admiral, Common Blue, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper and Painted Lady.

A couple of day-flying moths were also seen: Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion.

Burnet Companion

A Lackey moth caterpillar was also seen, along with a Green Tiger Beetle. 3 Hairy Dragonflies were spotted and a single Azure Damselfly was also seen.

Lackey caterpillar

Birdwise, it was quite quiet, but we did see/hear Red Kites, Buzzards, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Wren and Robin.

Lindrick Common - 20th June 2020

This spring has seen a lot of warm, dry weather and above average temperatures. As a result, butterflies seem to have been emerging earlier than usual, so I decided to go to Lindrick Common a couple of weeks earlier myself.

When I arrived, it was obvious that they vegetation hadn't kept pace with the butterflies and there were only a few flowering plants. The butterflies, however, were all present in good numbers, with 10+ Marbled Whites, 15+ Dark Green Fritillaries and at least 15 Silver-studded Blues (all but one being male). The temperature was around 20 degrees, so the Whites and Fritillaries were all pretty active. The blues, on the other hand, were the most confiding I've ever known, and posed, beautifully, with open wings.

Marbled White

Dark Green Fritillary (underwing)

Dark Green Fritillary 

Silver-studded Blue

Other species seen whilst there included my first Ringlets of the year, along with several Meadow Browns, 1 Large Skipper, and, best of all, a day-flying moth called a Burnet Companion, which was a lifer!

Burnet Companion

Three species of orchid were out, namely Bee (1), Pyramidal (c.15) and Common Spotted (c.10).