A little heat

When it rains, flying insects - quite understandably - keep a very low profile, and once the rain stops it takes a couple of days for them to emerge in any great numbers. After a couple of dry days, though, it seems that we have had a fresh start and everything is out again.

True Crane Flies are recognisable by their very long legs:

Crane fly Tipula fascipennis (female)

The larvae of Craneflies are the 'leatherjackets' that eat the roots of grasses, and can remain underground for over a year.

There are many species of Cranefly, and distributions are generally governed by availability of the favoured foodplant. The specimen above has a very distinctive white flash that extends to both edges of the wing, leading us to Tipula fascipennis. New to my species list.


Sexton Beetles are the great recyclers: they search out decomposing animal bodies and partially bury them by excavating beneath them. Their larvae then feed on the decomposing flesh, leaving the remnants of the buried corpse to return to the soil.

The Sexton Beetle Nicrophorus investigator

Speckled Wood butterflies are usually the first spring-emerging species that I see in any particular year, and the first generation lasts perhaps 6 weeks. Then, after a gap, their offspring emerge as a second generation:

Second generation Speckled Wood butterfly

If conditions are favourable, a third generation may appear around September.

I happened to notice today that Foxglove flowers are hairy inside:

Foxglove flowers

I can't really work out a reason for this (the just-visible orange reproductive parts are on the upper side of the tube). There would be no point in scraping pollen off onto the floor of the tube, so maybe it's just a doormat. (Late thought: the only insects that can successfully pollinate Foxgloves are those large enough to gather and transport pollen on their backs:  Bumblebees are an obvious candidate. So perhaps the hairs prevent smaller insects from stealing pollen without delivering any in return.)

Continuing my short series of grass images, this is False Oat-grass:

Flowers of False Oat-grass

Grasses do bear some serious examination: some of them are truly beautiful.

Dry nights usually mean a decent set of moths attracted to my lights at the front door. The newer energy-saving bulbs seem to attract more moths than the old tungsten filament bulbs, so it's a win-win set up.

This is the Clouded Border, which is one of the moths that looks most like a butterfly.

Clouded Border moth

The Flame Carpet has a bright orange-red central band on the wing which fades very quickly, especially if there has been any rain:

Flame Carpet moth

The Snout can be readily identified by the long mouthparts:

Snout moth

The Mottled Beauty can be separated from similar moths by the sickle-shaped leading part of the dark wing band:

Mottled Beauty

This next specimen caused me a bit of a problem - the markings look like scribbles - but it turns out to be a rather worn Double Dart, and is new to my Species list.

Double Dart moth

False dawn

The high pressure weather system lasted approximately 36 hours, so we're back to rain again.

A few of our day-flying moths are quite butterfly-like in appearance and habit, although the smaller size will generally be a major clue to the difference. This is the Clouded Border -  Lomaspilis marginata -  which is associated with various trees. In this location it will be Willow:

Clouded Border moth  - Lomaspilis marginata

There are quite a few different species of Soldier Beetle in this area. This all-red version (apart from the black knees) is Cantharis pallida:

 Soldier Beetle - Cantharis pallida

Given that we're in early June, I suspect that its close relative Rhagonycha fulva will soon be appearing everywhere, especially on the flowers of various Umbellifers.

This isn't a new fly to me - I see it every year - but it is a new identification. It's the Callophorid fly Lucilia caesar:

Callophorid fly  Lucilia caesar

The Callophorids contain Bluebottles, Greenbottles and Flesh Flies, which are all recyclers of carrion.

Ichneumonids are now around in large numbers. This is perfectly reasonable, since there are many caterpillars and other insect larvae around to parasitise. This one was flying between - and carefully inspecting - the unrolling fronds of Lady Fern, presumably looking for moth or sawfly larvae:

Ichneumonid on unfurling fern frond of Lady Fern

This moth larva might well be one of its targets, although I haven't identified it yet.

Moth larva on Cow Parsley

It was crawling up the stem of Cow Parsley, but it isn't one of the Umbellifer feeders. Perhaps it was just sheltering from the rain.

The worst day of the year

I truly hate the 22nd of June, because it means that we've turned the corner and the days will now get shorter for the next 6 months.

:cough:

Moving swiftly on, leaves with holes always attract my attention, and this Alder leaf got me very excited:

Notice a few things: the leaf has been grazed on one surface (the upper) only and there is a tiny hole in each grazing patch. That combination of features suggests only one type of beast: a Coleophora micromoth.

These assemble a case out of the little leaf patches, and they continue to graze with the protective case surrounding them:

There are only a few Coleophora species that mine Alder, and I quickly came down to Coleophora serratella, which feeds on a few broad-leaved trees.

New to me.

The good warm weather keeps the moths coming at night. Last night I was taking a few shots and I felt the buffeting wind from the wings of this Poplar Hawkmoth before I saw it. Last year I showed the progress of one of these as it developed as a caterpillar, and I'm delighted to find this pristine specimen. A lovely beast:

The Mottled Beauty - Alcis repandata repandata - feeds on a wide variety of broadleaf trees:

My favourite little moth - Clouded Border - is a milestone for my camera: this is the 60,000th shot:

Same again

Another thundery night, with warm, still, air between the showers, so I got another large batch of moths to light.

A nice pairing of the dark form of White Ermine - Spilosoma lubricipeda - (left) and Clouded Border - Lomaspilis marginata - (right).


Four new species for me: Buff Arches - Habrosyne pyritoides.


Barred Straw - Eulithis pyraliata:


Beautiful Golden Y - Autographa pulchrina:

The Flame - Axylia putris.


And one that I had last year: Heart and Dart - Agrotis exclamationis:

When you're out for a walk at the moment and you see a small cream moth flying along and then hiding upside down under leaves or grass, this is probably the culprit: Straw Dot - Rivula sericialis.