Old Lodge moths and Dukes

Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina

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This morning I visited Old Lodge Nature Reserve in north Sussex. This is a lovely empty heathland reserve which has a beautiful valley. Ponies graze and I saw 10 Common Heath moths which reminded me of Dingy Skippers. I was told that Oak Eggar and Emperor moths are seen there.

In the afternoon I visited the local Duke of Burgundy site where I saw four, including a female laying six eggs on one leaf. This was a result of the recent prolonged rain preventing egg laying as they normally lay one egg per leaf.

Old Lodge nature reserve:

Common Heath moth, Ematurga atomaria

Common Heath moth, Ematurga atomaria

Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis

Duke site:

Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis

7-spot ladybird, Coccinella 7-punctata

Dance fly, Empis tessellata

Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages

Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina

Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina, female laying eggs

Duke of Burgundy, Hamearis lucina, eggs

Green Longhorn moth, Adela reaumurella, female

Honey bee, Apis mellifera

Wasp Beetle, Clytus arietus