Red-headed Cardinal and a Common Sweep

Ringed Plover chick, Charadrius hiaticula

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On Tuesday I did my Mill Hill transect again and found the Adonis Blues still flying. I also saw a Treble-bar moth and a Straw-barred Pearl micromoth (Pyrausta despicata). I then wandered round Woods Mill and found more micro fauna, including the tiny Small Nettle Weevil (2-3mm), Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars, a Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, a female Green Dock Beetle, a soldier beetle (Cantharis fusca), a Small Barred Long-horn moth and a Brilliant Emerald dragonfly. The most interesting specimen was the caddis-like larva of the Common Sweep moth (Psyche casta). It built a case of tiny sticks about 15mm long which it dragged around the foliage, in this case a huge nettle leaf. It was on the same leaf two days later.

Tuesday's evening light was excellent so I visited the Ringed Plover family on the beach. One parent walked onto the road and ran across. It flew off when vehicles roared by. I assume it was searching for dead insects deposited by the traffic.

Straw-barred Pearl, Pyrausta despicata

Woods Mill:

Common Nettle-tap, Anthophila fabriciana

Beautiful Demoiselle, Calopteryx virgo

Common Sweep larva, Psyche casta

Drinker, Euthrix potatoria

female Green Dock Beetle, Gastrophysa viridula

Harlequin Ladybirds mating, Harmonia axyridis succinea

Small Nettle Weevil, Nedyus quadrimaculatus

Red-headed Cardinal beetle, pyrochroa serraticornis

Small Barred Long-horn, Adela croesella

Small Nettle Weevil, Nedyus quadrimaculatus

Small Tortoiseshell larvae, Aglais urticae

Soldier beetle, Cantharis fusca

Umbillifers

Yellow Dung Fly, Scatophaga stercoraria

the beach:

Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula