Mill Hill butterflies

Peacock, Inachis io

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

On Wednesday I did my Mill Hill transect: Brimstone, Chalkhill Blue 4, Comma, Common Blue, Essex skipper, Gatekeeper 51, Green-veined White, Marbled White 2, Meadow Brown 17, Painted Lady, Peacock 14, Red Admiral 4, Small White, moths: Six-spot Burnet 8, Rush Veneer. The patch of Hemp Agrimony  at the top of the hill was covered in Red Admirals, Peacocks,  a Painted Lady and a Comma. Chalkhill Blues have made a very poor start which is following the trend of Common and Adonis Blues on the site. As I stooped to photograph Wild Basil I noticed a black Adder curled up.

When I returned home a huge Harvestman greeted me on the door and at 8:15pm Sue noticed a rainbow on the horizon.

Buddleia, Buddleia davidii

This buddleia is usually a butterfly magnet and always has Peacocks and Red Admirals when in flower. I only saw Peacocks this time, and most of the action was on the nearby Hemp Agrimony.

Comma, Polygonia c-album

Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus

Essex Skipper, Thymelicus lineola

micro moth - id needed

Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui

Peacock, Inachis io

Ploughman's-spikenard, Inula conyzae

Ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Rush Veneer, Nomophila noctuella

Six-Spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae

Wild Basil, Clinopodium vulgare

Harvestman species

Adder, Vipera berus

Kithurst meadow's insect riches

Silver-washed Fritillary ♂, Argynnis paphia

to view a gallery with more photos, click here

On Monday afternoon I visited Kithurst meadow and found it in excellent condition with tall patches of Hemp Agrimony and plenty of Marjoram giving the air a lovely scent. There were not many Chalkhill Blues, which seems to be a continuing pattern for the Blues this year. There were plenty of butterfly species, including a couple of Painted Ladies.  I returned on Tuesday where I met Mark and we saw Su and Heidi who showed us the patch of Hemp Agrimony where the White-letter Hairstreak was seen recently. A male and female Silver-washed Fritillary nectared on the Hemp Agrimony.

Brown Argus, Aricia agestis

Dark Bush Cricket ♀, Pholidoptera griseoaptera

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea with Red Mite lava, Trombidium breei

Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina

moth larva - id needed

Pearl Veneer, Agriphila straminella

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Red Poppy, Papaver rhoeas

Red Soldier beetles mating, Rhagonycha fulva

Speckled Bush Cricket ♂, Leptophyes punctatissima

wasp - id needed

Tuesday:

Blood-vein, Timandra comae

Brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni

Brown Argus, Aricia agestis

Brown Argus ♀

Chalkhill Blue ♂, Lysandra coridon

Chalkhill Blue ♀

Cinnabar larva, Tyria jacobaeae

Common Blue ♂, Polyommatus icarus

Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata

Common Purple and Gold, Pyrausta purpuralis

Common Restharrow, Ononis repens

Common Toadflax, Linaria vulgaris

Dark Strawberry Tortrix, Celypha lacunana

Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus

Gatekeeper with Red Mite larva

Green-veined White, Pieris napi

Hemp Agrimony, Eupatorium cannabinum where the White-letter Hairstreak was seen

Large Skipper, female, Ochlodes sylvanus

Large White, Pieris brassicae

Meadow Brown ♀, Maniola jurtina

Nursery Web Spider, Pisaura mirabilis

Painted Lady, Vanessa cardui

Peacock, Inachis io

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus

Ringlet with Red Mite larvae

Round-headed Rampion, Phyteuma orbiculare

Silver Y, Autographa gamma

Silver-washed Fritillary ♀, Argynnis paphia

Six-Spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae

Small Purple and Gold, Pyrausta aurata

Small Skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris with Red Mite larva

Small White, Pieris rapae

Tree Damsel Bug, early instar nymph, Himacerus apterus

Wild Marjoram, Origanum vulgare

Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca

Brown Hare, Lepus europaeus