Monday 8 June 2015

Privet Hawk-moths and Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorns

Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri
On Saturday I joined Mark Colvin at Kithurst Meadow where my eagle-eyed companion spotted a freshly emerged Privet Hawk-moth drying out. Another was seen within a metre. We also saw a white Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii f. albiflora) which had no spots on the leaves. Cinerous Pearl moths darted about, a Small Blue nectared on Bird's-foot Trefoil and a hare watched us from the adjacent meadow. A Red Admiral and a Holy Blue roosted in the hedgerow and a Hairy Dragonfly caught my attention.
We then headed to Burton Mill Pond where Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorns mated on Hemp Agrimony and I spotted a Reed beetle, Plateumaris affinis.
On Sunday I returned to Burton Mill Pond  and found four damselfly species: Azure, Blue-tailed, Common Blue and Large Red, plus a Broad-bodied Chaser. Also a Brown Silver-line moth and a Silver Y.

Afterwards I called in at nearby Lords Piece and found plenty of tiny Plain Fanner micro-moths and a Scarce Chaser. Field Crickets were vociferous.
Kithurst meadow:
Brown Hare, Lepus europaeus
Cinerous Pearl, Anania fuscalis on Quaking Grass, Briza media
Cinerous Pearl
Common Spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii f. albiflora
Hairy Dragonfly, male, Brachytron pratense
Holly Blue, Celastrina argiolus

Large White, Pieris brassicae
Privet Hawk-moth, Sphinx ligustri
Privet Hawk-moth
Privet Hawk-moth
Privet Hawk-moth
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta
Small Blue, Cupido minimus on Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lotus corniculatus

Yellow Rattle, Rhinanthus minor
Burton Mill Pond
Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn, Agapanthia villosoviridescens


Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorns mating
Saturday:
Azure Damselflies mating, Coenagrion puella
Azure Damselflies mating
Blue-tailed Damselflies mating, Ischnura elegans
female Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans form rufescens
female Blue-tailed Damselfly
Reed beetle, Plateumaris affinis
Reed beetle
Brown Silver-line, Petrophora chlorosata
Common Blue Damselfly, immature male, Enallagma cyathigerum
Cucumber Green Spider, Araniella cucurbitina
Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn, Agapanthia villosoviridescens
having a scratch
Nikon D90/Sigma 180 macro with ring flash
Lumix bridge camera
Greater Pond-sedge, Carex riparia
Large Red Damselfly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Scarce Chaser, Libellula fulva
Reed beetle, Plateumaris affinis
Silver Y, Autographa gamma
Lords Piece:
Tormentil Potentilla tormentilla
Broad-bodied Chaser, Libellula depressa
tiny Plain Fanner, Glyphipterix fuscoviridella
Plain Fanner

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