Monday 24 June 2019

Kithurst meadow blues

Small Blue, Cupido minimus
I visited Kithurst meadow on Friday and saw Small Blues, Common Blues a Large Skipper and Marbled Whites. There were many moths: Dark Strawberry Tortrix (the commonest moth on every site I visit), Clouded Border, Satin Grass Veneer, Straw Dot plus several micromoths which remain unidentified. At home several species visited our balcony: Common Plume, Small Dusty Wave, Willow Beauty.
unidentified bug

Cinnabar, Tyria jacobaeae

Clouded Border, Lomaspilis marginata

Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus

Common Green Capsid, Lygocoris pabulinus 

Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

unidentified Tortrix micromoth

unidentified Tortrix micromoth

unidentified Tortrix micromoth

unidentified medium-sized moth

pupa of case-bearing moth

Mirid bug, Orthotylus marginalis

Satin Grass-veneer, Crambus perlella

Small Blue, Cupido minimus

Straw Dot, Rivula sericealis
Balcony moths:
Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla

Small Dusty Wave, Idaea seriata

Willow Beauty, Peribatodes rhomboidaria

Friday 21 June 2019

Dark Green Fritillaries and Marbled Whites

Dark Green Fritillary, Argynnis aglaja

On Wednesday morning I visited Fairmile Bottom and met Neil Hulme who was also in pursuit of Dark Green Fritillaries. We saw many in flight and Neil was able to offer me a view of one roosting. Also seen were a Painted Lady, Meadow Browns, late emerging Grizzled Skippers, Marbled Whites, Common Blues and Large Skippers. Moths seen: Burnished Brass, Cinerous Pearl, Cinnabar, Common Plume, Dingy White Plume (Merrifieldia baliodactylus) - a Sussex rarity, Grey Gorse Piercer, many Hook-streak Grass-veneers, Meadow Grey, Red Piercer, Satin Grass-veneer, Yellow Shell.
Burnished Brass, Diachrysia chrysitis

Cinerous Pearl, Anania fuscalis

Cinnabar, Tyria jacobaeae

Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus

Common Milkwort, Polygala vulgaris

Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla

Common Spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x praetermissa (Dactylorhiza x grandis)
 a cross between Common Spotted Orchid and Southern Marsh Orchid, common where these two species coexist


Dark Green Fritillary, Argynnis aglaja

Dark Green Fritillary

Dark Green Fritillary

Dingy White Plume, Merrifieldia baliodactylus, a Sussex rarity

Dusky Cockroach, Ectobius lapponicus

Five-spot Burnet, Zygaena trifolii
Common Mouse-Ear, Cerastium fontanum

Garden Chafer, Phyllopertha horticola

Grey Gorse Piercer, Cydia ulicetana

Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae

Grizzled Skipper

Hook-streak Grass-veneer, Crambus lathoniellus

Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus

Marbled White, Melanargia galathea

Marbled White take-off

Marbled White

Marbled White

Meadow Grey, Scoparia pyralella

Mirid bug, Calocoris roseomaculatus

Red Piercer, Lathronympha strigana

Satin Grass-veneer, Crambus perlella

Yellow Shell, Camptogramma bilineata