Friday, 15 September 2023

Clifden Nonpareil aka Blue Underwing

Whenever a Clifden nonpareil moth visits the balcony it's a great mothing night. Wednesday night gave us a perfect specimen which obliged with an open wing pose after some encouragement with a paint brush. This followed the previous night's two Red Underwings. also cross channel experts. Conditions were perfect both nights - the sea was flat calm. It's been a good start to the month with some interesting mothy visitors.

Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini 


Red Underwing, Catocala nupta 

Red Underwing, Catocala nupta 

Channel Islands Pug, Eupithecia ultimaria 

Clancy's Rustic, Caradrina kadenii

Cypress Pug, Eupithecia phoeniceata 

L-album Wainscot, Mythimna l-album 

Olive-tree Pearl, Palpita vitrealis

possible Angle Shades larva, Phlogophora meticulosa 

Lacewing, Micromus species

Marbled Beauty, Bryophila domestica 

Dusky Thorn, Ennomos fuscantaria 

Garden Carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata 

Lesser Yellow Underwing, Noctua comes 

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Noctua fimbriata 

Oak Hook-tip, Watsonalla binaria

The Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria 

Blair's Mocha, Cyclophora puppillaria 

Brimstone Moth, Opisthograptis luteolata

Burnished Brass, Diachrysia chrysitis 

Large Yellow Underwing, Noctua pronuba 

Marbled Green, Nyctobrya muralis

Orange Swift, Triodia sylvina 

Pale Mottled Willow, Caradrina clavipalpis 

Old Lady Mormo maura 






























Thursday, 22 June 2023

Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus

Yesterday afternoon I visited Fairmile Bottom and Houghton Forest near Arundel and was rewarded with plenty of flower and insect photo opportunities. As usual Fairmile had lots of Marbled Whites but in the heat they never stopped long enough for a photo.

I didn't get out in May as I was hospitalized at the end of April with a bad UTI and subsequent sepsis. I came out after 5 days over a stone lighter and burdened with a catheter 😞. My home nurse (Sue) fed me well and I'm back to a sensible weight  and am building my back muscles up again - lying down and sitting for a month meant my back ached after walking for a couple of hours. I have to thank the NHS for excellent treatment and swiftly arranged day surgery to remove a bladder stone.

Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina

Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis

Red Piercer, Lathronympha strigana

Common Spotted-orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii 

Common Flower Bug, Anthocoris nemorum 

Hairy St John's-wort, Hypericum hirsutum 

Hook-streak Grass-veneer, Crambus lathoniellus 

Wild rose, Rosa species 

Common Sweep larval case, Psyche casta

Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria 

Silver-washed Fritillary male, Argynnis paphia 

Hedge Woundwort, Stachys sylvatica 

Burnet moth pupa

Hedge Bindweed, Calystegia sepium

Silver Y, Autographa gamma

Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Satin Grass-veneer, Crambus perlella f. warringtonellus

Wednesday, 19 April 2023

A walk in Rewell Wood

Peacock, Inachis io
This morning I went for a walk in Rewell Wood. There were plenty of flowers to photograph, including a new one for me, the Barren Strawberry. Also some insects on the flowers and a Peacock butterfly to photograph. I also saw a Brimstone but couldn't get near it.

Ant on Spurge, Euphorbia species

Barren Strawberry, Potentilla sterilis

Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Wood Violet, Viola riviniana

Wood Forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica

Wood Anemones

Wood Anemones, Anemone nemorosa 

bee on Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Spurge, Euphorbia species


Primroses

Primrose, Primula vulgaris

Lesser Celandine, Ranunculus ficaria

Dark-edged Bee-fly, Bombylius major on Primrose

Caddisfly, Limnephilus auricula on Broom

Broom, Cytisus scoparius

Broom