PLENTY OF BUGS

This elephant hawkmoth is one of the most colourful moths that turns up regularly at the moth trap in late spring and early summer. It was found on Thursday morning along with a small catch of about 20 other species. Some of the other moths noted were light emerald, cream-spot tiger, white ermine, cinnabar, yellow belle, common carpet, ingrailed clay, lychnis, rustic shoulder knot, heart and club, common swift and blood vein.


The bright colour of this green silver lines moth doesn't seem like normal moth colours but it blends in well beside green leaves. This is an annual visitor to the moth trap in the spring in small numbers and is always a colourful addition to a trapping session.
The strikingly marked cream-spot tiger moth was seen during the day flying around some bushes before dropping into the long grass.


Another insect that blends well with the colour of leaves is the green hairstreak butterfly and this one with it's faded streak of white dots on the wing, was found alongside a path in the park. Not as many sightings as last year of green hairstreaks and this one will probably be the last of the year.


Painted ladies continue to outnumber all the other butterflies with a dozen flying westards across the park in mid afternoon. Up to 30 appeared to have stopped off at the park and were seen flying around or sunning themselves in all parts of the park. Other butterflies seen included an orange tip, small copper, small heath, speckled wood, holly blue and green-veined white.

A few more dragonflies were out enjoying the sun with three black-tailed skimmers noted for the first time this year. This one below seems to be a freshly emerged female that was seen fluttering weakly across the long grass.