Tuesday, 21 Apr 2026

Weather was similar to yesterday but gradually clouding over while I was out. Total butterfly count was 7, yet oddly there were 6 species seen. There were 2 Green-veined White (Pieris napi) and 1 each of Brimstone, Small White, Holly Blue, Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) and a first of the season Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas).

Another Lepidopteran seen was the Oak Gall Moth (Pammene argyrana). A Mottled Umber caterpillar was found feeding on Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) flowers. A further two moth caterpillars were found on Sycamore leaves, one free roaming the other inside a silken cocoon, presumably for pupation. 

Bees seen today included a first of the year Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius), no photo though, a very pollen laden Early (or Orange-tailed) Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) and a Lasioglossum sp. furrow bee both on Sycamore, and a Fabricius’ Nomad Bee (Nomada fabriciana) on Hawthorn.

Other Hymenoptera were two Ichneumon wasps, which are notoriously difficult to identify, but possibly Apechthis rufata and a female Ichneumon suspiciosus.

Three fly species were photographed, Common Dance Fly (Empis tessellata), Murky-legged Black Legionnaire (Beris chalybata) and lance fly (Lonchaea chorea). The last two were first sightings of these for me.

A small beetle, the Yellow-brown Raspberry Beetle (Byturus ochraceus) that I have seen on a variety of flowers, including Garlic Mustard and Dandelion, was photographed on Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca).

Having first recorded it on 17^th April, when I photographed a male, I found another male Oak Catkin Bug (Harpocera thoracica) on Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium).

A new spider for me was a Banded Comb-Footed Spider (Anelosimus vittatus) on a Sycamore leaf.

I have noticed the leaves developing over the past few days and today the first flowers of Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) appeared.

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