Sunday, 27 Jul 2025
A very overcast day and I was out much earlier than usual so not too much activity. Despite the conditions I did find one new insect on a bramble stem, the Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus pratensis) and another on a sycamore leaf, a mosquito, a Culex sp., possibly the Southern House Mosquito (Culex quinquefasciatus?). Also […]
Friday, 25 Jul 2025
Two days of heavy showers has seen a lush greenness return to the Downs. Chalk Hill Blue (Lysandra coridon) still predominates, but I have a first ever sighting anywhere of Purple Hairstreak (Favonius quercus). A rather worn specimen but still a Purple Hairstreak! Other new sightings were a female ichneumon wasp (Ichneumon suspiciosus?), a female Red […]
Tuesday, 22 Jul 2025
Chalkhill Blue is still present in amazingly large numbers. New sightings included Wavy-barred Sable (Pyrausta nigrata), Tortoise Shield Bug (Eurygaster testudinaria) final stage nymph and Common Drone Fly (Eristalis tenax). On an English Oak (Quercus robur) the galls of the Knopper Gall Wasp (Andricus quercuscalicis) were found, as well as the egg sacs of the Sputnik Spider […]
Monday, 21 Jul 2025
Some good heavy rain in the past 2 days but the ground has been so dry that all was soaked up leaving the paths only slightly damp. No muddy puddles anywhere. At least that awful straw colour of the grass is returning to green with much new growth stimulated by the rain. A week since […]
Saturday, 12 Jul 2025
Latest butterfly to appear and in good numbers is the Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus britanna), with other new insects in Box-headed Blood Bee (Sphecodes monilicornis) and Truffle Blacklet (Cheilosia soror) hoverfly. Also photographed was a 4th instar nymph of the Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina). A new wildflower, not just for this year, […]
Friday, 11 Jul 2025
As I mentioned on 1st July it is becoming a much more uncommon sight to see a Song Thush, but this morning I had a pair on the path ahead of me near the south-eastern corner. There has been a major eruption of Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon) butterflies. Particularly along the northern edge of the […]
Wednesday, 9 Jul 2025
An unexpected curtailment of this morning’s walk, but 30 minutes was enough for me to locate a 22-spotted ladybird (Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata) larva on Hogweed. Also found another new flower, one of my summer favourites, Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris). […]
Saturday, 5 Jul 2025
Heavily overcast and breezy morning so conditions not great for photography. Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) butterfly numbers increasing dramatically, probably the most prominent species right now. Saw (and heard!) a pair of very noisy Jay (Garrulus glandarius) in the oak trees at the south end of the sheep grazing enclosure. There is a Common Red Soldier […]
Thursday, 3 Jul 2025
We had 2 hours of rain yesterday morning but still need a lot more. On the butterfly front there were good numbers of Common Blue, Small Copper, Green-veined White, Marbled White, Brown Argus and Speckled Wood. Coup of the day was locating two Striped Shieldbug (Graphosoma italicum) in a patch of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium). […]
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2025
Second scorcher in a row. I even aborted my walk at 09:30 as it was a good 4-5 degrees hotter than yesterday at the same time. Not too much insect activity either. Most of the plants are looking distinctly frazzled, even the hogweed. Did manage a nice photo of a Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) on […]
Saturday, 28 Jun 2025
Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) and Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) are now the most numerous butterflies. New insects for this year’s Downs list are the flies Common Splay-wing (Phania funesta) and Hornet Mimic Hoverfly (Volucella zonaria), an ichneumon wasp (possibly genus Trychosis, cf. T. legator), a possible Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes?) and the very photogenic (and […]
Friday, 27 Jun 2025
Having seen my one and only Green-veined White (Pieris napi) this summer yesterday, another presented itself for a photo opportunity this morning. New additions to the insect list are Ringed Tubetail (Fagisyrphus cinctus) hoverfly and Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva), a major emergence of these, swarming all over Cow Parsley and Hogweed. Also, on the large […]
Wednesday, 25 Jun 2025
A few showers of rain yesterday, not that you’d notice. Still Marbled White butterflies everywhere you look and both Small Heath and Ringlet seem to be increasing in numbers. First sighting of the summer this morning of a single Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). Other insects seen were Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina) 3rd instar nymphs […]
Monday, 23 Jun 2025
We need rain. There is a distinct straw-coloured tinge to all the greenery now. Marbled White is still the most numerous butterfly, Meadow Brown and Small Heath numbers are increasing and the latest to emerge in good numbers is Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus). Two weeks ago today I posted an image of the spectabilis form of […]
Saturday, 21 Jun 2025
The oppressive heat of the last week, with the 30°C mark being breached yesterday and no doubt again today coupled with no rain is starting to be seen. The grass verges along the woodland paths and main grassland areas are tinged with yellow. Highlight of the walk today occurred only 100 m onto the Downs […]
Saturday, 14 Jun 2025
Very windy again today. Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) still the dominant butterfly, seemingly on every patch of Red Clover (Trifolium pratense). Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) are definitely increasing in numbers. An insect added to the year’s list was Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) moth. On a Hogweed I came across a Flower Crab Spider (Misumena […]
Friday, 13 Jun 2025
On a very hot humid day with only a gentle breeze Dark Green Fritillary (Speyeria aglaja) are still present in large numbers along with Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) but today outnumbered by Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) which seems to be reaching peak numbers. Some new additions were Artichoke Beetle (Sphaeroderma testaceum), Silver Y (Autographa gamma) moth and […]
Thursday, 12 Jun 2025
Not seen since 5th April one of the resident Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) swooped low enough near me that I was able to get a decent photo with just a 135 mm lens. A second wave of Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) butterflies seems to be starting, and there were also large numbers of Speckled Wood (Pararge […]
Monday, 9 Jun 2025
Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) butterflies are starting to appear, while it was yet another good day for other insects. New sightings were 7-spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata), Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana), a leaf-curling sac spider (Clubiona lutescens), Variable Tenthredo (Tenthredo livida) and a Lauxaniid fly (Minettia inusta). On a large stand of as yet non-flowering […]
Saturday, 7 Jun 2025
The first Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) of the summer on the Downs put in appearance this morning – well the first I have really noticed anyway. There was also a small flock of 6 or 7 Common Swift (Apus apus) swooping low over the main grassland area hawking insects. The insect list continues to swell. […]