Forthcoming additions will be pages including practical woodland activities and background information on lepidoptera and coleoptera. All photographs, unless accredited otherwise, were taken by me over the last 4 or 5 years.

All insects are wild and free and taken on the basis that they and their environment are the main concern. If you see any errors of identification, please let me know. Cameras that I have used have been a Panasonic DMC-FZ30 and, from October 2007, this and a Nikon D80. The Panasonic is a "bridge" camera and has a good Leica macro-zoom lens. The lens most frequently used with the D80 is the Nikon 105mm macro.

Reference books used in the main to identify specimens are, for odonata; Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland, by Brooks and Lewington. For beetles; Der Kosmos Kaferfuhrer, by Harde and Severa. For wild flowers; Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland by Blamey, Fitter & Fitter. For fungi; Mushrooms by Roger Phillips. For insects in general; Insects of Britain and Western Europe by M. Chinery, and for moths; Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland by Waring, Townsend and Lewington.

 

SUCCESS AT LAST. Brimstone butterflies are breeding.

7th-9th May.  Brimstone butterflies were seen egg laying on the Alder Buckthorn. This is fantastic news. Back in 2002, fifty Alder Buckthorn saplings were planted along the top ride in the hope of attracting Brimstone butterflies. Over the years since then, only the occasional insect has been seen.  But this weekend at least three pairs were seen - with the females egg laying. It is likely that these insects are the offspring of some that bred unseen last year. See the photo in the Butterflies gallery.

 Latest sightings...

• 12th June... Banded Demoiselles are hatching. Immature adults will be flying around the rides and when mature will go to down the river to find a mate and breed. Cardinal Beetles are on the wing again. Aquilegia is flowering and another Clematis vitalba plant is growing amongst the Herb Paris.    
• 5th July; Adult male Black-tailed Skimmer seen along the open area of the bridle path leading down to the river. Banded Demoiselles still present.
• 10th July. Damsel- and Dragonfly survey around the ponds of the parish. Seven species seen, including a group of about 20 Black-tailed Skimmers.
• 17th July. Butterfly survey in the wood. 13 species seen. The highlight was spotting a single (female) White-letter Hairstreak. One was reported last week by a member of the Harrogate Nats, but todays is the first to be seen by Trust members for 3 years.
• 7th and 14th August. 3rd and 4th recorded sightings of the White-letter Hairstreak.
• 14th August. Moth-trapping session during the night of the charcoal burn captured an Angle-striped Sallow..... a Nationally Scarce B species.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    paul@ox-close.co.uk