When visiting Ringstead Downs for a butterfly transect today it was good to see a number of plants still in flower as well as a variety of insects on the wing. A few fungi were also beginning to appear.
I was not expecting a big butterfly count but was pleased to get 2 Small Copper, 2 Brown Argus, 4 Wall Brown, a Speckled Wood and 2 Clouded Yellow. There were numerous Common Darter and a Migrant Hawker. Field Grasshoppers were hopping and a Flesh Fly sunned itself on a rock. Common Wasps were busy in and out of their nest on the north bank and a Hornet was zooming around the plants (I decided not to try to photograph it as I got stung by one a couple of weeks ago - very painful!)
Plants still in flower included Large Thyme, Common Rock-rose, Common Centaury, Chalk Knapweed, Chalk Eyebright, White Campion, Small Scabious, Selfheal, Lesser Hawkbit, Smooth Hawk's-beard and Germander Speedwell.
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