Basil Thyme (Violet and White) at Ringstead Downs

I have found Basil Thyme Clinopodium acinos, with its usual violet flowers, on the North bank at Ringstead Downs for a number of years. However, while walking there on Tuesday I found a number of plants with white flowers. These were in a different location from the violet-flowered plants. Most books, including Stace only mention violet flowers, but Simon Harrap does mention both violet and white in his description. Basil Thyme is classed as Vulnerable in the Red List for England.

Violet-flowered Basil Thyme

White-flowered Basil Thyme

The Large Thyme Thymus pulegioides is also in full flower at Ringstead Downs. Most of these plants have the usual pinkish-purple flowers but there are some plants with pale pink flowers and a few plants with white flowers.

Some insects at Ringstead Downs

Meadow Grasshopper

A Harlequin Ladybird

Another Harlequin Ladybird

6-spot Burnet Moth on Small Scabious

A Drone-fly (species?)

Large White Butterfly on Spear Thistle

A pair of Small White Butterflies

Red Longhorn, Holme NOA, 18th July 2015

Crescent Striped

Crescent Striped, Hunstanton, 19th july 2015 - caught by Keith & Joan Fox

Forester - second record for the patch

Forester, Ringstead Downs, 19th July 2015 - courtesy of the Ringstead guys who found it whilst we looked for Chalk Hill Blues. Huge thanks !

Four soldier flies from Redwell Marsh, including two new for the patch

Pachygastra atra, Redwell Marsh, 18th July 2015 (note dark femora and dark basal half to wing)

Pachygaster leachii, Redwell Marsh, 18th July 2015 (note legs all pale, wings all clear)

Vanoyia tenuicornis, Redwell Marsh, 18th July 2015 (note long antennae, white, two-spiked scutellum, white mark to side of thorax and white markings on head)

Nemotelus notatus, Redwell Marsh, 18th July 2015 (note large central black spot on white, third abdominal tergite)

Some recent flowers

A splendid Clustered Bellflower at Holme Dunes

Tiny flowers of Marsh Pennywort at Holme Dunes

One of the many beautiful Marsh Helleborines at Holme Dunes

Some recent insects

A female Common Darter at Holme Dunes

A Small Skipper on Viper's-bugloss

A leaf-cutter bee; it flew off still clutching its bit of leaf (sorry about the poor photo!)

3 dead flies from my kitchen windowsill.

Scaeva pyrastri ?

Episyrphus balteatus ?

?

and what is this beastie on a grass stem at Ringstead Downs?

Some recent moths

Gold Spot, Holme NOA, 14th July 2015

Lozotaeniodes formosana, Holme NOA, 15th July 2015

Coxcomb Prominent, Holme NOA, 15th July 2015

Large Tabby, Hunstanton, 15th July 2015 (caught by Keith & Joan Fox)

Argyresthia goedartella, Holme NOA, 15th July 2015

Tinea trinotella, Holme NOA, 15th July 2015

111 moths of 32 species in today's trap at NWT Holme Dunes and included such migrants as Small Mottled Willow, Dark Sword-grass and Rush Veneer whilst in the NOA a Rusty Dot Pearl was of note.

Hornet Clearwing

Privet Hawk-moth

Lunar Hornet Clearwing

Lunar Hornet Clearwing: quite possibly the finest beast on the patch....

Lunar Hornet Clearwing, Hunstanton, 11th July 2015

Hornet Clearwing: quite possibly the finest beast on the patch......

Hornet Clearing, (two of three on poplars), Holme NWT, 10th July 2015

Blackneck, Footmen, a Broad Centurion and the return of the Flecked Generals

Blackneck, Holme NOA, 6th July 2015

Leopard Moth, Hunstanton, 1st July 2015

Four-dotted Footman, Holme NOA, 5th July 2015

Peach Blossom, Holme NOA, 5th July 2015

 Schreckensteinia festaliella, Holme NOA, 5th July 2015

Small Blood-vein, Hunstanton, 5th July 2015

Broad Centurion, Holme Marsh, 5th July 2015

Flecked General, Holme NWT, 4th July 2015