Red-tipped Clearwing: a new moth for the patch

Red-tipped Clearwing, Holme NOA, 30th July 2016

Off Patch: Red Poplar Leaf Beetle

Red Poplar Leaf Beetle, Chrysomela populi, Braunton Burrows, Devon, 21st July 2016

A smart Rhopalid bug on the Downs

The Rhopalid bug Corizus hyoscyami, Ringstead Downs, 25th July 2016

Monday Moths

Bright Bell, Eucosma hohenwartiana, Hunstanton, 25th July 2016

True Lover's Knot, Holme NWT, 25th July 2016

Sycamore Piercer, Pammene aurita, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Knotgrass, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Mere Wainscot, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Twin-spot Carpet, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Small Emerald, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Waste Grass-veneer, Pediasia contaminella, Holme NOA, 25th July 2016

Off Patch: Six-belted Clearwing

Six-belted Clearwing, west of King's Lynn, 25th July 2016

The Forester

The Forester, one of two seen at Holme over the weekend (16th/17th).

Lemon Bell

Lemon Bell, Thiodia citrana, Hunstanton, 15th July 2016

A beauty, trapped by Joan Fox in Hunstanton and the first on the patch since 2013

Hawthorn Cosmet and Common Groundling

Common Groundling, Teleiodes vulgella, Redwell Marsh, 11th July 2016

Hawthorn Cosmet, Blastodacna hellerella, Redwell Marsh, 11th July 2016

.........Joining the hordes of Broad Centurians amassing at Holme

Broad Centurian, Chloromyia formosa, Holme NWT, 25th June 2016

With the Banded Generals a day behind....

Banded general, Stratiomys potamida, Holmhurst Track, 11th July 2016

The Flecked Generals arrive

Flecked General Stratiomys singularior, on wild parsnip, Holme NWT, 10th July 2 016

More Redwell Soldiers: an Orange Legionairre and a Dark-winged Black

Dark-winged Black, Pachygaster atra, Redwell, 3rd July 2016

 Orange Legionairre, Beris vallata, Redwell Marsh, 3rd July 2016

Dotted Ermel

Dotted Ermel, Hunstanton, 28th June 2016

Orange-spotted Piercer

Orange-spotted Piercer, Pammene aurana, Holmhurst Track, 3rd July 2016

Off Patch: an Alder Signal at Wheatfen

Alder signal Stathmopoda pedella, Wheatfen, 5th July 2016

Snouts out on the Marsh

Flecked Snout, Nemotelus binotatus, male, Lavender Marsh, Holme 26th June 2016

Barred Snout Nemotelus uliginosus male, Lavender Marsh, Holme 26th June 2016

A Green Colonel on Redwell

Green Colonel, Oplodontha viridula, Redwell Marsh, 26th June 2016

Summer Chafer

Summer Chafer, Amphimallon solstitiale, Old Hunstanton, 5th July 2016

At least 50 were circling above a veteran oak at the bottom of Old Hunstanton churchyard at dusk on 5th July. This is the first record of the species on the patch since 10th July 1926 - though doubtless they've been here all along !

This one was photographed on 4th July 2016 at Earlham Park, Norwich.

A Four-barred Major on Redwell

Four-barred Major Oxycera rara, Redwell Marsh, 2nd July 2016

A stranger on the Ringstead Downs butterfly transect

A warm sunny day found many butterflies on the wing on my butterfly transect at Ringstead Downs today.  A total of 115 butterflies ( 5 Small White, 1 Large White, 1 Comma, 1 Common Blue, 1 Large Skipper, 14 Small/Essex Skipper, 3 Gatekeeper, 26 Meadow Brown, 63 Ringlet).
Also on the transect was a stunning male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens soaking up the sun on a bramble leaf.

 

Male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens

White Horehound at Ringstead Downs

I found 4 small plants of White Horehound Marrubium vulgare on the NW slope at Ringstead Downs today.  I wasn't equipped to fight my way through nettles and thistles to check out other possible locations!  There are lots of plants of Eyebright, Squinancywort and Large Thyme in flower.  The Small Scabious plants on the NE slope are also starting to bloom, hopefully soon to be a nectar source for Chalkhill Blue butterflies.  There are good numbers of Dropwort plants in the Downs this year.

 

White Horehound Marrubium vulgare

Conopid fly at Holme Marsh

    Checking the ponies at Holme Marsh yesterday I was introduced to Sicus ferrugineus by Robert Smith. It won't win many beauty contests but it's still a menacing looking beast especially as it is a parasitoid of various bumblebee species. It was very fond of the recently emerging creeping thistle flowers. Returning from the ponies I managed a very lucky shot of it in flight, notice the way it's abdomen curls under itself.

Ummmmm wild parsnip

    On 24th June took this photo of Chryotoxum festivum outside The Firs, closer inspection of photo revealed a stunning looking parasitic wasp Gasteruption assectator (top left of hoverfly). Wild parsnip and Fennel are two plants worth checking when flowering they have great insect pulling power.