Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
Poplar galls
The aphids have already been busy forming galls on the Lombardy Poplars Populus nigra var. italica down Oasis Way in Hunstanton. The spiral galls on the petioles are caused by the aphid Pemphigus spirothecae. Some of the leaves have a swollen midrib on the upper surface with a slit opening on the lower surface. This can be caused by three aphids: Pemphigus filaginis, P. gairi and P. phenax. The latter two have yellow green nymphs whereas those of P. filaginis are slate grey.
Swollen midrib gall and spiral gall on Lombardy Poplar leaf
Underside of leaf with slit opened up to show aphid nymph
Nymph of Pemphigus filaginis
Swollen midrib gall and spiral gall on Lombardy Poplar leaf
Underside of leaf with slit opened up to show aphid nymph
Nymph of Pemphigus filaginis
Monday, 1 May 2017
A mixed bag at Ringstead Downs
It was a rather overcast and windy for a walk through the downs this afternoon but nevertheless there was a good wildlife selection to see. Only 4 butterflies (3 Green-veined White and 1 Orange-tip) but other insects were around including a queen common wasp resting on a bramble leaf.
There were also a lot of these flies (?) on the buttercup flowers.
A large red slug was climbing up a dead stalk.
Among the other plants in flower were Common Vetch, Field Pansy, Lesser Trefoil, Little Mouse-ear, Field Mouse-ear and Hairy Tare (below).
There were also a lot of these flies (?) on the buttercup flowers.
A large red slug was climbing up a dead stalk.
There were quite a lot of plants in flower including a few early flowers of Horseshoe Vetch.
Among the other plants in flower were Common Vetch, Field Pansy, Lesser Trefoil, Little Mouse-ear, Field Mouse-ear and Hairy Tare (below).
Sunday, 23 April 2017
Orange-tip on Garlic Mustard
There were still a lot of Orange-tip butterflies at Ringstead Downs today; several, like this female, were feeding on the flowers of the Garlic Mustard plants.
Some flowers in Old Hunstanton
On Saturday 22nd April I joined three members of the Norfolk Flora Group on a plant-spotting walk around Old Hunstanton (two other groups were walking around Hunstanton.) The weather was ideal and we had a good day, recording over 250 species in our Old Hunstanton village tetrad. We started well with a good number of plants of Black Spleenwort on the wall around the lighthouse garden.
Not far away a Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule had a single flower open.
A single flower open on a teaplant enabled us to identify it as Chinese Teaplant Lycium chinense.
Along the verge of the A149 we found a couple of plants of Greater Star of Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum Ssp. umbellatum.
The northern end of the churchyard yielded a good variety of plants including Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulate, Bugle Ajuga reptans and Sticky Groundsel Senecio viscosus.
There were also several plants of Spring-sedge Carex caryophyllea in flower.
Just out of the churchyard in gravel by a cottage there were a lot of flowering plants of Keeled-fruited Cornsalad Valerianella carinata, we had already seen a lot of the more frequent Commoin Cornsalad Valerianella locusta. Another species we found a surprising number of plants of was Musk Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum.
Not far away a Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule had a single flower open.
A single flower open on a teaplant enabled us to identify it as Chinese Teaplant Lycium chinense.
Along the verge of the A149 we found a couple of plants of Greater Star of Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum Ssp. umbellatum.
The northern end of the churchyard yielded a good variety of plants including Meadow Saxifrage Saxifraga granulate, Bugle Ajuga reptans and Sticky Groundsel Senecio viscosus.
There were also several plants of Spring-sedge Carex caryophyllea in flower.
Just out of the churchyard in gravel by a cottage there were a lot of flowering plants of Keeled-fruited Cornsalad Valerianella carinata, we had already seen a lot of the more frequent Commoin Cornsalad Valerianella locusta. Another species we found a surprising number of plants of was Musk Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum.
Monday, 10 April 2017
Tuesday, 4 April 2017
Merlin
Came across an incredibly tame Merlin this afternoon whilst caring out working on the grazing marshes. With no SX50 to hand the only way of capturing this impressive was to digi-bin it resulting in some very pleasing shots!
Monday, 3 April 2017
First 2017 butterfly transect at Ringstead Downs
The butterfly transect season started on 1st April. The forecast for today was warm, dry and sunny and so I decided to walk the transect at Ringstead Downs for the first time this year. It turned out to be a good decision as I recorded six species of butterfly on the transect:-
Small Tortoiseshell 4; Comma 2; Peacock 2; Red Admiral 1; Brimstone 2M, 1F; Orange-tip 3M.
Only the first three decided to pose for photographs!
Comma
Small Tortoiseshell
Peacock
Small Tortoiseshell 4; Comma 2; Peacock 2; Red Admiral 1; Brimstone 2M, 1F; Orange-tip 3M.
Only the first three decided to pose for photographs!
Comma
Small Tortoiseshell
Peacock
2nd April 2017: 2 arachnids and 3 beetles
Carrion Beetle, Oiceoptoma thoracium, Ringstead Downs, 2nd April 2017
Adonis ladybird, Hippodamia variegata, Ringstead Downs, 2nd April 2017
Strandline Runner, Broscus cephalotes, Holme NWT, 2nd April 2017
Marram Pseudoscorpion, Dactylochelifer latreillei, Holme NWT, 2nd April 2017
Arctosa perita, Holme NWT, 2nd April 2017
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