Garden moths in Lower Stondon 5th August 2007

The following were most definitely surprise additions to our garden moth list. both were trapped overnight.

The first is a female Oak Eggar which was in the trap by 10.30pm. Photo by Melissa Banthorpe
She laid 7 eggs which are c2mm across and are in the next photo. Photo by Andy Banthorpe

The second addition was a Webb's Wainscot. This is the 7th Bedfordshire record and the 6th for the vice-county (VC30). Photo by Andy Banthorpe

Two shots of a White-letter Hairstreak at Chicksands Wood, 5/8/07

MVCP Odonata 30th July - 1st August

Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker and Banded Demoiselle at MVCP over the last few days, photos by Martin Green.

PS. Thanks to Martin Palmer for confirming the ID of the Southern Hawker.. :-)

MVCP Muntjac 28th July 2007

This Muntjac was walking along the path between the MVCP Pillinge and Wetland 3, photo by Martin Green.

Stewartby Lake Moonrise 29th July 2007

A couple of photos of the moon rising above Stewartby Lake, by Martin Green.

This sequence of Purple Hairstreak at Chicksands Wood, 3/8/07, are all more or less blurred but possibly interesting as they unusually show the purple upperside and also interesting behaviour in frames 3-6 where the insect is fanning its wings extremely quickly - too quick to freeze. In the last image it has just started flying off, but it makes quite a nice abstract.

Brimstone, Chicksands Wood 3/8/07

Chicksands Wood 3/8/07 Martin Palmer ID'ed this as an Essex Skipper, and I'm inclined to agree, as the undersides of the antennae are mostly blackish, though with a little orange at the tips, which I always find confusing.

These two rather tatty White Admirals at Chicksands were taken a few metres apart, but (looking at the wear) were probably of the same individual, rather unusually feeding on flowers.

Green-veined White, Chicksands Wood, 29/7/07

A few hours at Chicksands

A Crab Spider

Large Skipper

Rutpela maculata - a longhorn beetle

Cooper's Hill Hymenoptera

Here are a selection of pictures of Hymenoptera seen on the reserve in a couple of recent afternoons. (I think the IDs are correct - please let me know if you think any are incorrect).


An Ammophila sabulosa preparing to drag her catch into the nest. Once the nest is fully provisioned she will lay an egg and seal the hole.

A Philanthus triangulum, known as the Bee Wolf, carrying a honey bee worker to her nest. The burrow leads to several cells which are provisioned with bees.


Cerceris rybyensis. Her nest will be provisioned with beetles, mostly weevils, or other solitary wasps.

A ruby-tailed wasp, Hedychrum niemelai. (This species has RDB status). Ruby-tailed wasps, also known as cuckoo wasps are cleptoparisites or parasitoids on other solitary wasps, in this case various species of Cerceris, such as C.rybyensis above. They will enter their burrows and lay an egg in each available cell.

Dasypoda hirtipes the hairy-legged mining bee. There is a large aggregation of these delightful bees in the SW corner of the reserve. Watch them "row" backwards pushing excavated material onto the spoil heap before running back down the mine for more!

All pictures by Keith Balmer.

An excellent female Oak Eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus) at The Lodge today. Thanks to Ian Dawson for the tip-off.

Sharpenhoe Clappers

An enjoyable afternoon spent thrashing around in the grassy area on top of the clappers. Saw a few jet-propelled Dark-green Frits, none really photogenic. The highlight of the three hours or so were the freshly emerged Chalkhill Blues. Stunning. Other stuff seen below.

Some Small Skippers. Still haven't worked out how to tell them and Essex apart...

A couple of smart crickets/grasshoppers...

Various moths found in the grass and scrub. Haven't worked out what any of them are called yet though...

Large Emerald

This stunning Large Emerald moth (Geometra papilionaria) was by the entrance to the Osprey building at The Lodge this morning. It drew many admirers on their way in to work.

Odonata at The Lodge

Common Darter, Sympetrum striolatum

Southern Hawker, Aeshna cyanea, just emerged from Jack's Pond

Ruddy Darter, Sympetrum sanguineum

Chicksands Wood - 16 July 2007

A new brood Brimstone butterfly laying down fat reserves for the winter. With luck this male will live until next June.

A slightly odd male Gatekeeper with paler than usual hindwings.

A Common lizard basking on a log-pile. With a slow stealthy approach it is possible to get quite close.

I had always suspected that a crab spider could catch a medium-sized butterfly but never seen it before. Here a meadow brown has become a tasty meal for this spider that waited on the flower for a victim.

All four pictures by Keith Balmer.

MVCP Damselflies and Dragonflies 15th July 2007

Small Red-eyed Damselfy, Emerald Damselfly and Southern Hawker - all within 100 yards of the MVCP Visitors Centre today, by Martin Green.