The Crescent

Trapped 3rd August in my Eaton Ford garden.

Brown Hawker - Kempston

This Brown Hawker came to Martin Palmer's moth trap in Kempston. Photograph by Martin Palmer.

Recurvaria leucatella new to Bedfordshire

This micro-moth turned up in our garden moth trap in Lower Stondon on 11th July. The id was confirmed by David Manning and he also confirmed that it was a new addition to the county list.

Its the wrong clearwing!

I went to Dunstable Downs today to try and get some clearwing records for the site using pheromone lures. My targets were Orange-tailed, Red-belted and Six-belted. I failed on all three but the VES lure which is used for Orange-tailed attracted a male Yellow-legged Clearwing instead. This is the species the lure is made for but it was still a surprise to get one at this site as it is a species of Oak stumps. The closest record is from Sewell Cutting in 1978 by Vic Chambers - also an odd site for the species.

Aberration of the White Admiral, with reduced white markings, at West Wood yesterday (6th July).

Might these be...

...Lunar Hornet Clearwing exit holes? All in Willow within the reserve.

Small Ranunculus - Kempston

This Small Ranunculus came to Martin Palmer's moth trap in Kempston. Photograph by Martin Palmer.

Down by the river

Took the lures out the back of the house in Eaton Ford - nothing came to them but we did find this on a riverside poplar.

Silver-washed Fritillary

Silver-washed Fritillary of the form valezina, College Wood, 1st July 2011

This unusual form of Silver-washed Fritillary was in College Wood on 1st July 2011, photographed by Martin Palmer.

Chicksands Wood

The "Chicksands Wood" season has started and today I took my first walk around the wood in search of the specialist butterflies. Unfortunately I missed out on Purple Emperor by less than a minute by choosing to walk towards the distant group who waved at me rather than running. I'll be back soon for another go though. Managed to grab a couple of pleasing images of others though, notably Purple Hairstreak, White Admiral and Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth.

Orange-tailed Clearwing, Honeydon

Popped out to make the most of this weather and dangled some pheromones.

Caddisflies?

Catching a few of these things which I presume are caddisflies of some sort. Any ideas?

Poppies

Poppy field to the west of Chicksands Wood, June 2011.  Incredibly impressive.

Rookery South ClP

A panoramic view of Rookery South Clay Pit in its current state, June 2011.  Currently looking superb for waders, but soon to be filled in.

IDs please

A micro from 23 June
Another micro from 23 June
A Pug from 23 June
From 2 June

Black Hairstreak - Marston Thrift 14/6

Managed to obtain a record shot of this Black Hairstreak found after a lot of searching today, same spot as two seen by Steve Blain on Sat 11/6. Good to know they are still around but concerning that the population seems to be so low and so local; this colony must be extremely vulnerable.

Me too at Honeydon RNR

Spurred on by enthusiastic reports of the Honeydon road verges on the BNHS newsgroup I headed there this morning. Here are my close-ups of the three star species, Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem, Crested Cow-wheat, and Sulphur Clover:

Probably new for VC30......9th June 2011

After a coordinated night of moth trapping all around RSPB The Lodge. Two of these seemingly insignificant micro moth appeared on a vertical sheet. It is a RDB species and hasn't been seen in Bedfordshire since 1904, if these records are even reliable. Micro recorder David Manning is currently looking at a few more, so watch this space...........

799 Neofriseria singula

Roadside Verge at Honeydon in June

One of the best roadside verges in Bedfordshire, just south of the hamlet of Honeydon. It is particularly impressive at the moment (June).

Three Bedfordshire rarities are found there, from front to back, Sulphur Clover, Crested Cow-wheat and Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem.

A closer view of Crested Cow-wheat and Spiked Star-of-Bethlehem.

Another new micro for Beds

Pempelia Palumbella - photo by Colin Campbell

Pempelia Palumbella, The Lodge, 2nd June 2011 - a new micro moth for Bedfordshire, found on the old heath.

Rare Wasp?

I'm still waiting for confirmation but I believe this to be a female Odynerus melanocephalus a nationally "Notable A" species, seen today at Sandy Smith NR.

If anyone sees a wasp like this, with wings folded lengthways and white (rather than yellow) bands on the abdomen, please let me know, as it may be this species. It would be good to know where else it may be...

Keith Balmer

Denisia albimaculea new to Bedfordshire

The photo below is of a micro-moth that landed on the sheet at a mothing event at Ampthill Park on Saturday night 27th May 2011. It is Denisia albimaculea and is a new addition to the county list. Photo by Melissa Banthorpe.

Common Heath moth

One of the day-flying moths which does not appear from the records to be particularly numerous or widespread in Bedfordshire. This individual was photographed at Heath and Reach 19th May.

A scarce longhorn & a beautiful bug

The longhorn beetle Anaglyptus mysticus is nationally scarce apparently - not sure of it's status in Bedfordshire. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I think the iridescent colours of the Forest Bug final instar nymph make it rather pretty. Both were at The Lodge, Sandy on 16/5/11.

First Post

Although I've been running my own blogs for a few years now, I'm a new name on the Beds Flora & Fauna blog, so a big Hello to all!

For my first post here, I've chosen a few images taken a few weeks back amongst the gorgeous bluebells of Kingswood, near Houghton Conquest, and a local dragon' from a few days ago in Cople.

Backlight

Orange Tip



Backlight 2

 

Orange Tip

Broad-bodied Chaser

Scarce Chaser & Cockchafer

Cockchafer and Scarce Chaser female at The Lodge 10/5/11

Green Hairstreaks & Hairy Dragonfly

Green Hairstreaks and a Hairy Dragonfly at the Marston Vale Country Park. Photos by Dave Ball.

Many-lined new for county

A complete surprise for Tony Lawrence when he cheked his moth trap this morning in Eaton Ford, and a great addtion to the VC30 list. Photo Melissa Banthorpe