Ledra aurita

This distinctive leafhopper Ledra aurita was in the Skinner moth trap this morning. At 13-18mm it is the largest UK leafhopper, and shows a preference for lichen-covered oaks.

Ledra aurita

The Gem

Quite a few moths around, the action tailing off around 01:00. Then, with a collection of moths potted up for identification in the morning, it was up the stairs to Bedfordshire.

One of the 'unknowns' proved to be The Gem (Orthonama obstipata). Not wishing to make any schoolboy errors, confirmation was sought from the macro recorders.

It is a sexually dimorphic immigrant, distributed over much of Europe, and an annual migrant to the UK. The last 'Gem' year was in 2006, apparently, when it was generally good for migrants as a whole. The recorders state that there are nine previous records in the database in Bedfordshire.

The Gem
Orthonama obstipata

Kos: 05/05/2011

Some of the wildlife of the Greek island of Kos.

Large Wall Brown
Lasiommata maera

Unknown predator feeding

Starred Agama
Laudakia stellio

Synaphe moldavica

Sandhouse Lane NR

Another fine April day with plenty of wildlife to enjoy. A small micro moth turned out to be Grapholita jungiella which was new for me - other day-fliers included Common Heath and Pyrausta purpuralis. There were  plenty of butterflies too:

• Dingy Skipper - 1
• Small White - 1
• Green Hairstreak - 9
• Small Copper - 2
• Holly Blue - 1
• Red Admiral - 1
• Speckled Wood - 4

Speckled Wood

Dragons were in evidence with four Downy Emerald, Large Red and Common Blue Damselfly.

Downy Emerald

Grapholita jungiella

Garden Moths 26/04/11

Last nights 'highlights' were Heart and Dart, and another Nut-tree Tussock. A distant Tawny Owl could be heard calling.

2425 Nut-tree Tussock

2089 Heart and Dart

Large Red Damselfly & Nut-tree Tussock

Two new insects for the garden - 2425 Nut-tree Tussock (this was the ONLY moth in the trap last night!) and today, a Large Red Damselfly landed on the berberis.

2425 Nut-tree Tusscok

Large Red Damselfly

Holly on Holly

The Spring heatwave continues with the daytime temperature peaking at 24 C. I took my first sojourn in to King's Wood, Heath & Reach and a number of butterflies were active, including a Holly Blue on a Holly bush. There was at least one Large White, a few Orange Tip, a Red Admiral and five Speckled Wood. Bluebells seem to carpet the woodland floor while overhead a pair of Common Buzzard displayed around the nest tree. A drumming Great-spotted Woodpecker revealed its presence in the canopy and a Treecreeper flitted from tree to tree. Very pleasant!

Garden moth trapping last night revealed:

• Argyrotaenia ljungiana - 2
• Twenty-plume Moth (Alucita hexadactyla) - 1
• Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) - 1
• Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) - 2
• Oak-tree Pug (Eupithecia dodoneata) - 2
• Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) - 1
• Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) - 1
• Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) - 2
• Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) - 1
• Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) - 2

Holly Blue

Bluebells

There were many hundreds of Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella dancing in the sunlight  only occasionally resting  - this one close to a crab spider...

Green Longhorn Adela reaumurella

2003 Pebble Prominent