Today I was off to Cranford Park to meet up with Paul Busby from the Herts & Middlesex Butterfly Conservation Society for some transect training.
Over the last couple of weeks I've treated myself to two new books, and can highly recommend the Wildguides photographic guide. I'm addicted to it..
Armed with the Cranford CP Butterfly Transect map....
and the recording form...
Paul and I set off an a very interesting and informative walk.
The end result.....
Fitbit steps: 5553
Start time: 1200
Finish time: 1320
No.of butterflies seen in total: 87....
Green-veined White 15
Holly Blue 16
Red Admiral 2
Comma 2
Speckled Wood 24
Meadow Brown 28
I had a great time and am already looking forward to completing my first solo transect next weekend. It was also good to know that the White-letter Hairstreak that I found a couple of weeks is on the transect route, so a definite incentive to look forward to for next summer.
It was also lovely to talk about butterflies non stop without the feeling I was boring anyone !!
So just a few from today...
Red Admiral
Comma
Speckled Wood
Speckled Wood face shot
Holly Blue
Holly Blue face shot
Paul, thank you for a great walk and for all of your patience with my numerous questions. It really was a pleasure to meet you. Thanks for my training today.
After Paul left I went to one of my favourite hoverfly hotspots at the back of the woods. The sun was shining on and off, but it was fairly windy, so some of my photos aren't that sharp and it didn't help that the hovers weren't always happy to stay still so identification was a bit hit and miss today.
Volucella zonaria, at least eight of these monster hornet mimics on two neighbouring buddleia bushes.....
Helophilus pendulus below, just one poor photo of a male..
edit - thanks to the knowledgeable Roger Morris this is Helophilus trivittatus
Volucella pellucens, at least three present....
Eristalis sp, dreadful photo so definite id not possible...
Syrphus sp, only managed the one photo before it took off so id not definite...
By the Headland area I had been looking out for more hovers when I found this poor one....
It had become a Robber Fly's dinner......
Paul and I saw several dragonflies during our walk, and I've never been good for photographing one in flight. When they did settle, it was at a distant or fairly high up....
I think they are Southern Hawkers but happy to be corrected.
Other critters about this afternoon was this adult Dock Bug....
and a Red-legged Shieldbug, which I need to check my records on, as I'm fairly certain this is a new species for me. This little lovely was running across the path near St Dunstans so I popped it on a leaf and moved it out of harms way....
Late August is a good time to spot galls. I found two today, both on Oak.
The first is the Oak Apple gall, which does indeed grow to the size of a small apple....
and the second is the Knopper gall, which only affects the acorns of English Oaks. They start off green and sticky and eventually harden and turn red...
Other good signs that autumn is just around the corner are all of the plum trees are fruiting well. These ones are bordering the graveyard wall....
and there were plenty of Lords and Ladies, aka Cuckoo Pint, aka Arum maculatum in berry....
As always when I left the park I went via the Roseville Road alleyway. The green metal gates there attracted my attention last weekend with the number of Harlequin ladybird larvae, pupae and freshly emerged adults on the posts. Today there were more. I can only guess they are dropping off the overhanging branches, along with the many aphids I found with them....
One of my work colleagues recently asked me how I knew so much (when I was wittering on about butterflies and how some overwinter as eggs, some as caterpillars and some as adults) and I repeated what I say so often......Every day is a school day as you NEVER stop learning.
Today was another 'school day' after walking the transect with Paul. Great day.
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