Ladybird love-fest and other critters at Cranford Park

It was a Ladybird Love-fest at Cranford Park this morning

 

Every scrubby patch had at least one pair of Harlequins mating

 

 

And there were a few tiny 14-spot Ladybirds about as well

These are really really small and easily over looked

Harlequin

As to be expected in the sunshine the Dock Bugs were out in force as well

 

 

I had my first Large Red Damselflies of the season today - a welcome sign that early summer is on its way

 

 

I also found my first Wasp Beetle of the year

These beetles are completely harmless and by imitating a wasp it is merely protecting itself

 

 

Up by Cranford Lane there has always been a large spread of Greater Stitchwort along one of the paths - today it was looking particularly resplendent

 

I started my butterfly survey (UKBMS transect) at 1115 and finished by the stone bridge 90 minutes later - it was fairly disappointing count considering it was mild and sunny but maybe the breeze was a little too cool

 

I counted 19 butterflies of eight different species

 

Large White x 1

Small White x 1

Orange Tip x 1

Small Copper x 3 (first of the year)

Common Blue x 1 (first of the year)

Holly Blue x 9

Speckled Wood x 1

Small Heath x 2 (first of the year)

 

 

Speckled Wood

Large White

Small Copper

 It was the Small Heath that got me most excited - this tiny butterfly is in national decline and is under the watchful eye of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)

 

UKBAP has identified 24 species of butterfly that count as 'priority' and the Small Heath is one of them

 

Loss of habitat is mainly to blame for the decline but some pockets of Small Heaths can turn up on motorway grass verges and even coastal dunes

 

Small Heath

Small Heath

 Part of the butterfly route (transect) takes me past an old dead tree by the River Crane - this is the same tree where a few weeks ago I saw and heard a pair of Kestrels mating - and there at the top was the male Kestrel

 

 

Further down the river there was a juvenile Heron which was surprisingly not bothered about me taking photos

 

Another critter-filled visit to Cranford Park