Marsh Lane NR and Garden Moths

I had one of "those" days last Thursday (probably not helped by going into "rant mode" over the imminent badger slaughters - due to start tonight) and just had to get out so I paid a brief visit to Marsh Lane NR.

The reserve was fairly quiet bird-wise although it was good to see a Common Snipe and Little Egret on Railway Pool - the first time I've seen the latter species here although it does visit regularly. Its the white blob on the photo below - I really do wonder at times what point the 70-300 mm lens serves! Although to be fair it was some way away!

Ducks are in "eclipse plumage" at the moment.

Many of the bramble leaves were covered in Violet Bramble Rust (Phragmidium violaceum) - will be looking for evidence of this here at home on bramble in the garden to try and add a new species to the garden list.

I found two Robin's Pincushions (Bedeguar Gall) on wild roses. Its a gall caused by Dipoloepis rosae - a very small gall wasp - which is widespread and commonly found on the stems of wild roses in late summer. It acquires a red colour as it matures and during winter grubs inside the gall feed on the host plant and will finally emerge as adults next Spring.

There were several dragonflies zooming up and down the causeway which I failed to identify but I think the ones in the photos below are Common Darter.

Despite their lifestyle Greenbottles are rather pretty flies.

The warm, sunny weather meant there were quite a few butterflies around especially

Speckled Wood

I also saw a couple of worn Common Blues

and several commas.

In this photo you can see the little white "comma" mark on the underside of the wing which gives the species its name

I got into conversation with someone who was also chasing butterflies up and down the paths trying to take photos and we discussed various local Warwickshire butterfly sites. I now know the exact location in Oversley Wood which is best for Purple Emperor - so roll on next Summer :) Thanks Geoff.



Garden Moths

I've had the trap out quite a lot since the last post on moths - I'm still hoping to get a Hedge Rustic this year.

The trap though is mainly full of various Yellow Underwing species including dozens and dozens of Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)

and up to 20 Flounced Rustics ( Luperina testacea)

I seem to be catching a lot of Square-spot Rustics (Xestia xanthographa) too this year. A few photos of some of the other species trapped

Flame Shoulder ((Ochropleura plecta)

Marbled Beauty (Cryphia domestica)

Orange Swift (Hepialus sylvina)

Emmelina monodactyla (looking like a miniature biplane)

Brimstone (Opisthograptis luteolata)

Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)

Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea)

B has been decorating the porch and he found this Old Lady moth (Mormo maura) which is a new species for the year. This species gets it name from the pattern on the wings said to resemble an old lady's shawl :)

We visited a Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Reserve yesterday which I had been hoping to visit all year but I'll do a separate post on that. Off out later to afternoon tea at a rather upmarket hotel - E has a voucher :)