Wednesday 31 August 2016

August 30: Wool Carder Bees (Anthidium manicatum) at Brockholes N R, Preston, foraging on woundwort.




Males above - females below






August 24: Roesel's Bush-crickets (Metrioptera roeselii) near Fleetwood. The population appears to be thriving and has extended its range appreciably - 24.8.2016. 





































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August 23: Megachile ligniseca (leaf-cutter bees) at Brockholes, Preston, the photos are females - 23.8.2016.

















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Wednesday 17 August 2016

August 16: Bush-crickets on a beautiful, hot sunny day on Heathwaite, Arnside Knot. A male and female of the elusive Oak Bush-cricket were found by beating oaks, whilst an adult male Dark Bush-cricket was found in short vegetation.


Oak Bush, male


Oak Bush, female







Dark Bush, male
Heathwaite, good habitat of open low-growing vegetation for the Dark Bush-cricket




Sunday 14 August 2016

August; Some solitary bees seen within the last few weeks.


Anthophora furcata (Fork-tailed Flower Bee) at Brockholes.
These appeared to be solely foraging on Marsh Woundwort, their long tongues enabling them to penetrate deep into the flowers. Only females. were seen on the woundwort although males had been recorded earlier on bramble.




























At Middleton near Heysham, Grey-banded Mining Bee (Andrena denticulata) showed a preference for yellow  composites.
















Thursday 11 August 2016

August 10: Four interesting hoverflies seen today in unfavourable weather conditions at a limestone grassland site near Chatburn, Lancashire.

Chrysotoxum bicinctum
Helophilus trivittatus
Sericomyia superbiens
Eristalis intricaria









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Tuesday 9 August 2016

August 9: Just a few Scotch Argus were flying in cold, overcast, windy weather in Cumbria today.The forecast had been reasonable but turned out to be inaccurate. The few butterflies seen were cowered down deep amongst the grasses and were reluctant to fly and, even more so, to open their wings. At this time of year this is normally a warm south-facing, sunny bank - not so today though (9.8.2016).

















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Sunday 7 August 2016

August 6: One of up to ten Essex Skippers in flower-rich rough grassland near Derby. A sunny but rather breezy day with most well down in the vegetation and just the occasional nectaring on knapweed. The frontal view of one clearly shows the diagnostic black forward surface of the antennae tips.



























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