Drought Conditions at Summer Leys

The usually still lush meadow at Summer Leys is almost entirely without flowers now - just the Fleabane and a few remaining thistle flowers supporting a much reduced number of insect species. Below some of my favourite finds during the day, As at Paxton Migrant Hawkers reign supreme over the lakes and ponds while Small Heath, Small Copper, Brown Argus and Small White are the main butterfly species. It was an RPSNature outing so I was concentrating on backgrounds, composition rather than ID and species list but a few comedy shots also snuck in like the first Carder Bee out for a stroll and the shy grasshopper.

Trumpington Meadows Butterfly Transect

Other than a few green stinging nettles nestled in the hedgerows, everywhere is dry and brown as in other reserves, so we were not expecting and did not find large numbers of Butterflies on our weekly transect. Small Coppers, Small Heaths, Small Whites, Brown Argus and Common Blues were the only species present in any numbers. I photographed a single Green-veined White and a Hummingbird hawkmoth egg laying plus a couple of Wasp Spiders.

 

Kingston Nature Reserve 8th August

Mike, Ann and Carina joined me for an enjoyable walk in Hayley Wood although, with very few flowering plants, insects were in very short supply. On the way home, I called at the Kingston Embankment Reserve (for details of the site see Ann Miles Blog: Walk to Kingston Embankment Reserve) and was delighted to find it full of flowering Carrot, Knapweed, Ragwort and Red Bartsia together with its special Bee Mellita tricincta. Lots of insects on the flowerheads including the strange Conopid Fly and a Gall Fly. Lots of Butterflies on the wing including a fresh pair of  Small Whites.

Butterflies at Trumpington Meadows

What a delight to see Green Hairstreaks at Trumpington Meadows along with Holly Blues - both small jewel-like species that are difficult to see until they move!! We also had Speckled Wood, Peacock, Green-veined White, Small White and Orange Tips on our survey route.

Dragonfly (and Butterfly) Walk at Paxton

August's official Butterfly and Dragonfly Survey has been moved to Tuesday when it looks warmer and sunnier but five of us did the walk as planned yesterday and saw a large number of  white butterflies (mainly Small White we thought) and occasional Meadow Browns and one Small Copper but nothing settled for long. The Dragonflies were more obliging with several Brown Hawkers in the air and several Migrant Hawkers both flying and perched in the hedges. (Flight shot taken in afternoon from hide). All the darters we looked at turned out to be Common Darters. Otherwise a good variety of impressive flies and Grass-mimicing Bugs and Moths. ID sheet at end.