Had an interesting Butterfly Conservation walk last Saturday at Crundale where the main target species was the Black-veined Moth and about a dozen were seen. Other species were: Mother Shipton, Burnett Companion, Duke of Burgundy Butterflies, Green Hairstreaks and Dingy Skippers. Bee, Man and Pyramidical Orchids were also noted. The moth trap has got going with 2 new macro species for the garden: Cream Wave and Poplar Lutestring. The Campion and Barred Yellow were also good records for me.

Black-veined Moth

 

Cream Wave

 

The Campion

 

Barred Yellow

Moth trapping has improved with the warmer weather this week, but at the end of May I had only recorded 56 species this year compared to 126 at the same point last year, which shows the difference between a good and bad spring weather wise. This week I've recorded a new micro species: Elachita argentella. I also made a successful visit to the Bonsai Bank KWT Reserve for the Duke of Burgundy, Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak Butterflies, and the White-spotted Sable Moth. In the garden the Stag Beetles have appeared this week and a couple of Slow Worms have turned up for the 2nd year.   

Elachita argentella

 

Green Hairstreak

 

Stag Beetle

 

Slow Worm