Moths seen in May 2009
brimstone, pale prominent, scalloped hazel, hebrew character, nut tree tussock, twin spot quaker, poplar hawkmoth. hummingbird hawkmoth, treble lines, buff ermine, white ermine, pale tussock, white banded carpet, small angle shades, common lutestring, ingrailed clay.
Butterflies
Huge migration of painted ladies around bank holiday weekend (May 28th- June 1st)
Large, small and green vein whites and speckled woods were frequent.
Commas, tortoiseshells and peacocks were scarce. There are a few common blues about all males at present but that isn't unusual they seem to arrive first but maybe because they are more conspicuous than the females.
The lack of tortoiseshells (and possibly peacocks) maybe because they have become infected by a parasitic fly from the continent - Sturmia bella. It lays its' eggs on nettles which the caterpillars eat. The fly developes inside the caterpillar feeding on it. The larva pupates and dies. This together with bad weather and possible loss of habitat could all lead to a decline.
Orange tips were not frequent. Their larva food plant (cuckoo flower,ladies smock or Cardamine pratensis) is more frequent this year than for many previous years, possibly due to wet summers 2007 and 2008 and or winter frosts so hopefully the numbers of orange tips will increase. Last year they were flying in wooded areas with speckled woods, not this year.
Has anyone else noted an increase in bumble bees - Bombus lucorum,terrestris and pascuorum?
or is it my imagination.
Joyce
