Saturday July 17
Rising at dawn to remove the moth traps from breakfast seeking Jays and Blackbirds, Pam found a large circle of feathers on the back lawn. Probably a Sparrowhawk's breakfast. Definitely a Stock Dove from the colour of the feathers. We have five regular visitors, now four.
Two days later, Pam found a completely plucked and headless body in the central flower bed. After all that hard work, the bird must have been too heavy to carry away. Maybe she disturbed it.
The traps have been a good source of invaders recently. Using the app., ObsIdentify, for an initial identification, takes a lot of the tedium out of searching books and the internet. I still verify the recommendation though.
Chrysops caecutiens. Splayed Deer Fly
Speckled Bush-cricket
Pimpla rufipes. Black slip wasp
Agelena labyrinthica
Great Diving Beetle
Some nice new moths for the year too.
Great Brocade
Great Brocade Eurois occulta
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Wingspan 50-60 mm.
Although resident in the Scottish Highlands, this species is more often noted as a migrant to the East Coast, especially further north.
The resident populations are quite dark, almost blackish, but the immigrants are usually much paler and greyer.
Bog myrtle (Myrica gale) is the main foodplant, but other plants and bushes, such as sallow (Salix) and birch (Betula) are also eaten.
Norfolk Moths
Small Engrailed
A moth caught overnight has been identified as a Concolorous, as eriously good catch. I am hoping for a positive result from others more experienced - and talented. Watch this space.
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