Yesterday started drizzly but cleared through quickly. A fairly sunny day with variable cloud & a stiff breeze. Decided to give Denbies a try to catch up with some chalk specialists. In all 11 species recorded: 110+ Meadow Brown 4 Speckled Wood 3 Small Heath 2 Small White 2 Brimstone Red Admiral...

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh. Too fresh to have come across the Atlantic? What is the thinking on the origins of these. Don't see any reason to doubt them being genuine. We've had some recent warm southerlys that could have bro...

We did a circuit on the northern part of Chobham Common. Good numbers of Grayling (27 counted) only outnumbered by Gatekeeper (52). Low numbers of other species with 6 Meadow Brown, 3 Small/GV White, 2 Large Skipper, 2 Peacock & singletons of Comma & Small Copper. Good variety of Odonata inc...

My first Jersey Tiger moth of the summer seen today as well. Another honorary butterfly...JT1 230724.JPG Dave I saw my first last Sunday morning. Always look so colourful in flight. As it was flying it was almost a gonner as a Whitethroat flew up out of some brambles, attempting to snatch it, but j...

Yesterday was yet another of those days with a glorious sunny start but by 10.30 was largely overcast & pretty dismal in the afternoon. At the time mentioned I started to lead a wildflower walk in a west London cemetery. Despite the cloud we did see c10 Meadow Brown, 6 Marbled Whites, Holly Blue...

Some warm, settled weather is badly needed or this year could go down as one of the worst ever for butterfly numbers... I agree. Here on the Isle of Wight it has been atrocious. I was in Pembrokeshire for 4 days last week where there wasn't a heatwave but pleasantly warm & managed 6 Meadow Brow...

Yesterday morning was warm & sunny until lots of cloud moved in around noon. I walked to Horsenden Hill near home in west London to look for White-letter Hairstreak as one had been filmed here on bramble flowers a couple of days back. No joy. One of the best areas most of the elms were dead but ...

A general lack of most insects which is concerning. Same here unfortunately - mostly just a few Meadow Brown [rather than the 100s] and Small Heath in the open grassland within the flood plain, waiting for the first Small & Essex Skipper, although finally saw my first Ringlet yesterday. Banded ...

Visited the northern part of Chobham Common yesterday. Sunny when I arrived by late morning but high cloud cover soon after midday (not what was forecast). I did see 24 fresh male Silver-studded Blues, which when cloudy posed well on young Bell Heather plants. Didn't see any females though other peo...

I wonder if your plant might be Red Bartsia? I've never seen one this colour but the general form looks right. Managed my first Ringlet yesterday morning while on a flora survey in Richmond Park. Otherwise small numbers of Meadow Browns & Small Heaths plus a female Brimstone in the car park as w...

David M wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2024 9:57 am

aeshna5 wrote: ↑Tue Jun 18, 2024 5:29 am..The general lack of other insects was also notable.

That's my experience too, aeshna. It's really rather depressing.

Indeed! Hopefully things will pick up with a big improvement in the weather?

With reasonable spells of sunshine on the cards yesterday I decided to pop over to the London Wetland Centre. My main quest was to see Norfolk Hawkers (at least 7 seen & the most common dragonfly proper, just nudging ahead of Emperor & Black-tailed Skimmer) & delighted to find a Downy Em...

Holly Blue ovipositing on Tufted Vetch Vicia cracca in the meadow at Meadgate Fields Open Space yesterday after pretending she was a Common Blue for a while searching for just the right plant to lay her eggs on: 2024.06.14 Holly Blue Meadgate Fields.jpg I've watched Holly Blue oviposit on Goat's Ru...

I can't remember a drearier start to the butterfly season here in the south-east- certainly not for many years! Getting out to my local Sunday west London patch yesterday morning soon after 7 am it was gloriously sunny if cool. By 10.30 largely overcast & just heavy cloud & cool the rest of ...

Paid a visit across town to Hutchinson's & Chapel Banks, my first dedicated butterfly trip of the year. Overall butterfly numbers seemed lower than normal despite warm, sunny conditions for a second day. 2 Green-veined White 2 Small/GV White 17 Brimstone 3 Speckled Wood 7 Small Heath male Common...

Both are dipterans.

Top is the hoverfly, Rhingia campestris.

The other is a snipe fly, Rhagio sp.

dragnil wrote: ↑Mon May 13, 2024 5:58 am Thanks, aeshna for the clarification, I'll rename as large. Do I see you on Birdforum?

Yes you do!

I would concur with Large White for the second. The black is too extensive for a Small White.

Cabbage white is a generic term used by gardeners/farmers for whites that lay their eggs on brassicas, so incorporates both Small & Large Whites.

Agree it's Nomada sp, but I don't think that species as I can see some red on the first abdominal segment.