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.

Yesterday in increasing warmth & sunshine at Ruislip, fairly good numbers of butterfly with 8 Peacock 7 male Brimstone 2 unidentified Small/GV Whites 5 male Orange Tip Holly Blue Also plenty of the dancing parties of the longhorn moth Adela reamurella. Quite a few mining bees with their cuckoo b...

Mild, calm & largely overcast here in west London suburbs yesterday & my first garden Holly Blue of the season after seeing one at Kew a couple of weeks back.

In a local park in the morning 2 Speckled Woods & a Peacock.

Our local natural history society had a bee walk on Hounslow Heath, west London yesterday. Fairly overcast, very breezy but warm. Butterflies seen were 8 male Brimstone, Small White on a dandelion, 2 Comma & 6 Peacock. The small longhorn moth Adela reamurella was also seen. Other wildlife includ...

Definitely a Shoulder Stripe-lovely moth.

My first Small White yesterday in west London suburbs & another male Brimstone in a window of sunshine.

Had my first (male) Orange Tip yesterday in outer west London along with Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone & several Peacocks.