It's a Red Underwing, I'm afraid, not the rarer moth.

Misha

Felix, you may well be right that there is more to Clouded Yellow migration than I suggested, but I can't agree with your suggestion that there is no southward migration in the autumn. Have a look at what Jeremy Thomas says in Thomas and Lewington p38. Guy, you have the advantage of me where Camberw...

I cannot say for certain that unmated female Clouded Yellows never migrate. In the case of the Camberwell Beauty, they must surely migrate unmated, since they mate after hibernation. I think these two species probably migrate for different reasons; the Clouded Yellow to seek breeding grounds where t...

Hi Felix I don't think one can speak of a colony in the usual sense of a succession of generations from year to year. The Bournemouth cliffs have always needed reinforcements in the way of immigrants, not because spring numbers are too small to be viable, but mainly because of the behaviour of the f...

My advice is to give the Southbourne undercliff a miss this year. All you're likely to see are the odd white and perhaps a Painted Lady. Ballard Down is worth a visit and so is Portland, but sightings of Clouded Yellows have been very thin on the ground in Dorset so far this year.

Misha

Remember they don't need to have thistles. Since it's raining here today I might as well give a partial list of plants I found Painted Lady larvae on in 1996. My complete list is lost somewhere in my non-filing system, but this is what I can remember. Most foodplants fell into one of three botanical...

Well guessed Dave. Over to you.

Misha

What have we here?

Misha

Sorry Guy. Don't have a telly.

Misha

Plebeius argus-Brown Argus. Hesperia comma= Comma

Misha

It is indeed a Field Cricket. There was supposed to be a re-introduction site somewhere in the New Forest, but I don't know where, or if successful.

Misha

Took the bus out to Bere Regis on Saturday. Found the by-pass cutting had been shaved from top to bottom, so nothing there. But butterflies numerous on local buddleias and especially on burdocks. The commonest were Painted Lady, Peacock and Large White. It was good to see several fresh Small Torts w...

When I worked at Monks Wood in the 70s I became interested in the Comma, and specifically in what determined the production of hutchinsoni. In back numbers of various entomological magazines I found details of breeding experiments carried out by other people who had wrestled with this problem. I not...

Thanks Guy. Yes I had considered foulquieri as a possibility, but wasn't sure if its range in Catalonia extended into the Pyrenees. The photo was taken near Molló, north of Camprodon.

Misha

May I butt in? I'm afraid I've never really got to grips with Pyrgus, so can I ask you Guy or Roger to give your opinion of the attached? It was photographed in Sept. 1986 in the east Spanish Pyrenees at about 1000m. I have it down as armoricanus, partly because of the date.

Misha

Hi Dave. My moth identification skills are rather rusty. I haven't run a light trap for so long, but I'm fairly confident about three of your moths. 1. Uncertain (the moth, not me.) 2. Common Rustic 3. Double Lobed 4. Large Yellow-underwing, but I'm unsure about the other one. The markings are rathe...

http://www.searchnbn.net, then just type in a species name in the search.

Misha

I've just looked at the distribution map on the nbn gateway. It seems to be well established in the Bristol area.

Misha

I think they're all High Brown. I don't think the wing shape of number three is right for Dark Green.

Misha

Very nice. That's the Hornet hoverfly (Volucella zonaria). This huge fly has been extending its range in recent years. It used to be found mainly on the south coast and the London area. I once saw 14 on a single small Hebe. You will probably see more in future. I'm not sure if it has been reported f...