Scrobbesbyrigscir

Cropped zoom shots of the female Silver-studded Blue, cracking day out but the midges/mosquitoes really had a feast day with parts of me twice the size that they usually are.

Shropshire Butterflies and Dragonflies

Great day out today with the two Martin's and Mike to Whixall Moss and Prees Heath in Shropshire. Our main target was White Faced Darter at Whixall Moss which we failed to get. Weather conditions were definitely against us overcast with some wind, the sun hardly showed itself all morning. However we also hoped for Large Heath butterfly and after some early very good candidates which would not land in view for us we finally nailed one down. A lifer for all of us. Really good numbers were then seen especially on the walk back to the car.

We travelled the short distance to Prees Heath. It was now raining steadily and our hopes of getting Silver Studded Blue were not looking good. The gods however were looking down on us as Mr Bevan and Mike found some close together in a quite small patch of land. On counting we found at least 30 there packed quite close together. The day's total was in excess of 60. Amazing considering the weather conditions.

Large Skipper

Large Heath

Ringlet

Black Darter

Silver Studded Blue

Bee Orchid

Went over to Abercwmboi Lake this morning to see if there were any Bee Orchids up but found only one. I hope this is going to be the start of it and there will be more to come. The Mute Swan cygnets have gone from 7 to 6 in a week, I hope no more disappear. Also a Reed Warbler was singing from the reed bed.

Pyramidal Orchid Site at Bryn Du

After have a good soaking in Abercwmboi yesterday afternoon and getting home and finding it was dry I decided to go up Bryn Du and take my dogs for a walk. It was hot and the road was steaming as I walked and thought good chance of Dragonflies but like always as I walked it got cooler and there were no sign of any Dragonflies. The only thing on the wing were a couple of dozen Azure Damselflies. So I went to check if there were any Pyramidal Orchids out, they took some finding in the sea of Southern Marsh Orchids, my daughter Kathryn found the first spike and we managed to find about ten orchids. I found a caterpillar feeding on a orchid and thought Ange Shades but on checking it's not and have no idea what it is and open for offers. I then spotted three Caterpillars in the Bramble on the side of the site and have learnt since there are Emperor Moth and a cracking looking thing and will try and go back up for closer look.

There were lots of Bees and Hoverflies on the flowers. Feeling the Temperature drop I found this smart Early Bumble Bee also the Matchstick Lichen was looking brilliant in the light .

Abercanaid mothing

Found in the garden trap this morning, but was in a rush to spend much time on it so tubed and popped in the fridge, thought it could be the migrant White-point or the much more likely Clay, what do you reckon.

Common Wintergreen

The Common Wintergreen is flowering  again in Robertstown, there seems to be lots of flowers out at the moment which is a great sight. I also found a male Ghost Swift moth on a thistle and thought funny old pose and was expecting to see a spider again but no sign. It was impaled on the Thistle.

Back to the Valley's

and a wander round Gwyl Taf this evening with the target of the leafhopper Sonronius dahlbomi found by Mark at this site last year.

Well it took a while but eventually about 5 adult and 2 nymph's were found - all on Bracken - in a similar area to where they were found last year.