Butterflies & Beetles

A couple of Butterfly spices and a couple of Longhorn Beetles once again from a few weeks ago (I’m still catching up). 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Butterfly.

Meadow Brown Butterfly.

Four-banded Longhorn Beetle.

Speckled Longhorn Beetle.

Black Plantation

 Target spices was Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly and we weren’t disappointed there were loads of them on the wing. That was the trouble they were on the wing they didn’t often settle and the ones that did were partially covered by grass however it was great to see so many of them. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anywhere near the same number of insects as there was the last time we were there.

One of the only Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary to settle with its wings open.

This one with its wings closed is partially covered by grass.

A caterpillar hanging by a thread.

Large Skipper butterfly.

Brown Silver-line Moth.

Mining Bee?

Before we went to Black Plantation these Red Kites were flying (too high for decent images) over the Garden.

Black Plantation

 I should have checked because we were two or three weeks early for what we were looking for when my we went to Black Plantation, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies. However, there was still plenty of other things to photograph while we were there. Once again if the identification of any of these cracking little creatures is wrong, I apologise.

 Nothing what so ever to do with Black Plantation but I had the moth trap out for the first-time last night and there wasn’t a single moth in there, what’s going on.

Red-and-black Froghoppers are everywhere at the moment.

Gorse Shieldbugs doing what they do.

Gorse Shieldbug on its own.

Wasp Beetle.

Robberfly.

Nomad Bee.

This bonny little beetle has me stumped. Looking at the internet and through my books it could be a species of flower beetle but not sure.

Nettle Weevil.

Acleris rufana moth.

Brown Silver-line moth.

Common Carpet moth.

Tortricidae Sp. moth.

Another Tortricidae Sp. moth.

Black Plantation

 17.06.22 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies were the target for my visit to Black Plantation. There were quite a few on the wing in a rather blustery breeze which unfortunately didn’t make it easy to photograph them.

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly.

Latticed Heath moth.

Tortricidae Sp.

Final instar Forest Shieldbug.

Click Beetle having lunch.

7-spot Ladybird.

Great Pied Hoverfly.

Black Plantation

 My first visit of the year to Black Plantation primarily for the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly but in addition to that, it is always a pleasure seeing and photographing all the other insects that are there. 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary photobombed by a Hoverfly.

When the sun came out the butterflies became more active.

However when it wasn’t sunny they liked to rest on the moss.

Male Large Skipper.

I might not have found many Shieldbugs lately but I am finding loads of Micro Moths. These are just a few of them. However, I have given up trying to identifying most of them individually as its just too much like hard work lol.

 I think this is Eulia ministrant.

Tortricidae Sp.

I think this could be Notocelia roborana

Tortricidae Sp.

Not sure what they are (could be Sawfly caterpillars) but I saw quite a few like these.

Volucella bombylans which is a Bumblebee Mimic Hoverfly

Helophilus Sp. of Hoverfly

Orange-horned Scabious Sawfly

Black-backed Sawfly

Green Sawfly

Froghopper

Longhorn Beetle

Great Pied Hoverfly

Rhingia Sp. of Hoverfly

Mayfly

Ichneumonidae Sp.

Yellow Dungfly