Last Monday I had my…

…left knee replaced so I will be out of action for some time. I can’t drive for at least six weeks so unless something happens in the garden these next few Blogs (some from our holiday in Scotland and a couple from trips out locally) are going to have to be my last for a while. This one is from a trip to Twizell Woods at the beginning of this month. 

I saw at least two Golden-bloomed Grey longhorn Beetles and I took far too many pictures of them.

And there were at least two Black-and-yellow Longhorn Beetles.

Red-legged/Forest Shieldbug.

A light coloured 7-spot Ladybird.

A darker 7-spot Ladybird.

Soldier Beetle.

Common Grammoptera?

The reason I went to Twizell Woods, Southern Hawker Dragonfly. Unfortunately, it would not settle so this is the best I could get at the time but as soon as I’m able I’ll be back.

Male Broad-bodied Chaser.

Common Darter.

There were a few around the pools.

Four-spotted Chaser.

Emerald Damselfly.

Azure Damselflies.

I think this could be a Tree Wasp.

Sawfly.

Eristalis Sp. Hoverfly.

Epistrophe Sp. Hoverfly.

Helophilus pendulus Hoverfly.

Eristalis Sp. in flight.

Banded General Soldierfly,

Great Pied Hoverfly.

Cuckoo Bumblebee.

Flesh Fly.

Picture winged Fly?

Grasshopper.

Comma Butterfly.

Small Skipper Butterfly.

A pair of Small Skippers.

A Water Boatman with a grub or caterpillar ready to eat.

Snail.

Two Quarries

 

My wife and I had a trip to Bishop Middleham and Wingate quarries on the 16^th (she preferred the latter) primarily for the Marbled White butterflies at Wingate. The weather was hot and sunny and the butterflies were reluctant to settle, the ones that did were mainly female. I knew it was late in the season but I still wanted to see if there were any Northern and Brown Argus at Bishop Middleham quarry. There were a few still around as you can see below however if I have the identification wrong, please let me know.

Female Marbled White butterfly

Male Marbled White

Female Marbled White butterfly

Male Marbled White

Small Heath butterfly

How this snail got into this position on this slender bit of grass I will never know.

Looking at the markings on the underside of the wing I think this is a Northern Brown Argus.

Once again looking at the markings this is a Brown Argus and it appears to be laying eggs. As I mentioned in a previous Blog I was speaking to a man about these butterflies and this seems to go against what he said.

Is the fly checking out the Speckled Wood butterfly or is it the other way around?

Six-spot Burnet Moth.

When we were kids, we called these Hairy Caterpillars.