Saturday 21 August 2010

Saturday 21st.August 2010

Not a nice day today , overcast , windy and constant drizzle showers . I had to get out for a while , and managed a couple of hours at High Elms . In the conditions , butterflies were few and far between , but I managed to record Common Blue , Brown Argus , Meadow Brown , Gatekeeper , 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries , including this very drab female , still egglaying , the male was much fresher , but has probably missed the boat for mating , Large and Green-veined White .

Insects as a whole were scarce , but this Volucella pellucens was just waiting for the sun . I mentioned a few posts ago that Marmalade Hoverflies were everywhere , well , there is at least one less after this Crab Spider caught one as it nectared on Marjoram . Within a couple of minutes , the Spider had completely overpowered the Hoverfly , and it was the Spider who was feeding now . Lots of this in flower now , Red Bartsia-Odontites verna . Only other interest found were a few fungi ,Green Wood-cup-Chlorosplenium aeruginascens ,

Many-zoned Polypore-Coriolus versicolor , and Chicken of the Woods/Sulphur Polypore-Laetiporus sulphureus .

2 comments:

Warren Baker said...

It was a dull and damp old day Greenie, you didn't do that bad though.

Next two days look just as bad ;-(

Anonymous said...

Great set of photos Greenie. My faves have to be the 2 with the Crab Spider & the Hover. Well captured shots.