Saturday 9th. June 2012

Well , at least it wasn't raining as I set off to do the High Elms butterfly transect this morning . The wind was still gusting strongly with plenty of cloud , but it wasn't raining . The car thermometer was reading 14C when I arrived and hopes were high , after being stuck indoors for the last two days , and having recorded 11 species on the last transect . But today , I recorded 3 species , with a total of

4 butterflies , 2 Small Heath , and one each of Common Blue and Grizzled Skipper , pictured hanging on for dear life in the wind  , a most disappointing visit . Fortunately , other interest was found on the

 two hour transect , including the first Pyramidal Orchids in flower on the Conservation Field , a surviving Orange Tip caterpillar , following the mowing of the path edges , only saved by being just

out of reach of the mower . Having hatched out , now feeding on the seed pods of the Garlic Mustard / Jack by the Hedge , one of the species' food plants . I found a third Bee Orchid on Burnt

Gorse , then another on the Orchid Bank , hopefully more will be found soon . Right down at the

bottom of the reserve , 30+ Bird's Nest Orchids , the least colourful of the family , were recorded , along with many White Helleborine . On the Orchid Bank itself , lots of Common Twayblades ,

Common Spotted Orchids , pictured , now in full flower  , a single Man Orchid and a few Fly Orchids were also recorded . On the way home , I called in up on the Common , to see if there was more to find there . The Brimstone caterpillars have grown , having munched their way through

many Buckthorn leaves , and in one of the glades , both Small Copper and Common Blue posed for a

shot , making it equal with High Elms on species when adding the 6 Small Heaths recorded , then

going in front with a fresh Speckled Wood ., then to top off the visit , my first Meadow Browns of the year , when 2 specimens lifted out of the grass in front of me , but failed to stop for a shot .
And finally , help please with a Crane Fly type insect , but much more colourful than the usual

specimens , found on my way back to the car at High Elms . After much digging , I think that this is a female Ctenophora pectinicornis ( and that's not easy to say ) , but have asked my friendly entomologist to confirm , or not , as the case might be .