Wednesday 24th. July 2013

Yesterday morning , I tried again for Purple Hairstreaks on both West Wickham and Hayes Common , and once again I failed to find any . Whilst looking , I did find a few bits of interest ,

several large sheetwebs , each with a tubular retreat for it's occupant , the Labyrinth Spider / Agelena labyrinthica , this particular occupant having just dealt with a young Grasshopper that probably got blown into it's web ,

after finding the Long-winged female Conehead on a previous visit , this time it was a female Short-winged Conehead , again a female , this time with the short upturned ovipositor ,

lots of grasshoppers , especially on the heathland areas , including this Common Field Grasshopper ,

and , found in the garden late afternoon , this moth , which I hope is Buff Ermine .
Today , after waiting in for a delivery , I made another visit to Dene Park , near Warren's patch , to look for more Purple Emperors . The clouds were just breaking and the sun soon appeared , which made it very humid again . I had one quick sighting early on , then it went quiet , but from about midday to 1300 , I and four other watchers had dozens of sightings , albeit at 40-50 feet around the top of one of the master trees . The most butterflies in view at any one time was three , but there could well have been more . One specimen came tantalisingly close , but at the last second , swooped back to the tree tops . Also seen were a handful of PHs , likewise all high up , a single SWF , a couple of Commas and a few White Admirals . The sightings came to an abrupt end , so I left the site and headed for White Hill near Shoreham , the site managed specifically for Chalkhill Blues by Kent BC .
By the time I arrived , it was almost wall to wall sunshine , but with a strong wind across the slope . Chalkhill Blues were seen almost immediately , but not in the large numbers I have seen in previous years on site . Like several of the 'blue' butterflies , the female is brown , and several newly emerged

specimens were seen , along with males , some of which have already started to loose some of their coloured scales . Searching the length of the site , I found four mating pairs , but there were probably

more amongst the ground vegetation , this pair were on Marjoram / Origanum vulgare , a member of the Labiate family . The Field Scabious has now been joined by the Small Scabious , Scabiosa

columbaria , both members of the Teasel family . The last relative to flower , the Devilsbit Scabious / Succisa pratensis , is still in tight bud , but seems to have escaped the interest of rabbits this year .

Harebell / Campanula rotundifolia , a member of the Bellflower family ,

and Eyebright /Euphrasia officinalis , a member of the Figwort family , and a favourite of mine , was also found . As was this moth , which I should know , having found it before . I know it doesn't have

a common name , and have gone through the UK Moth searches without success . I know I'm going to kick myself when I see the name . Many thanks to Alan for identifying the moth as Oncocera semirubella , and yes , the kick has been administered .