Monday 27th. May 2013

Firstly , many thanks to Spock for suggesting either Double Square-Spot or Triple Spotted Clay , as the identity of the caterpillar on the last post . I have found pictures of the first , but just a sketch of the second . On balance I think that it is the Double Square-Spot . Many thanks for your time Spock .
With Summer coming to a close again this evening , the wall to wall sunshine tempted me out early again , heading up onto the Downs to search for butterflies and reptiles , and of course , any other wildlife . With a temperature just into double figures , butterflies were few and far between , but as the temperature rose , they began to show up . The two areas that I visited eventually produced 12 species , but one species made up the lion's share of the sightings . Dingy Skipper (54 and that was a conservative count) , Grizzled Skipper (1) , Peacock (1) , Small Heath (2) , Small Copper (2) , Brimstone (3) , Green-veined White (2) , Holly Blue (1) , Common Blue (2 my first Kent sightings) ,

Speckled Wood (3) ,Large White (1) and Green Hairstreak (1 pictured) . The strong wind probably kept numbers down as they sheltered , like the male Brimstone which was sheltering in this Wayfarer

tree . I only saw it as it flew in and disappeared . Answer at end of this blog if not found .
Day flying moths included several Pyrausta sp.- Mint moths) , Burnet Companion , Common Carpet

and this Treble Bar . Another encounter with a fox produced a different outcome this time . At first ,

it was a 'stare out' at distance , but before I even took a single step , it was off into the undergrowth ,

not to be seen again . As normal , Slow Worms made up the majority of the reptile sighting , with 29 recorded , but today it was the Common Lizards that were missing . A single Grass Snake , which

hissed at me , no doubt because I woke it from it's slumber , and I managed to get back on track with the Adders , finding five specimens today ;

an adult female ,

another female , sub adult , tucked up with a juvenile male ,

an adult male , still in breeding colours , looking as if he had fed recently ,

and lastly , a female who looked as if she too had fed recently .
The first of two unusual sightings , was as I approached a water trough . A large beetle type was struggling to climb up the side of the trough . My first thoughts were diving beetle of some sort , but

 as I got closer , I dismissed the idea . It had manage to climb where the water had left deposits on the side of the trough , but was struggling on the smooth galvanised metal above . I picked it out and had a good look at it , and realised that I had seen smaller versions , but couldn't remember where or when . To get some better shots , I found a stick and encouraged the insect to climb onto it . Once on ,

I pushed the end of the stick into the ground , and the insect climbed to the top of the stick . I also

took a shot of it alongside 'old faithful' , the 35mm. film canister to show size . Before reaching home , Cockchafer filtered down into the grey matter , but I got no further . I usually see lots of Garden Chafer on the site , but the book at home identified it as a Common Cockchafer / Melolontha melolontha , also known as the May Bug , and although I have seen May Bugs before , not of this size . Reading up on the web , this was a male , as it had seven 'leaves' on it's antennae , females just have six . In the Middle Ages , adult bugs were collected as a means of pest control and in 1320 , the bugs were brought to court in Avignon and sentenced in their absence to 'withdraw within 3 days to a designated area ' . Naturally enough , the bugs failed to comply and the order was given for them to be collected and killed . They were also used as food , with recipes for soup and stew , and as recent as the 1920s , sugar-coated Cockchafers were available . It all reminded me of a story on the news recently about eating bugs and worms .
The other was a small flower I found , whilst following a butterfly , which I never did find . It went to ground and whilst looking a small splash of blue/violet caught my eye . Very small , struggling amongst the grass , it reminder me of Autumn Gentian , a species that does well on site . But , it's still

Spring/Summer so it couldn't be that . I cleared the grass away and took some shots , and at home checked the books , to find an Early Gentian / Gentianella anglica , described as ' differs chiefly in flowering May / June . Always on lime' . If the ID is confirmed , it will be a first for me .
And finally , if you didn't spot the male Brimstone , it is in the bottom right hand corner , hanging under a leaf , between the two bare twigs .