SPOT THE BEE FLY ETC. ETC. UPDATE 8th July 2023
We’ll kick-off this latest update with a few photos from Irene’s superb garden party event last Saturday, well done Irene, pleased to see that your efforts were rewarded with a good turn-out by ‘members’ all of whom thoroughly enjoyed meeting up for a chat and to partake of a wonderful selection of cakes and tea or coffee. Thanks must also go to Irene’s ‘little helpers’, Penny and Jacky, who kindly kept us supplied with the aforementioned goodies!
Our first contributor is Chris, - thanks Chris:
1st July – “Just a few photos of a trip to Lundy that Mary and I did earlier in the month. we had a great time, lots of walks, glorious weather (not too hot with a cooling breeze) re- visiting old haunts (couldn’t find the Adders Tongue Fern but plenty of Lundy Cabbage!!. Stayed in Hamners, a dream cabin right on the edge where we watched the comings and goings on the sea, but best of all Manx Shearwaters below us. Two nights we stayed up kitted out with blankets on deckchairs to listen to their banshee calls as they circled around and into their burrows! Magic. Chris”
Next is Katrina with this rather unusual plant growing in her garden, - thank you Katrina:
3rd July – “Orobanche hederae Ivy Broomrape without chlorophyll and so parasitic on Ivy – of which I seem to have plenty in the garden! Regards, Katrina”
Some more from Chris:
3rd July – “I went over Swan Lakes, Sandhurst the other day in cloudy weather but in the sunny patches the butterflies and damsels and dragons appeared. There were lots of Meadow Browns and Skippers but no Blues!!! It looks like a poor year for them. Chris”
We then have the following from Steve Outram -
An interesting observation and some good detective work by Steve Outram, - nice work Steve!:
6th July – “Great get-together at Irene’s on Saturday. I got a better photo of my mystery caterpillar on Sunday. I did some more research and decided it was a Toadflax Brocade moth (it was on purple toadflax, a rather invasive
garden plant). The book said it first occurred on the Kent coast in 1950 and has since spread along the Sussex coast. I decided to contact Mike Wall the Hampshire moth recorder. He confirmed my identification straight away and told me that the moth is spreading quite quickly and he has had adults in his own moth trap in Basingstoke. However, he has never had the caterpillars on his own purple toadflax.
The other photo is a scarlet tiger which Mike Wall says is also becoming more common. He says we should look out for Jersey Tigers which are also on the increase.”
4th July – A note from Jackie and Tony, - coincidentally Ken and I had a similar experience with butterflies on Tuesday when we found ourselves surrounded by Ringlets! :
“Hi Mike. While walking the dog earlier this afternoon along the edge of a newly harvested filed of wheat near Dorchester, virtually at every step I took two or three red admiral butterflies flew up from the ground. The perimeter of the field was about 1.5 miles, so it was a lot of butterflies. The ground is very dry here, we have not had any rain for at least five weeks so it wasn't moisture that was attracting them. The other side of the path was approx. 2 - 3-metre-wide wildflower verge (very overgrown, dry and only obviously cow parsley in flower) and then a minor road. Any explanation? Regards to all, Jackie”
28th June – A message from Derek and Judy Venables in Norfolk, - I sent them some of the photos taken at Irene’s party.
“Dear Mike & Jenny. Thank you for your latest Bee Fly update. I'm sorry we have nothing to contribute. We are both largely confined to the bungalow and garden at present and this has been our worst year for insects so far, apart from common and holly blues in abundance. Our regards to you both. Derek & Judy”
5th July
“Dear Mike and Jenny. Thanks for the garden party pictures, it's lovely to see some of our old friends again.”
One or two now from Jenny and me to round things off, taken at RHS Wisley this morning:
The fly landed on Jenny’s jumper at Wisley, not sure what it is, thought it was a Moon Fly but does not check out…?
The butterfly (Skipper?) was taken in the scrub by the A30.
That’s it until next time! Best Wishes, Mike and Jenny