Butterflies inc Purple Emperor

Woods Mill in East Sussex was where i was today for a Intro into Summer Butterrflies. A course run by the Sussex Wildlife Trust and it was excellent. I make it 16 species of butterfly and a new Darter for me too.
Can never rely on traffic these days so left plenty of time and ended up getting there an hour early. I had hardly left the car park when I saw the family of Water Rail that don't seem too bothered about humans.

First up was a power point presentation on Butterflies and then on those to be seen in Sussex. This involved what plants they like to feed on, when, what height they fly etc. Very fascinating and might try some of this next year, or even this year for some species. Beautiful Demoiselle and Emperor Dragonfly started us along with Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Small White and Peacock. In the first area we saw our first Purple Emperor that had flown across and was perched quite a way away from us. The leader a Butterfly man hadn't seen them here before so a great start. Large White, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper next. Comma, Large and Small Skipper and had already been told how to tell between Essex and Little. Marbled White I think is also a new one for me but they never seem to land. Ringlet,Large White and Silver-washed Fritillary along with White Admiral. 

We went back to the classroom then went for another look around and that was when we managed to get a photo of Marbled White, Purple Emperor, Comma and Skippers. Also saw some gorgeous Ruddy and Common Darter. Another for the list and one I hadn't reckoned on seeing. There was also 4 Kestrel sitting on top of the nest box, the mother then bought back what looked like a rat and the young started to scramble to get a piece.

Large Skipper

Small Skipper

Cuckoo Buff-tailed? This bee was massive so have some 

research to do regards that.

Comma

Unidentified Bee

Gorgeous Marbled White

Purple Emperor. This was at the top of a tree, the best photo I could get but 

it was good viewing.

Green-veined White (best I could get)

And a couple of shots of Darters.

Ruddy Darter

Common Darter

Next weekend, same site but evening with Moths and then next day Bees at Rye. Going to be great and looking forward to it.

Loads of Dragon/Damselflies and some Butterflies

Had a visit to Broadwater warren this morning. Concentrated on the Decoy pond and area around the car park where there seems to be a lot of Buterflies.
Around the car park there were indeed lots of Butterflies. In the car park inself, Large White, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper and Ringlet. Did see a dragonfly briefly but couldn't relocate it.
In the next area after the first gate loads of Ringlet and Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown. Further down the track just in the long grass Small Skipper and another Dragonfly, which I think was a Common Darter but only saw it in flight.

It was perfect weather for Insects and the pond didn't disappoint. Azure blue, Large Red Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Small red Damselfly, Downy Emerald and Emerald Damselfly.

Azure Damselfly - Coenagrion puella

Large red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Emperor Dragonfly - Anax imperator

the backround doesn't help in these photos as it clashes too much

Emerald Damselfly - Lestes spansa

Happy to be corrected but think it is Emerald.

Also got a decent wood ant shot in the fact you can see it is one. Got another mystery fly. Also heard back from an expert who told me that what I thought was a plasterer bee was actually a Digger Wasp of the Crabro genus, a Slender-bodied Digger which is either C.peltarius or C.cribrarius as these are in this area. There is a difference on the male foreleg but my photos don't show enough detail to tell which.

The Digger Wasp

Butterflies tomorrow. Hopefully some new ones.

Moths from Friday night

So Friday evening I was out camping and got a number of moths, a lot of the pictures have to be zoomed up so will only put a few up.
Large Emerald - Geometra pailionaria
Swallow-tailed Moth - Ourapteryx sambucaria
Common Emerald - Hemithea aestiuaria
Peach Blossom - Thyatira batis
Clouded Border _ Lamaspilis marginata
Common White Wave - Cabera pusaria
Riband Wave - Idaea averseta
Buff-tip - Phalera bucephala
Treble brown spot - Idaea trigeminata
Great oak beauty - Hypomecis roboraria
Small fan-footed Wave - Idaea biselata
Plain Wave - Idaea strioninata

Picked my kids up from the camp on Sunday and had had a good look then and the list above are the ones I have identified, think there might be a couple more but harder to name.

Swallow-tailed Moth

Buff-tip

Common Emerald

Common White Wave

Clouded Border 

Peach Blossom

Large Emerald

Riband Wave 

Unknown

After the local expert visited on Saturday I did a quick circuit again and added Small Skipper and Ringlet to the list. A male Bullfinch also got into the list along with Kestrel, Tree Pipit and Buzzard. Got some great photos of Dragonflies again as well as I found a couple of the branches they like to sit on.

I have a butterfly course on Saturday which I am looking forward to and am going to go to Broadwater again soon as it's been such a busy week.

An Expert on site.

Where to start? On Friday night I was at a campsite and with camera in hand, I got some nice moth shots. Not all identified yet and some I suspect might go unidentified. Have identified Peach Blossom (Thyatria batis), Clouded Border (Lomaspilis marginata) Common Emerald (Hemithee aestivaria), Riband Wave (Idaea avesita), Buff-tip (Phalera bucephala), Swallowtailed (Ourapter sambucaria), There are more so will put more pics up later when I have identified some more. Here are two pics that I have at the moment.

Peach Blossom - Thyatira batis

Swallowtailed Moth - Ourapteryx sambucaria

Can't sleep at the best of times and this was no exception. Thunder, lightning and heavy rain later, and not much sleep. Next day I was at Broadwater Warren ready for a walk with a local expert. Were shown Alder buckthorn which is the food plant of the Brimstone butterfly, whose caterpillars eat the leaves. It's flowers provide a source of pollen and nectar for bees and other insects, and it's berries are eaten by birds. It thrives in acidic areas including woodlands, wet heathlands, bogs and river banks. It is widespread but rare. It does explain why there have been so many Brimstone. Then added Red Admiral, Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus), Large White. Next was Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Cinnabar caterpillars. Field Grasshopper made an appearance while we were looking at the site of a Slave-making Ant (Formica sanguinea).

This is a well established site for this Ant.

Nice to see a different Ant when so many Wood Ant around.

Nice view of Large Skipper.

A tiny mining bee sp, along with Teasel, Green Grasshopper found before getting to the decoy pond. Usual Large Red and Azure Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly and two new species for me, Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) and Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea). This now puts me up to 13 species just at Broadwater, think this can still be added to as well. 

Walking round from the pond and through the woods. Had various plants identified but also saw White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) Lagoda in my other book. This butterfly needs Honeysuckle to feed on, and flies from low on the ground to the tree tops. Then had what I believe is a first for me, Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) got a photo but it was just closing its wings. Now I know what they like to feed on I hope I will see it again in the next couple of weeks and get another photo.

Small White and Meadow Brown also seen along with a lovely Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii). Found out Dormice spend their time in the tops of trees, I certainly didn't know that. Really enjoyed the guided walk and as he is doing a couple more in Tonbridge soon I will definitely be going along to those.

Common spotted Orchid

Enchanted Nightshade

Yellow Pimpernel

After the walk, with renewed interest I did another quick circuit, but that will come later with the Moths.