June 2018 - part 1
2nd June 2018 - (Saturday, Szombat)
Soon after I arrived, dark clouds rolled up and thunder sounded. Once again, though, only a few rain spots fell. It's looking like the site will remain dry all summer. We could do with some fairly prolonged rainfall, though, just to keep the flowering plants in good condition. This would ensure a constant stream of visiting butterflies. Although I didn't stay too long, I was, nonetheless, able to photograph many small creatures. Despite the lack of water, at least two species of damselfly were seen. Butterflies included: Meadow Brown, Sloe Hairstreak, Wood White, Silver-studded Blue, Essex Skipper, Common Blue, Reverdin's Blue, Sooty Copper (a badly-damaged female), Marbled White, Marbled Fritillary, Small Heath, and Pearly Heath = 12 species. In addition, 2 of the 3 Southern Festoon caterpillars were still in-place on the Birthwort plants.
4th June 2018 - (Monday, Hétfő)
5th June 2018 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
6th June 2018 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
The first 1 hour and 30 minutes of my visit was spent in the adjacent area to the SQ ... our 'overspill area', if you will. I thought I'd explore these species-rich areas before entering the main SQ itself. It was a good decision, as I found, at last, the Five-spotted Burnet. I'm sure I'd photographed this species several years ago, but I haven't been able to locate those images. Now I can add today's images to the web site. I also saw the Six-spot Burnet today, along with a Burnet caterpillar inside the the SQ, near the reedbed area. On the steep bank adjacent to the long track, there were many large white flowerheads of the Shrub Elder, and these attracted large numbers of insects, especially, Blue-spot Hairstreak, Sloe Hairstreak, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, and Rose Chafer. Other butterflies seen included: Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Peacock, Pearly Heath, Small Heath, Chestnut Heath, Wood White, Green-veined White, Large White, Small White, Eastern Bath White, Essex Skipper, Common Blue, Silver-studded Blue, Adonis Blue, Twin-spot Fritillary, Weaver's Fritillary, Heath Fritillary, Marbled Fritillary, Sooty Copper (female), and Green Underside Blue = 25 species. I also found a Wart-biter bush-cricket, the first record since 5th June 2013.
7th June 2018 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
A Green Tree Frog called four times in a 10-minute period this afternoon. I checked some of the reedbed, but couldn't find the 'caller'. Second record of the Wart-biter on consecutive days.