May 2018 - part 1
1st May 2018 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
The first day of May was another very warm day (26 deg), and several 'new' things were waiting to be recorded. There was another good selection of butterflies, with the Coppers putting on a good show. I photographed: Small Copper, Sooty Copper, Lesser Fiery Copper, Chequered Blue, Hungarian Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, and Wall Brown, whilst these were seen but not photographed: Southern Festoon, Scarce Swallowtail, Wood White, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Small Heath, and Dingy Skipper. This made it 13 species for the day. The male Broad-bodied Chaser was at RB1 for the second day, and there was an unidentified damselfly too, possibly a Common Winter Damsel. Several moth species were found, including a 'tent' of Small Eggar caterpillars. I saw two mating pairs of Horned Treehopper on the Wolf Apple (Farkasalma). This plant is spreading well on the banks of The Bowl. My lungs were the 'lucky recipients' of smoke coming from the bonfire of 'mum and son'. I wouldn't mind, but they were burning on the land of a neighbour, not their own plot!
2nd May 2018 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
Another visit with the temperature around the 26 deg. mark. A good selection of butterflies were seen: Sooty Copper, Hungarian Skipper, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Silver-studded Blue (male), Small Heath, Glanville Fritillary, Queen of Spain Fritillary, Chequered Blue, Grizzled Skipper, Lesser Fiery Copper, Wood White, and Scarce Swallowtail, making it 12 species for the day. Only the latter two species were not photographed. The water situation is becoming serious, with Rock Bath 1 looking very vulnerable. Many plants are suffering badly in the drought, and The Bowl will soon turn from rich green to yellow if no rain falls soon. The male Broad-bodied Chaser continues to rule his small kingdom, but soon he'll have no kingdom to rule.
3rd May 2018 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
Another hot day (26 deg. at least) which is good for the butterflies, but bad for the amphibians and some plants. Regarding the butterflies, these were recorded: Green Hairstreak (the first of 2018), Small Heath, Hungarian Skipper, Sooty Copper, Small Copper, Silver-studded Blue, Wall Brown, Chequered Blue, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Grizzled Skipper, Eastern Baton Blue, Lesser Spotted Fritillary (the first of 2018), Scarce Swallowtail, Southern Festoon, and Wood White = 15 species. Perhaps the most exciting discovery was the Common Clubtail dragonfly, a wonderfully-marked yellow and black species. This was only our 2nd-ever record, and it comes when we have so little water on-site. Maybe it flew in from elsewhere. There were also one or two freshly emerged Azure damselfly on the top rim.
4th May 2018 - (Friday, Péntek)
Another hot day, but the butterflies and birds made my visit worthwhile. Let's start with the birds: Lesser Whitethroat, Starling, Cuckoo (heard), Golden Oriole (heard), Nightingale (heard), Tree Sparrows, and Red-backed Shrike. Butterflies: Lesser Fiery Copper, Silver-studded Blue, Dingy Skipper, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow (mating pair), Small Heath, Grizzled Skipper, Chestnut Heath (first of 2018), Chequered Blue (2 or 3 seen), Weaver's Fritillary (mating pair), Wall Brown, Wood White, Orange Tip (male), Eastern Baton Blue, Lesser Spotted Fritillary, Black Hairstreak (first of 2018), Scarce Swallowtail, and Southern Festoon = 17 species. In addition, several bug species were noted, and, at last, some photos of Lygaeus saxatilis were obtained.
5th May 2018 - (Saturday, Szombat)
I was on-site from 1030 until 1200, and was joined towards the latter stages by Teréz. The temperature was 27 degs and the butterflies were very active. Seen but not photographed were: Wall Brown, Weaver's Fritillary (egg-laying), and Scarce Swallowtail. Those photographed were: Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak (egg-laying), Dingy Skipper, Small Heath, Hungarian Skipper, Sooty Copper, Glanville Fritillary, Black Hairstreak, Wood White, Small Copper, Silver-studded Blue, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, and Pearly Heath (the first 2 of 2018) : a total of 16 species seen. For the first time, I saw the large buprestid beetle (Capnodis tenebrionis - Fekete díszbogár) in flight. On the top rim I found the distinctive Longhorn Beetle Musaria argus (Argusszemű cincér) - the first record since 1st May 2015.
6th May 2018 - (Sunday, Vasárnap)
Wood White, Grizzled Skipper, Silver-studded Blue (many males and females), Small Copper, Small Heath, Hungarian Skipper (incl. mating pair), Reverdin's Blue (male), Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Chequered Blue (also on top rim), Dingy Skipper, Common Blue (male), Queen of Spain Fritillary, Lesser Fiery Copper (egg-laying female), Sooty Copper (male), Green Underside Blue (1st of 2018), Scarce Swallowtail, Lesser Spotted Fritillary (courting pair), and Orange Tip (male) : 18 butterfly species. Grass Snake shed skin. Barn Swallows, Tree Sparrow, Cucckoo (heard), Nightingale (heard).
7th May 2018 - (Monday, Hétfő)
Again, lots of butterflies to be seen on this warm day, but it was a Dipteran species that stole the show. It is a type of Soldier Fly which is found in much of Europe, but not in Britain. It only landed on a leaf for a brief time, so I had to work quickly with the camera. I was amazed by its spectacular and shiny red patch. The larvae of this species live inside ant nests. As for the butterflies, these were seen: Silver-studded Blue, Small Heath, Pearly Heath, Reverdin's Blue, Grizzled Skipper, Common Blue, Sooty Copper, Chequered Blue, Black Hairstreak, Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow, Lesser Spotted Fritillary, Wood White, Eastern Baton Blue, Orange Tip (male), Wall Brown, and Scarce Swallowtail : 16 species. Birds photographed were: Great Tit and Red-backed Shrike. Note: it seems that the Barn Swallows are again nesting inside the SQHQ. A small Grass Snake quickly slid off the bank and into the water at the reedbed area.
8th May 2018 - (Tuesday, Kedd)
9th May 2018 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
The highlights of the day were the Green Underside Blue, and a mating pair of Eastern Baton Blue. I think this is the first time this has been observed at the SQ, and it took place on the top rim.
10th May 2018 - (Thursday, Csütörtök)
Although very warm, it was a windy day, which made butterfly photography very challenging. It was good to see the Southern Festoon again. This has been quite a long season for them at the SQ and we hope that it will result in caterpillars on the wealth of Birthwort.