October 2016 - part 1
1st October 2016 - (Saturday, Szombat)
Photos from Teréz's solo visit:
3rd October 2016 - (Monday, Hétfő)
We had overnight rain, and the conditions were much cooler, but despite those facts, I've been able to compile a very colourful album, considering that we are now on the 3rd day of October. My check on the 5 Swallowtail caterpillar sites was rather disappointing. As you know, No.2 died last week. Only No.1 was still in place on its plant, as can be seen in the first set of pix. When I walked past the same plant 40 minutes later, my heart sank as the caterpillar was not in place ! However, further examination revealed that it had shuffled 40 cms further up the same plant stem ! Nos.3 and 4 were not in place on their plant, but I found the shrivelled skin of, probably, the smaller of the two under the plant stems. Hopefully, the larger one has descended to pupate. No. 5 (which was 'up the road') had also vanished from its plant, and I'm hoping that 'pupation departure' is the also the reason for its disappearance. I checked many Cypress Spurge plants but couldn't find a 'replacement' caterpillar for the one I trod on last week. No healing for my soul. I did, however, find 2 fully-grown Fox Moth caterpillars, one inside The Bowl, the other on the top rim. I saw and photographed, only 2 butterflies: one was, I believe, a Common Blue, and the other, a dead Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow. As I left the site, A Brown Hare (Mezei nyúl) scampered off through the undergrowth at speed.
5th October 2016 - (Wednesday, Szerda)
This afternoon's visit, during quite sunny conditions, was rather a shock to me, as, with the strong wind, it felt unbelievably cold! Luckily I had a warm coat with me, but not a woolly hat! Despite the sudden and unexpected cold, I was determined to press on and produce a full photographic record of my visit. We'd had rain overnight, and the morning had been very cloudy. I discovered water in Rock Baths 1 and 2. The only remaining Swallowtail caterpillar (No. 1) was still in situ on its plant. An Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow sat on the ground, motionless, and single Small Heath and Brown Argus were being buffeted by the strong winds on flower heads. Tree Sparrows were chatting as they moved from bush to bush, and a Common Buzzard called as it overflew the site.
8th October 2016 - (Saturday, Szombat)
My afternoon visit occurred during rather overcast conditions, although the sun peeped through occasionally. Even so, it was woolly hat and coat time ! My first job was to check whether the last remaining Swallowtail caterpillar (No.1) was still in place ... and it was ! I found only one butterfly at the site: a Small Copper. It was motionless to start with, with wings closed, but as I moved closer, there was slight movement from one antenna .... perhaps a small, friendly greeting? I moved away, but then the sun broke through, and so I returned, and sure enough, it had opened its wings, allowing me a single shot (luckily in focus!) before it took to the wing. Today was 'SQ shield bug day', as 4 species were recorded ... 2 of them, probably new species. 3 examples of shield bug Nezara viridula were seen, all of them 'final instar'. A Jay sat on a top rim bush, preening and squarking, but it was 'buzzed' by a small indignant songbird.
10th October 2016 - (Monday, Hétfő)
Here are Teréz's pix from the same day (10th October 2016):