Essex Skipper

Essex Skipper has appeared on my local patch for the second year running now with this male on the top of Sand Point near the trig point. The antennae show tips that look half dipped in black and the sex brand is shorter than Small Skippers and parallel to the edge of the wing.

Essex Skipper

A new hoverfly Crysotoxum festivum 9th June

A cold north-easterly wind early morning made it feel less like summer although officially it's still meant to be a couple of weeks away yet. In Sand Bay 20 Black-headed Gulls, 12 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel and 6 Curlew. At Sand Point Glanville Fritillary and Brown Argus on the wing. I found a new hoverfly today Chrysotoxum festivum which was very smart indeed. Also the first Bee Orchids out and the Foxgloves are coming into full flower in the bay.

Brown Argus

Glanville Fritillary

Issus coleoptratus

Chrysotoxum festivum

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)

The Small Tortoiseshell is a common butterfly in the UK being found on the wing in spring, late summer and early autumn. The larval foodplant is Nettle.

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae

Comma butterfly Polygonia c-album

The best larvae I found last night was in the local park a Comma butterfly on Elm. I first noticed the  larval workings and then inspected the underside of the leaves and there it was. Comma butterfly foodplants also include Nettle, Willows (Salix) and Hop.

Comma Polygonia c-album caterpillar Final Instar

Comma Polygonia c-album