More South Downs Magic

Yesterday I took part in a chalk grassland survey at Applesham Farm on the South Downs.  The site was a beautiful location with a rich variety of species making excellent habitat for numerous butterflies, moths and other insects (including lots of spiders, eep!).  Here are few examples:

Eyebrights

Perforate St John's-wort

Pyramidal Orchid

Yellow-wort

Marbled White butterfly

Six-spot Burnet Moth

Fritillary - dark green?

Not sure what these fellas will grow up to be...

We've also been doing a farmland bird survey over today and yesterday spotting skylark, yellowhammer, corn bunting, whitethroat and pipits to investigate crop/habitat preferences.  Not sure if these pictures will be too small on here but I believe there to be a young corn bunting in this tree...

The Lake District Part 1 - Fauna Highlights

The Lake District was beautiful and absolutely teeming with flora and fauna.  The wildlife highlight was seeing 2 red squirrels very close.  It was hard to get decent pictures but you can see what they are...

having a scratch!

We heard and saw loads of birds and it was nice to hear so many skylarks up in the hills.  We were even treated to a close up appearance by one:

Skylark

Redstart

Curlew

I have yet to work through some of my flora pictures to identify them but did discover this cool moorland plant up in the hilltops that looked like cottonwool on stems:

Hare's-tail cottongrass

This damselfly was cruising around Derwent Water and I believe it may be a female Common Blue Damsefly.  I had hoped that it might be a more rare species but I dont think so.  It's probably best as there is a small chance that I may have accidently sat on it.

And...the large mammal highlight of the week was definitely this...yummy!

Keswick Cow Pie

Disturbing tales of the living dead

I have been trying to figure out what this ladybird is doing here:

I think I have got to the bottom of it but it's a gruesome tale if I am correct.  Apparently the seven-spot ladybird is often victim to a parasitoid wasp Dinocampus coccinellae.  The wasp injects its egg into adults of large ladybirds. The eggs hatch into larvae which grow within the ladybird but do not kill it. They emerge and build a cocoon below the ladybird, attaching it to a leaf.  The larva feeds off the non-vital organs of the ladybird and immobilise it by severing the main nerves in its legs.  So the ladybird is living-dead! The pupating wasp enjoys the protection provided by the ladybird's bright warning coloration as well as the deterrent properties of "reflex bleeding"; a mechanism whereby ladybirds produce toxic and foul tasting fluids from their joints to put off would be predators.  Pretty harsh eh.

On a happier note, my aunt and uncle have discovered this Elephant Hawk Moth residing in their car port:

Elephant Hawk moth

These are amazing moths if you get to see them.  Right I am off to the lakes for a week, tune in after the 25th!

Chasing Butterflies

It took me a while chasing this Small Heath butterfly around Buchan park today until I could get close enough to take a picture without it flying away (luckily there wasnt too much work to be doing!)

This next one was a lucky spot in the midst of running after butterflies.  Using my new moth id book (thanks widgeon and jk) I believe this to be a Common White Wave:

Common White Wave Moth

After picking up a log I found (well, disturbed is probably more accurate) this chap which I was quite pleased with.  By the way, that is not my arm!

Violet Ground Beetle

The coppiced areas was teeming with spiders.  I'm pretty sure none of them came home with me but as you can see they were trying to get in my bag!

Lycosidae sp?

?

Right under our noses

I've just noticed these beautiful common spotted orchids growing right outside out flat!  There are quite a few of them and I have just been walking past them every day without realising they were there:

There are lots of wildflowers growing on this small bit of grass in the middle of suburbia.  Oxeye daisy, birds-foot-trefoil, lesser trefoil and selfheal are a few of the others.  You dont have to venture far sometimes though the neighbours might think you're weird taking pictures of the grass!

Lesser trefoil

Selfheal

Bugs, bogs and birds

Last week was a busy and fruitful one.  Whilst constructing yet another kissing gate to improve access on public footpaths (ironically only thin people can get through the gate) I spotted this little shieldbug:

 I think it may be species Troilus luridus - thats the closest id I could find.

We did a nightjar walk at Broadwater Warren one evening which I would highly recommend.  We heard and saw both woodcock and nightjar - both make amazing sounds.  You can check them out at the following links: Nightjar and Woodcock

On Saturday we visited the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum which is also a highly recommended trip.  As well as the amazing old houses they had some fantastic small gardens and coppiced woodland.

Cornflower

Crosswort

Speckled wood butterfly

Wild pansy

Here is a 15th Century toilet from the "Bayleaf" Farmstead (you dont want to be standing beneath it!):

And this is Lisa doing an impression of Charlie Hamilton-James' dubious live presentation skills (from Springwatch 2011):

"Did...a beaver...do this?! Find out later on!"