I decided to have a mooch around Hillditch Pool today looking for inverts. Beetles were the order of the day as I recorded 2 Red-headed Cardinal Beetles, a ♀ Thick-legged Flower Beetle and a 14-spot Ladybird. Harlequin Ladybird, Garden Chafer and Red Soldier Beetle were also noted.
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis)
Also recorded during this visit were White-lipped Snail and Nursery Web Spider. A small number of Small Tortoiseshell butterfly caterpillars were found feeding on Nettles.
Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) larva
I paid another visit to Hillditch Pool today to make the most of the warm mild weather. If yesterday was all about the beetles then today was all about the moths, the highlight of which being a stunning long-horned micro-moth called Adela croesella. This type of moth are called long-honed due to their long antennae. Other moths recorded included 7 Straw Dot, a Common Carpet and a handful of Nettle Tap moths.
Adela croesella
Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis)
The only butterflies observed during the visit were 1 Small Tortoiseshell & 1♂ Orange Tip.
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
I also found a Hairy Shieldbug during my visit and a ♂ Thick-legged Flower Beetle was also noted.
Hairy Shieldbug (Dolycoris baccarum)
Thick-thighed Flower Beetle (Oedemera nobilis)
On the Odonata front, a single ♂ Emperor was the only dragonfly observed but good numbers of damselflies were present. Both Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle were particularly showy.
♂ Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
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