Wednesday 16th August - Lower Heath:
A single Red Admiral, 1 Small Heath and a Common Grass Veneer Moth were of note. Also recorded was a final instar Dock Bug nymph.
Common Grass Veneer (Agriphila tristella)
Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus) Nymph
Thursday 17th August - Lower Poolands:
Highlights today were an adult Spotted Flycatcher that was showing well and a ♀ Common Darter dragonfly. A single Small Heath, 1 Brown Argus and 5 Small Copper were also noted.
Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)
♀ Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
Sunday 20th August - Lower Heath:
5 Common Lizards were observed basking in 5 separate locations. A ♂ Common Blue, 2 Small Copper, 2 Gatekeeper and 2 Meadow Brown butterflies were noted. A Bishop's Mitre shieldbug was also recorded. This was a new species for me!
Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
♂ Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Bishop's Mitre (Aelia acuminata)
Wednesday 23rd August - Hillditch Pool:
It was good weather for dragonflies today with 6 Common Darter, 4 Brown Hawker and 5 Migrant Hawker recorded. A pair of Migrant Hawkers were also seen in copulation. Also of interest were 2 Snout moths that were seen at rest on the vegetation.
♂ Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
The Snout (Hypena proboscidalis)
Thursday 24th August - Wilden Top Car Park area:
Six Goldfinch were present feeding on thistle seeds next to the main car park. A single Small Heath butterfly was noted.
Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
Thursday 24th August (cont'd) - Lower Heath:
A mating pair of Sermylassa halensis beetle were recorded. This species primarily feeds on Lady's Bedstraw, of which there is large ares on this section of Lower Heath. Two Small Heath and a ♀ Common Blue butterfly were also of note.
A Scaeva pyrastri hoverfly was also observed. This species of hoverfly is a migrant species that reaches Britain around June from southern and central Europe, breeding here to give a generation in late summer.
6 Parasol Mushrooms were also noted.
Sermylassa halensis beetles
♀ Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) on Devil's-bit Scabious
Scaeva pyrastri hoverfly
Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera)
Saturday 26th August - Lower Heath:
A warm sunny day made for excellent butterfly conditions with the following species recorded: 11 Small Heath, 5 Common Blue (4♂,1♀), 4 Small Copper, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Meadow Brown, 2 Large White and 4 Small White.
Also of note today were a Brown Heath Robberfly and a Bishop's Mitre shieldbug.
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Small White (Pieris rapae)
Sunday 27th August - Lower Heath:
Another productive butterfly day with 10 Small Heath, 4 Small Copper, 1 ♂ Common Blue, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Meadow Brown observed.
Also of interest was a Fuligo septica slime mold that was present on rotting tree stump. This has the rather unfortunate common name of Dog's Vomit slime mold due to it's yellowish bile-colored appearance.
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)
Fuligo septica slime mold
Thursday 31st August - Lower Heath:
The warm weather continued and today's recorded butterflies were 9 Small Heath, 8 Small Copper, 1 ♂ Common Blue, 3 Small White and 1 rather worn Meadow Brown.
Also of note were 1♀ Common Darter and 1 Migrant Hawker dragonfly. A single Hornet was also noted.
♂ Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)
♀ Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
