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The Natural History Of Staffordshire: Fauna and Flora (2 Viewers)

The Void

25+ Dingy Skippers counted today at Silverdale CP - in about 1/4 of the available habitat so presumably many more present. Also a Mother Shipton.

Cheers, Nick
 
Just a reminder that the Coombes Valley BioBlitz is coming up soon.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/events/details.aspx?id=tcm:9-344398

Anyone can go along. Whether you note down common species, or identify rare, specialist groups, you'd be more than welcome. See the link for details.

Sadly, I cant make it this year (off on me holibobs). But it should be a great event that should see well into triple figures recorded.

Adam
 
Bumble Bee Nest


bombus.JPG

No kestrel in the nest box that I left in the garden, but a nest of what looks like Bombus hypnorum have moved in, quite a lot of activity at the moment.
 
Cheeks Hill

Had a lovely walk from Danebower to Orchard Farm and onto Cheeks Hill last Friday. Quiet really but really good numbers of Curlew and Golden Plover. Lovely when the sun finally broke through with the cotton grass in flower.
Photos heavily cropped and not sure what to do yet to optimise them for the web.
 

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While getting a replacement paper waste bin from the car park at Four Ashes Ind. estate on Wednesday this moth fluttered up and then rested back in the grey bin.
It could have been a Staffs native or got in from the place teh bins come from (the company are Wye Waste).
Rescued it on a little piece of paper before placing it in car park(out of sun)...later it had crept under a raised floor of a shed.
Keith :t:

p.s. a quickie search led me to a Buff Ermine as it was anice creme colour but the spots are a bit random on mine...
 

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Ermine

While getting a replacement paper waste bin from the car park at Four Ashes Ind. estate on Wednesday this moth fluttered up and then rested back in the grey bin.
It could have been a Staffs native or got in from the place teh bins come from (the company are Wye Waste).
Rescued it on a little piece of paper before placing it in car park(out of sun)...later it had crept under a raised floor of a shed.
Keith :t:

p.s. a quickie search led me to a Buff Ermine as it was anice creme colour but the spots are a bit random on mine...

Have you checked for male White Ermine variant Keith. John
 
No I had not John...just done it and on U,K. Moths it says.....

Wingspan 34-48 mm.

Widely distributed and fairly common over much of Britain, there is considerable variation in the degree of black speckling, and in certain parts of Scotland, there are forms with a buffish ground colour.

It generally flies from May to July, sometimes later in the south.

The hairy larvae feed on a variety of herbaceous plants.


Think that will do for me.....it seems it varies from White to Buff as well.

Thanks
Keith :t:
 
Another moth in the car park at Four Ashes.....this one on the floor blending in as a little piece of paper on the tarmac...with it's wings 1/2 open.

...is it one of those that mimic a bird dropping.

Keith :t:

p.s. bought it home to take photos and taking it back now....
 

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Moth

Another moth in the car park at Four Ashes.....this one on the floor blending in as a little piece of paper on the tarmac...with it's wings 1/2 open.

...is it one of those that mimic a bird dropping.

Keith :t:

p.s. bought it home to take photos and taking it back now....

Keith, Lesser Swallow Prominent. John
 
Thanks John......looked on-line after reading your I.D. and it could be either Swallow Prominent or Lesser Swallow Prominent ...I couldn't tell the difference....lol

BUT looking at the foodplant for the 2 species I would say well done as the Lesser likes Birch and the other Poplar.....the car park area has quite a good amount of Birches.


One thing I do know is that the moths I have found are really fantastic .....hope for some Hawks next....:-O
Keith :t:
 
Hi Keith, as John says, it's Lesser Swallow Prominent - the white triangle on the wings is spot on for Lesser and would be larger for Swallow Prominent.
Cheers, Nick

Thanks John......looked on-line after reading your I.D. and it could be either Swallow Prominent or Lesser Swallow Prominent ...I couldn't tell the difference....lol

BUT looking at the foodplant for the 2 species I would say well done as the Lesser likes Birch and the other Poplar.....the car park area has quite a good amount of Birches.


One thing I do know is that the moths I have found are really fantastic .....hope for some Hawks next....:-O
Keith :t:
 
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Moth Trapping

At last a decent night's trapping in the garden yesterday with a garden first - golden rod pug.

Brimstone, Swallow-tail, Snout, Common Marbled Carpet, Peppered Moth, Riband Wave, Cinnabar, Clouded Silver, Light Brown Apple Moth, Small Magpie, Bee Moth, Latticed Heath, Elephant Hawk-moth, Clay, Figure of eighty, Bright-line Brown-eye, Flame, Heart and Dart, Plain Golden Y, Buff Ermine, Burnished Brass, Uncertain, Garden Carpet, Grey Dagger, Flame Shoulder, Fan-foot, Buff Arches, Large Yellow Underwing, Clouded Bordered Brindle, Cabbage Moth,
Lime Speck Pug, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Golden Rod Pug, Mottled Beauty, Marbled Beauty
 

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PARK HALL wetland walk this morning.
banded demoiselle, a brown hawker,a male emperor, a four-spotted chaser,and a broad-bodied chaser
 
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