Sunday 26 August 2012

I need a hover with a slow hand


I have to get my hoverfly fix every week or so, and today I found two new species for Montpelier - a Rhingia sp. (either Rhingia campestris or R. rostrata) identified by its long snout - and an Eristalis intricarius - a new species for me personally and one I've always wanted to see. It is a bee mimic. Both were at Fairlawn Road/railway path.
Eristalis intricarius

Rhingia sp.
Also nearby were a couple of Myathropa florea, some Helophilus pendulus, an Xanthogramma sp., many Eristalis spp., a few Green Shieldbugs, masses of Dock Leaf Bugs and 2 Speckled Wood butterflies. A Chiffchaff was calling at the same location.

Dock Leaf Bugs
At the old Fairfield School there was an extensive patch of Mayweed (I sniffed the leaves and they were faintly aromatic which suggests Scented Mayweed but I can't be certain) and also some nice Michaelmas Daisies.

Mayweed

Michaelmas Daisies
A single Raven flew over Richmond Road this morning.

4 comments:

  1. Pointer Sisters are under referenced in wildlife blogs...

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  2. The Pointer Sisters version debuted in May 1981, with it peaking at #2 for 3 weeks. Conway Twitty debuted the country version of this tune in April 1982 peaking at #1 for two weeks. Del Reeves had actually recorded & charted this song (debuting in Sept 1981, and peaking at #53 on the Country Billboard charts) even before Conway's smash hit version.

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  3. Bit uncomfortable with the idea of Conway Twitty advocating foreplay...

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  4. They probably don't know what that is in Nashville.

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