Montpelier Station

Not an awful lot to report other than Buff-tailed Bumblebee and the hoverfly Myathropa florea on the Buddleia, and a Holly Blue on the disused platform.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Myathropa florea

Holly Blue

A Holly Blue butterfly was in the garden today, along with a Large White.

Swifts

It was with mixed feelings that I watched 10-12 Swifts high above the station this morning. Glad that there were so many of them but sad that in just a few days they will be leaving us and commencing their risky flight to Africa. As a guy remarked as I watched them, 'rather them than me!'

False Widow!

There was a male Noble False Widow spider Steatoda nobilis in the bath this morning. I took a picture before releasing him into the garden.

Noble False Widow

Hornet Hoverfly

On the approach to the station this morning I saw my first Hornet Hoverfly of the year on buddleia flowers and there was a Comma butterfly nearby. At the station itself there were a couple of Large and Small White butterflies.

Comma

Small White

Hornet Hoverfly

St Andrews Park

A happy hour spent in the meadow and pond area produced a Red Admiral (sadly it didn't pose for a photo), several tadpoles, a Leafcutter Bee, a hoverfly Syritta pipiens, a tiny ground bug (or plant bug), a Sawfly, a Cheilosia hoverfly, and a Red-tailed Bumblebee. A forest of of Wild Teasel and some Agrimony in flower.

Ground or plant bug

Cheilosia hoverfly

Syritta pipiens

Agrimony

Sawfly

Wild Teasel

Leafcutter Bee

Comma

A Comma butterfly this morning at the entrance of the Old Vicarage and a couple of Harlequin Ladybirds in Montpelier Park. Moth Mullein in bloom near the railway tunnel.

Comma

Harlequin Ladybird

Moth Mullein

Small Magpie Moth

Jim found this Small Magpie Moth in the wildflower area of Fairlawn Road. A very attractive little moth, its food plant being mainly nettles. Thanks for the pic, Jim! 

Small Magpie Moth  (pic by Jim)

Narroways

This morning on the reserve: Meadow Brown c20, Ringlet c40, Marbled White c15, Small/Essex Skipper 1, Large White 1, Comma 1. Also Common Blue Damselfly, Speckled Bush-cricket and Dark Bush Cricket, Meadow Grasshopper, Thick-thighed Flower Beetles, Soldier Beetle, Red-tailed and Buff-tailed Bumblebees, Common Carder Bee. Hoverflies - Syrphus sp., Cheilosia sp., Melanostoma sp., Marmalade Hoverfly, Eristalis pertinax. There was also a male Coelioxys sp. bee.

male Coelioxys sp

Comma

Common Blue Damselfly

Dark Bush-cricket

Eristalis pertinax

Meadow Grasshopper

Small/Essex Skipper

Ringlet

Speckled Bush-cricket

Jay (possibly a young one) calling at Simons Grove and Jackdaw over stony path.

Montpelier Station butterflies

A Large White and a Large Skipper were seen on the disused platform this morning.

Large  Skipper