Common Hawker - New Lount NR

Mark Rossell today confirmed Common Hawker at New Lount. He recorded two males and a female. I wonder if the species is finally colonising VC55?

Forest Bug

This Forest Bug is another moth-trap incidental, turned up last night in my garden trap.

Probable Common Hawker - New Lount NR

This arrived in my inbox from Ian Merrill via Dave Gray. I thought it deserved posting on here... I'll try and follow this up at some point this week.

Hello Ian,

I have been at New Lount Nature Reserve SK3918 today and saw amongst others species 2 male Common Hawkers, Aeshna juncea.
They were patrolling the eastern pool around midday when the sun was out.
A large hawker constantly patrolling the pool, chasing the four spots and even holding it's own with the Emperor.
I got a good size comparison with Emperor, Southern and Brown Hawker.
I got views down to 5m through binoculars (10x). Narrow yellow thoracic side stripes, blue abdomen spots on body held straight.
Unfortunately I could confirm a yellow costa but the wings had a brown suffusion.
Thought I would let you know so you can have a look tomorrow if the weather is OK.

Regards,

Matthew

Broad-leaved Helleborine - Cloud Wood

If anyone is interested in Broad-leaved Helleborine at Cloud Wood SK 417214 they just about as good as they get now. This was our third visit to Cloud Wood in the last 4 weeks to get some photos of this species and today we think we got it right.

Something that I noticed when I was photographing them today if you look at the close up photos carefully there is a difference between the Petals, colour and shape. I can’t help wondering if there are two different types in Cloud Wood??

Obviously I am no expert at this but maybe someone could let me know about the differences between them.

Mark Rossell

iSpot

Hello all,

I've added a link to the iSpot website. If you find something you can't identify then post it on here and either other members of the iSpot team from the Open University will help.

John

Barnack Hills and Holes NNR

I know Barnack Hills and Holes (TF 076047) isn’t within VC55 but it’s only a couple of miles the other side of Stamford and worth a visit to see the Chalkhill Blues. I visited the site today and never left the car park as there were 18 of them getting minerals from a dried out puddle. I watched them for an hour and a Brown Argus kept on returning to the same puddle. All the Butterflies I saw today were in pristine condition and very easy to photograph.

Mark Rossell

Bug

This was in my garden moth trap last night:

Some sort of land bug, possibly one of the 'stilt bugs' similar to Berytinus minor. Anyone got any ideas?