Band-eyed Brown Horsefly

Another new species, or I should say newly identified because there are plenty around. This horsefly was one of a major fly invasion into the house on this hot day. I persuaded most to leave but this one had already expired so I was able to ID it and it is the Band-eyed Brown Horsefly (Tabanus bromius). One of its characteristics is a vivid violet-red eye band through the middle of its large green eyes.

Another new moth

Someone has just helped ID the other moth I caught in the trap despite the awfulness of the photo. It is a Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis).

It's wildlife Jim....

...but not as we know it. This year rabbits have become a problem writ large as this picture of early morning on our drive shows. I have been wondering how I am going to deal with the issue for next year and considering several options (short of shooting or trapping). Long-term I'd like to see Lynx back in the UK but meanwhile I am thinking about electric fences, removing areas of bracken and bramble where they hide out/breed and providing set-aside areas that are designed to be particularly attractive to rabbits. I'll have to continue cageing the most precious plants but unfortunately the less precious are being impacted with the current populations. It could be that the dreadful mixamotosis will have its toll as well as I have seen a couple of rabbits with symptoms. Right now I need more foxes and some buzzards to feast on the crowds.

New Species - Mottled Beauty

I got out the moth trap for the first time this year. There were only two moths in it so I probably have not picked the right spot for it yet. However one was this rather fine-looking female Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata repandata).

Establishing a niche - Marsh Bedstraw

It doesn't take much for flowers to spread widely - they just need to be allowed to flower and seed. One notable example here is Marsh Bedstraw. I found just a couple of plants of it a couple of years ago on a grassy bank that had previously been cut regularly. I have been careful to avoid cutting it and now just a couple of years later there is a whole bank of it - hundreds of flowerheads. It is a much more delicate and attractive bedstraw than the coarse Goosegrass that dominates in the richer areas.

Meadow perfection

Just about a mile from here is a convent with an outstanding meadow which was the venue for the Monmouthshire Meadows Group open day this year. Here is a picture of what a meadow should look like in June.

New Species - Ghost Moth

I spotted this large moth climbing a blade of Yorkshire Fog after I strimmed some nettles in the East Field. It turns out to be a Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli humuli) one of the five Swift moths to be found in the UK.

Orchid number 60

As of today we have 60 orchids on site - which is a big improvement on the 11 we had in 2012. Up until now the orchids have all been Common Spotted Orchids but the latest one is a new species - a Broad-leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine). It is more of a woodland flower and it is fittingly under the largest tree on site - one of the beeches that gives this place its name. I normally only post photos of plants actually in flower but I make an exception for this new orchid.

Weaseltastic

I have seen a weasel on a couple of occasions hunting for bank voles in the bank vole mansion that is our garden wall. But I was amazed to see in broad daylight with us and also decorators around a whole troupe of weasels moving into the wall. I am pretty sure some were being carried so they must have been kits. It was weasaltastic for us to watch but to the bank voles it was simply the great weasel apocalypse. Never mind I am sure they will appear again once the coast is clear. I set up my camera and just managed to get one shot with animals in it but was gratified to find that the photo contained two weasels rather than one.