Bee Fly

The patch of Lungwort near to the house is always good for early insects. Today there was a Dark-edged Bee Fly feasting on the nectar. I couldn't see the dark edges but I'm pretty sure that is what it was. I have also seen the Western Bee Fly on site but that is found later in the year.

Pippistrelle in trouble

A neighbour found this Pipistrelle clinging to the stone wall of their house and got in touch with me. I called out the local bat man who thankfully was able to come straight away to tend to this cold and probably unwell bat. I am waiting to hear how things transpired once he got it watered, fed and warm. It is a male Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) but interestingly the pips around my house appear to be the Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus). UPDATE: Pip returned to site after feeding and watering and was seen 'scoffing insects' before returning to its roost.

2019 - Species of the Year

A great year for new species and in most years the new Waxcap (Blushing Waxcap) or the new Orchid (Twayblade) would be runaway winners of this prestigious accolade. The return of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat would also be a contender as it has stayed around in the shed quite a lot. We have also had three new Pinkgills (Mealy, Crow and Indigo) and the new Club (Wrinkled Club). However the outstanding species this year has to be the Hawksbeard Nomad Bee - one of just a handful of records in the UK since it was first accurately recorded in 2017 and a first record for Wales. Step forward Nomada facilis......

2019 - Butterflies

Definitely mixed news on Butterflies this year. On the one hand the best year since we've been here for Marbled Whites. The heat hit just at the right time and they were flying for just over a month - and plenty of them too. Also a good year for Common Blues who have established themselves solidly in our meadows. Also there were a lot of Painted Ladies this year, or at least they were around for a while. Other than that the picture is pretty poor with not many of the 'common' butterfies around like Peacocks and Tortoiseshells and Gatekeepers and Whites. The truth is there is a decline in insect numbers in general and butterflies like many insects are struggling. The photo is from July and is the delightful underside of the Marbled White.

New Species - Wrinkled Club

As the fungi season comes to an end we have a new 'Clubs, Spindles and Corals' species - the Wrinkled Club (Clavulina rugosa). It's been a good year for new grassland fungi species with a new Waxcaps, three new Pinkgills and a new Club. We are definitely in SSSI territory now although I stioll maintain that it is the relentless surveying I undertake that makes the big difference to other maybe similar sites where species are under-recorded.

New Species - Indigo Pinkgill

And another new Pinkgill - Entoloma chalybaeum var chalybaeum otherwise known as the Indigo Pinkgill. At first sight it looked like another Crow Pinkgill which I had found a few days before. A closer look revealed a very scaly cap and blue-grey gills and this led towards the id of Indigo Pinkgill.

New Species - Crow Pinkgill

I am gradually getting into identifying Pinkgills on site although there are several for me to go at still. The Crow Pinkgill fruited in the West Field and is a nice addition to the Species List.