The Weird weather continues, when I arrived at Lletty Brongu woods it was 8c [1000hrs] with a cold north-westerly wind, but within 2 hours the wind dropped and temperatures rose to 18c in the sunny weather. This meant that the woods sun-traps and glades were full of hoverflies. I recorded a high count of 19 species for the time of year. Epistrophe eligans was the pick as I haven't photographed one before. Other goodies included Platycheirus ambiguus, Dasysyrphus albostriatus, a very early Cheilosia illustrata (feeding on Garlic Mustard), 18 Rhingia campestris, male Neoascia meticulosa, Helophilus pendulus and Chalcosyrphus nemorum.
The sewage beds held a mixed flock of hirundines including 45 Barn Swallow, 40 House Martin and 2 Sand Martin. Other summer visitors were 8 Blackcap and 2 each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. 5 species of bee were seen with Clarke's Mining Bee being the best. The first Orange Tip butterflies of the year were out (1m,3f) as well as Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies. New blooms for the year included Garlic Mustard, Field Mouse-ear, Bluebell, Cuckoo Flower, Green Field Speedwell and surprisingly Cow Parsley (normally mid May).
Elsewhere 4 Red Kites were seen at different places and there was a male Redstart near Llangynwyd Farm. Also 25 Violet Oil-beetle were making their way cross the fields towards Cwm Nant Gwyn Woods. The only downside for today was that there were no Pied Flycatcher at any of their usual haunts.
Epistrophe eligans
Chalcosyrphus nemorum
Cheilosia illustrata -later seen feeding on Garlic Mustard
Helophilus pendulus
Eristalis nemorum
Violet Oil-beetle
This photo shows the flat groove at the back of the thorax, a feature which Black Oil-beetle lacks.
4 comments:
Nice count I recorded Rhingia rostrata back at same area cemetery yesterday mart also Parasyrphus punctulatus did you get photo of the neoascia they seem to be my boogie hover everyone i find seem to be podagrica/obliqua lol
I didn't photograph it, but I have a dead one in the freezer, all the neoascia (20+) today were cloudless cross-vein types (meticulosa/tenur). You really need to pot one to identify them, just took this one to check which species the group was gathering on Lesser Celandine.
i dont get much luck with them haha i need to spend a morning just chasing all the neoascia going to try margam park in may to see if i can find anything interesting in the ancient oak and beech trees at the back
Those ancient beech woodlands are exactly the same as up Cwm Sychbant in an area I know @ SS834904, although not as big. I'll be checking there next dry spell.
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