Heatwave not good for some insects

The last three days the temperature has been between 28c and 32c and has been reported as a heatwave by the UK press and should last into the weekend. Once the temperature hits 26c hoverflies drop off in numbers and become hard to locate. I have seen 3 species of hoverfly feeding on exposed mud (not seen this before) and I've been bitten by a long list of insects requiring my blood for sustenance.  While other insects love the hot weather like butterflies and dragonflies, both of which have been out in good numbers, particularly Ringlet and Golden-ringed Dragonfly. The first longhorn beetle Stictoleptura rubra, which is a UK rarity has emerged, with 3 males at Gilfach (w), Llangynwyd.

 Large Skipper

 Phasia hemiptera

 Stictoleptura rubra 

 Golden-ringed Dragonfly

 Common Frog

Willow-leaved Cotoneaster

Iceland 2018 (part 3) - scenery/tourist stuff

 Floki statue, Keflavik Viking Museum - a famous Icelandic boat builder

 Viking chieftan stone head, Kaflavik Viking Museum

 An unusual road sign at Muli, Kollafjordur, Westfjords.

 Latrabjarg sea-bird colony/cliffs, Westfjords

 Latrabjarg, most westerly point in Europe

 Overview of Latrabjarg

An old American Aircraft, Minjasafn - Every plane has its history, this one was commissioned in 1944 and is Douglas DC-3 registered as C-117 number17191. It flew transport and combat missions in the Pacific, Atlantic and Antarctic oceans. It was sold to Iceland in 1973 and was used to transport personnel between Keflavik and Hofn. It was also used to evacuate people from an eruption of the Wesmanaeyjar Volcano in 1973. It was finally de-commissioned on 24th April 1977 and has been placed at this spot since

 propellers of the aircraft are placed alongside.

 Typical Iceland coastal scenery at Vatnsfjordur, Westfjords.

 Hobbits are also found in Iceland 😝, here's one next to his den at Saeeberg Hostel

 Our hostel overlooking Lake Myvatn, Reykjahlid

 Lake Myvatn with dormant volcano in the background

 Tall ships in Husavik Harbour

View of Borgarnes valley (Nordurardalur), the main road Route 1 travels north along these type valleys, some are 50kms long and the road often follows the path of the glacier melt rivers for great distances.

Iceland 2018 (part 2) - the plants

I don't usually take photos of flowers when I go away, but this time I had enough time to do so. So here are the photos of various plants I took. I hope I've ID'd them right, Mike Powell will look them over for confirmation.

 Arctic Bartsia

 Alpine Catchfly

 Arctic Poppy

 Common Butterwort

 Common Scurvy-grass

 Cypress Spurge - Interesting notes on this species is that it is not on the Iceland list and is regarded as an invasive species that was thought eradicated in 1954. So I may have to find someone in Iceland to report the sighting. Also Germander Speedwell in foreground.

 Moss Campion

 Mountain Avens - The national flower of Iceland

 Nootka Lupin - another invasive plant to Iceland and has taken over large areas of the island. It grows so densely that it kills or stops native plants and lichens growing. Iceland is gearing up to try to eradicate this species.

 Roseroot

 Sea Campion, with Field Forget-me-not in the centre

Wild Pansy.

today at Caerau

Caerau old pit reclamation site, Maesteg [SS8694]

4 Forester were seen today all pretty worn, also seen  were a 1000+ 5-spot Burnet. I have recorded both species of 5-spots here in the past [through larva ID] and both colony areas had adults on the wing. The other feature of today were the large number of butterflies on the wing which included 100 Small Heath, 50 Meadow Brown, 10 Ringlet, 40 Common Blue, 5 Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, 10 Small Skipper, 5 Large Skipper and a single Dingy Skipper.

 Forester

 Typical Forester habitat

 5-spot/Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet

 Small Copper

Plant Bug - Calocoris roseamaculatus

Iceland 2018 (part 1) - birds

I have just returned from a five day trip to Iceland, where I finally got to see Harlequin Duck (52) and Barrow's Goldeneye (295). Excellent views were had of both species.

Other birding highlights included Whooper Swan (1650), Pink-footed Goose (631), American Wigeon (male), Greater Scaup (320), Common Eider (7650), King Eider (male), Long-tailed Duck (77), Rock Ptarmigan (4), Red-throated Diver (51), Great Northern Diver (27), Slavonian Grebe (31), Merlin (2), Gyr Falcon (2), Purple Sandpiper (12), Red-necked Phalarope (283), Arctic Skua (43), Long-tailed Skua (1), Great Skua (1), Brunnich's Guillemot (300), Black Guillemot (2), Puffin (274), Arctic Tern (5350), Iceland Gull (1), Glaucous Gull (286), Short-eared Owl (3), Eurasian (Icelandic) Wren (2) [a future split ?], Common Redpoll (25) and Snow Bunting (11).

A total of 72 species were seen in 5 days by our group, of which I saw 70. The two I missed being Grey Phalarope and Knot. I'll write up and upload a report over the next few days. Until then here are some of the bird photos I took. Other photos will follow in other posts. It was the wettest and coldest June on record since the 1800's for Iceland.

 Arctic Tern - common breeder, this one inches from the road

 Barrow's Goldeneye - common around Myvatn Lake

 Lots of flocks of Common Eider on the sea, this one also contains a male King Eider, can you spot it.

 Glaucous Gull

 Harlequin Duck - all males

 Long-tailed Duck - pair

 Pink-footed Goose - non breeding flocks like this gather together before flying to Greenland to moult, leaving the best pasture land for the pairs rearing young.

 Rock Ptarmigan - 2018 was a good year for this species, with this individual "Terry the Ptarmigan" wandering around our campsite oblivious to human disturbance as was many of the species.

 Red-necked Phalarope - feeding on the myriad of black flies on Myvatn Lake.

 Common Snipe - another species breeding feet from our lodge in Lake Myvatn area.

 Redwing - the commonest passerine and were literally everywhere.

Whooper Swan - lots of breeding pairs on the lakes and fields and large flocks of non breeding birds gathering on the lakes.

Blaencaerau coal-tip reclamation site

Very warm today (26c), so waited till 5 p.m. before going for a saunter around the local patch.

19 species of hoverfly were seen highlights being Anasymia contracta, Pipiza austriaca and Eristalis intricarius. All the usual bees were headed by the first of the year Patchwork Leaf-cutter Bee. Plenty of moths around today, with a freshly emerged Forester Moth feeding on Slender Thistle-heads, this is the only modern-day site in Glamorgan for this species. It flew just as I clicked the photo button - bugger. Also first of year in 5-spot Burnet, Dichrorampha pettiverella and Pandemis cerasana. Butterflies included lots of Small Heath and Common Blue, with a few Dingy Skipper and Small Skipper. Only Large Red Damselfly present at the ponds. Longhorn beetle Pachytodes cerambyciformis and other beetles like Oedemera virescens and Green Dock Beetle present. Cuckoo's calling from both sides of the valley and a pair of Stonechat were feeding young, Tree Pipit still displaying and a distant buzzard may well have been a Honey Buzzard, but just to far off to be sure. New blooms keep appearing now, 8 today with the best being Smooth Tare. The tips are now covered in Southern Marsh Orchid and Western Marsh Orchid.

 5-spot Burnet

 Anasymia contracta

 Eristalis tenax

 Forester Moth habitat - emergence seems to coincide with flowering Slender Thistle.

 Stonechat male

Celypha lacunana