Xanthandrus comtus is a scarce migrant and numbers vary from year to year, this year is a poor year with very few records even from England. So I was taken aback when I spotted one amongst the large numbers of Episyrphus balteatus [also a migrant], whose numbers have shot through the roof over the last two weeks, so it must have come over the channel amongst them. As usual with scarce species it was well tucked in and hard to photograph, only managed two shots [one out of focus] before it flew off and was not re-found despite trying for an hour. On the new LERC Wales records site there have only been 6 sightings in the last 10 years and not in Glamorgan. But there are 3 records from Glamorgan from before that on the NBN Gateway maps, whether or not these are verified records I can't tell, but they were before the advent of digital cameras and concrete proof.
Xanthandrus comtus - not the best of photos but enough to confirm ID.
New for Valley
29 species of hoverfly were recorded at Garnwen today. A good count for September, the best of the rest being
Leucozona glaucia & laternaria.
Leucozona glaucia
Sericomyia silentis
I have just had the FSC guide to harvestmen of the British Isles and managed to photograph one today under difficult light, but I think I got the ID right.
Mitopus morio
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