Weekend insect round up

Took a lot of photos over the weekend, enough to fill half a dozen posts. So I just post the most interesting ones [beside the bumblebee that is].

 Cantharis pallida - with the new zoological museum ID guide I was also able to ID Rhagonycha fulva, Cantharis flavilabris and Cantharis cryptica.

 Ringlet - This species is now emerging in large numbers just like last year, with 78 recorded at Blaencaerau alone and well over a 100 for the weekend in the valley. Plenty of other butterflies about including 30 Meadow Brown, 12 Small Heath, 2 Dark Green Fritillary, 4 Large Skipper [even one in my brother's garden on an Azelia plant], Red Admiral, Large White, Small White.

 Golden-ringed Dragonfly - basking in the sun, overall dragonflies have been slow to emerge this year with only Large Red Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser being recorded so far at Blaencaerau.

 Myathropa florea - 25 species of hoverfly recorded over the weekend. Numbers haven't recovered from the topsy-turvy weather over the last two weeks. This time of year I should be getting 30+ species a day.

 Volucella pellucens

 Lampronia luzella - micro moth new for Caerau but not the valley. Also had a Barred Yellow that I failed to photograph and 5-spot & 6-spot Burnets were out in force.

 Straw Dot- a common Noctuid moth, but it's the first time I've managed to photograph one and it appeared to be twice the size I remember from before.

 Black Snipe Fly - This is the male, the females have a brown body.

 Lodgepole Pine. - very colourful at the moment.