Tried somewhere different for a change as hoverflies in the valley are hard to come by in this weather. I walked the tracks around the conifer forestry, when I got above 300 mts hoverflies started to appear in large numbers with good counts of Platycheirus albimanus (90), Episyrphus balteatus (70), Meliscaeva auricollis (85) and Syrphus species (130). I noted 23 species in total, with new for the year Leucozona glaucia (2), good records included Chrysotoxum arcuatum (3), Leucozona lucorum (1 late record), Sericomyia silentis (11) and Volucella bombylans (2).
Other insects of note were Bilberry Bumblebee, 5-spot Burnet (6) and Speckled Longhorn beetle (P. cerambyciformis). 11 species of butterfly were seen including Ringlet (130), Dark Green Fritillary (2) and the first Gatekeeper of the year.
Birds included Lesser Redpoll (3 pair), Stonechat (2 pair) and Whinchat (1 pair).
Chrysotoxum arcuatum
Sericomyia silentis
Dark Green Fritillary - cropped photo from 20 yds.
2 comments:
Struggling this year with hovers mart. I went up garnwen on sat after work and it was really quiet considering. I went down the open cast in aber maiden on sunday and same again very poor for the habitat
I'm finding with this weather, that the large numbers are above 300mts where it is much cooler, otherwise it is hard work. My Caearu had 500 hoverflies, while Blaencaearu the next day had 100 only.
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