The last week of August was a lame duck for hoverflies with only 49 species recorded during the whole week, whereas I would expect about 60 species. Today was much better up Top Llan though with good numbers of Eristalis tenax (65), Eristalis arbustorum (50) and Eristalis pertinax (45). Eristalis intricaria was my 100th species for the year and good records included Chrysotoxum arcuatum (2), Eristalis rupium (1) and Riponnensia splendens (1). There was also 20 Rhingia campestris which has been rather scarce this year, with 12 on a single Buddleah Bush and the rest on Heather and Black Knapweed.
On the butterfly front Painted Lady continues in good numbers and I also had 2 Wall. A host of other insects were seen with some photographed below. In the week I also came across a passage flock of 200 mixed Hirundines resting on wires and trees up Mynydd Caerau, consisting of mostly House Martin but a few Swallow and Sand Martin amongst them. Other good birds seen included late Swifts passing through, 3 families of Spotted Flycatcher at breeding sites I found during the summer, also sightings of female Goshawk and Peregrine.
Painted Lady
Wall
Tipula varipennis
Hirundines
Eristalis nemorum mating hover display
Rhingia campestris on Buddleah
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