19 species of hoverfly were seen today at Lletty woods. New for the year were
Platycheirus ambiguus (f),
Leucozona lucorum (f),
Rhingia rostrata (f),
Neoascia podagrica (6) and
Sphegina clunipes (10). Rhingia campestris was out in good numbers totalling 22. Good records included Platycheirus tarsalis (2m), Cheilosia vernalis (f) and the egg stage of
Parasyrphus nigritarsis. This species lays its eggs (white) amongst clutches of eggs (orange) of the Green Dock Beetle on the underside of the Dock leaf in this case Broad-leaved Dock (sea photo below).
A new beetle in
Sphaeridium lunatum was seen, it is a Water Scavenging Beetle related to dung beetles and feeds on the insect larva within mammal dung. The first Large Red Damselfly of the year was noted as well as Harlequin Ladybird. Orange-tip headed the butterflies with 3 males and 2 females. All quiet on the bird front. A lot of Cow Parsley along the river now and the small Ramsons patch was in full bloom.
Cheilosia pagana
Epistrophe eligans
Rhingia campestris
Syritta pipiens
Egg of
Parasyrphus nigritarsis (white) in the centre of Green Dock Beetle egg cluster (orange). The larva will hatch just before the beetle and devour a combination of all the eggs and beetle larva.
Large Red Damselfly
The Water Scavenging Beetle Sphaeridium lunatum.
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