2020 hoverfly specimen results

 Just had my specimen results back from Roger Morris of the Hoverfly Recording Scheme for 2020 and the results are good.

New for valley

Cheilosia psilophthalma [143] - 19 April 2020, Blaencaerau - 2 female - *** new for Glamorgan ***, 2nd & 3rd for Wales (Harlech 1997) and 18th and 19th for Great Britain. 

A very rare species of unimproved grassland, the larva feed on Mouse-ear Hawkweed and the adult feeds on blossoms nearby, in this case Sallow.

Important records

Psilota anthracina - 24 May 2020, Lletty Brongu woods - female - following on from 2019's discovery at Gilfach, Top Llangynwyd (3 records) which were new for Wales another was found in the mature woodland at the sewage works. The Llynfi valley records are still the only records for Wales.

Good records

Melangyna cincta (1), Chrysogaster virescens (1), Neoascia meticulosa (1), Platycheirus tarsalis (1), Cheilosia lasiopa (2), Brachyopa scutellaris (1), Melangyna lasiophthalma (3), Platycheirus angustatus (2), Platycheirus occultus (2), Dasysyrphus venustus (1), Parasyrphus lineola (1), Melangyna compositarum/labiatarum agg. (1) (these species are now considered to be the same).

Common records

Cheilosia proxima (13), Cheilosia albitarsis (8), Cheilosia vernalis (1), Cheilosia fraterna (2), Cheilosia variabilis (3), Paragus haemorrhous (1), Platycheirus scutatus (1), Cheilosia scutellata (5), Melanogaster hirtella (1), Cheilosia pagana (2), Sphegina elegans (1), Pipizella viduata (1), Syrphus vitripennis (2)

Last weekend

 Some warm weather during the middle of the day meant I could go for walks after work, I visited Lletty Brongu woods and Gilfach (top Llan). Hoverflies are starting to emerge in species numbers with 29 species seen over the 2 trips. and new for the year were Dasysyrphus venustus, Cheilosia chrysocoma, Epistrophe eligans, Meliscaeva cinctella, Rhingia campestris, Neoascia podagrica, Eristalis arbustorum, Chalcosyrphus nemorum, Syritta pipiens, Syrphus vitripennis, Sphegina clunipes and Xylota jakutorum Commonest species were Platycheirus albimanus (170), Eristalis pertinax (110) and Melanostoma scalare (35).

Cheilosia chrysocoma

Epistrophe eligans

Rhingia campestris

Meliscaeva cinctella

This Blackthorn hedge at Top Llangynwyd was buzzing with hoverflies.

Blaencaerau

Last fine day before the on-coming cold snap tomorrow. Blaencaerau is always about two weeks behind the lower end of the valley in spring temperature wise, so I only had 6 species of hoverfly today and in much reduced numbers. The only bonus was my first of the year in Cheilosia albipila.

Other insects were hard to come by with nothing new. On the bird front summer migrants included 3 Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warbler, of the resident birds there were 2 male Lesser Redpoll displaying and very vocal.

Cheilosia albipila

Gilfach (west) - Top Llangynwyd

 Another bright fine day with temperatures the same as yesterday, with plenty of spring hoverflies feeding on Sallow blossom.

This Sallow blossom in the car park at the top of Gilfach mountain produced 10 species of hoverfly and 70% of all the hoverflies seen today. Why they should opt for this blossom and not any other of the Sallows in blossom, including one 5 yards away is any-ones guess, but the totals were quite staggering and listed below.

3  Platycheirus albimanus
4  Episyrphus balteatus
3  Eupeodes lapponicus - rare

6  Melangyna lasiophthalma - scarce
2  Meliscaeva auricollis
35 Parasyrphus punctulatus - scarce
4  Syrphus torvus
1  Syrphus ribesii
60 Eristalis pertinax
2  Criorhina ranunculi - scarce - male & female

Other species of insect also visited the blossom including Holly Blue, Orange Tip, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. Adela cuprella (10) micro moth were dancing above the highest blossoms, 8 Dark-edged Bee-fly and Buff-tailed Bumblebee. The tree was also visited by the bird species Chiffchaff and Siskin.

Criorhina ranunculi

Eupeodes lapponicus

Episyrphus balteatus

Melangyna lasiophthalma

Parasyrphus punctulatus

Holly Blue

The rest of the trees (about 20 in blossom) in the area only produced Platycheirus albimanus (4), Episyrphus balteatus (3), Parasyrphus punctulatus (10), Syrphus torvus (1), Eristalis pertinax (30) and a male Criorhina ranunculi.

Another Chiffchaff was heard as was the first of the year for me Willow Warbler. 

Sewage works and river woods

 After the two day mini heatwave, temperatures returned to 14c and a bright sunny day saw the first spring emergence of multiple hoverfly species. All the spring flowers were in bloom such as Lesser Celandine, Wood Anemone, Marsh Marigold, Early Dog Violet, Ground Ivy, Primrose and Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage as well as Sallow Blossom. This meant there was plenty of pollen for hoverflies to feed on. Large numbers of Platycheirus albimanus (85) and Eristalis pertinax (60) were present plus smaller numbers of Melanostoma scalare (5), Platycheirus scutatus (1), Episyrphus balteatus (1), Syrphus torvus (1) and Cheilosia pagana (2).

Other insects included four species of butterfly in Comma, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood. Bees included Gwynne's Mining Bee, Clark's Mining Bee, Honey Bee, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bee. Finally there were 10 Dark-edged Bee-fly feeding on Lesser Celandine dotted around the wood.

Amongst the birds summer visitors are starting to arrive in Chiffchaff (3) and Blackcap (1) all males singing. Of the resident species Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker and Goldcrest were the most vocal. 

Eristalis pertinax

Cheilosia pagana

Platycheirus albimanus

Comma

Dark-edged Bee-fly

Ground Ivy

Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage

Primrose

Wood Anemone and Lesser Celandine