Caerau hoverflies

 The 10th of October usually marks the end of the hoverfly season, but the fine frostless weather means it will extend a little longer. Michaelmas Daisy is still hanging on and there is a good crop of Autumn Hakwkbit for them to feed on as well as a few other isolated species not expected this late. Yesterday I recorded 14 species on my walk, which is a more than fair count for October. Highlights being Eupeodes luniger, Eumerus funeralis and a very late Chrysotoxum festivum. Most numerous were Episyrphus balteatus (35) and Eristalis tenax (30). Surprisingly a lot of hoverflies were male, which means the season will be extended as this time of year I only expect to see egg laying females at the end of the season.

Sphaerophoria scripta

Eristalis tenax

Episyrphus balteatus

Eupeodes luniger

Helophilus pendulus

Sericomyia silentis

Various insects last couple of days

 A run of fine weather has various insects making a last stand before the first frosts. Two new leaf mines for the valley in Chromatomyia lonicerae (a fly on Himalayan Honesuckle) and Phytomyza spinaciae (also a fly on Slender Thistle). On the butterfly front there are still a few Small Copper about and the odd Speckled Wood. Lots of Shieldbugs of various common species are on the tree leaves and the common bees are hanging on including some big queens feeding on Michaelmas Daisy and Ivy. Fallow Deer are ever present up Top Llangynwyd along with my first Weasel sighting for quite a while.

Chromatomyia lonicerae (on Himalayan Honesuckle)

Phytomyza spinaciae (on Slender Thistle)

Fallow Deer

Small Copper

Ivy watch - take 2

 Visited Maesteg cemetery in strong sunshine, which brought out good numbers of hoverflies. In fact the 17 species I recorded beat my previous record of 14 species for a single day in October (2016). Highlights included the 3 common Eupeodes species, both Scaeva species (migrants) and Sericomyia silentis. Eristalis tenax was the commonest species numbering eighty

The last of the butterflies were represented by 6 Red Admiral and 3 Speckled Wood. Also seen were Green Shieldbug and a monster queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee.

Eupeodes luniger

Syrphus ribesii

Red Admiral

Speckled Wood

Ivy watch - take 1

 First Ivy tour of the year, hoverfly numbers are now falling rapidly as well as other insects. I visited Maesteg cemetery and Maesteg Welfare Park both with Ivy blossom at 50%. Only 14 species recorded. The highlight being Volucella zonaria at both sites. Other sightings included Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Eupeodes latifasciatus and Eumerus funeralis. Not much else about except the harvestman Opilio canestrinii. 

Volucella zonaria

Helophilus pendulus 

Opilio canestrinii

Maesteg cemetery Ivy (part of)

Ditto

 Visited the same places as last weekend with the Devilsbit Scabious fading fast, probably only a week left, but the Michaelmas Daisy is still going strong as is Japanese Knotweed. The final flowering plant of the year "Ivy" is just starting to open in some well sunlit areas. The number of hoverflies are now dropping dramatically, with less than a month left of the season. Over the weekend I recorded 17 species at My Bach (south) and 21 species at Caerau with greatly reduced numbers. Highlights being Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Eupeodes latifasciatus and Volucella zonaria.

Eupeodes latifasciatus

Eupeodes luniger - egg laying on Meadow Vetchling

Small Copper

Sweet Chestnut - new for the C.O.P

Long-winged Conehead

Locust Blow-fly (Stomorhina lunulata) - only previously recorded in Glamorgan near coastal regions (5th record)

*** confirmed on Irecord, it has been a good year for this migrant and is now thought to be breeding here, as the name suggests it is a parasite of European locusts but may be using native grasshoppers and crickets in the UK. New for the valley also. ***

weekend round up

 Visited Mynydd Bach (south) [18 species of hoverfly] and Caerau [23 species of hoverfly] to view the Devilsbit Scabious patches as most flowers have now gone over except for Japanese Knotweed and Michaelmas Daisy. Highlights again included a record count of 36 Sericomyia silentis at Caerau plus Helophilus hybridus and Volucella pellucens. Melanostoma mellinum are becoming easier to pick out amongst the dwindling numbers of Melanostoma scalare.

Sericomyia silentis

Volucella pellucens

Sphaerophoria scripta

Syrphus ribesii

Helophilus pendulus

Caerau - within this area I recorded 36 Sericomyia silentis, all on Devilsbit Scabious 

Caerau - Good patch of Michaelmas Daisy found

Other Insects photographed

Dock Bug

Meadow Grasshopper

Pegomya flaviformis (leaf-mine [fly] on Red Campion)

Small Copper

Speckled Bush-cricket

Caerau midweek

 A day off on Wednesday for MOT on car gave me the opportunity to visit the Devilsbit Scabious patch in Newtown. It is now in full bloom but it does look like Gorse and heather are starting to take root. Nevertheless 21 species were observed particularly the larger more colourful hoverflies. There were 28 Sericomyia silentis, which was a record count for the species as well as 105 Eristalis tenax. Other highlights included Eristalis intricaria, Helophilus trivittatus and Volucella pellucens.

Eristalis intricaria

Helophilus trivittatus

Sericomyia silentis

Volucella pellucens

Mynydd Bach (south) cemetery area

 30 species of hoverfly registered today. With Leucozona glaucia making it 99 for the 1km square and Helophilus hybridus making it 100 for the valley this year once again (7th year on the trot). Other highlights were Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Chrysotoxum festivum, Xanthogramma pedissequum, Riponnensia splendens, Eristalis intricaria, Sericomyis silentis and Volucella pellucens. Most numerous species was Eristalis tenax (80).

A latish Broad-bodied Chaser was unexpected otherwise only highlight was the finding of the plant Alsike Clover a first for me although it does seem to be on the valley list.

Sericomyia silentis

Broad-bodied Chaser

Common Darter mating

Alsike Clover

Foel Fawr, Caerau

 Only had a short time after a family get together, to go for a walk, so decided to walk Foel Fawr (well the part in the Caerau 1km square anyhow) not far from the house. The area is regenerating former forestry clear-fell, with lots of plants like Angelica, Hemp Agrimony and Common Fleabane having some good patches before the Himalayan Balsam will eventually take over. I hadn't recorded much on previous visits but today I recorded 26 species of hoverfly. Highlights being Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Eupeodes latifasciatus and Xanthogramma pedissequum. The commonest hoverfly was Eristalis pertinax (85).

Chrysotoxum arcuatum

Cheilosia bergenstammi

Eristalis horticola

Syrphus ribesii

Most of the old forestry paths have been left to nature, this is where the wild flowers tend to congregate

 

Garnwen (lower moors)

 A warm sunny day at 24c brought out 31 species of hoverfly, which is a good count for this time of year. Highlights included and Eriozona syrphoides, Chrysotoxum arcuatum, all 3 Leucozona which doesn't happen very often, Melangyna umbellatarum, Scaeva selentitica, Xanthogramma pedissequum and Sphegina eligans.

My yearly sighting of Nowickia ferox (tachinidae fly) was finally achieved and 12 species of butterfly were on the wing with Painted Lady in good numbers and looking freshly emerged.

Eriozona syrphoides

Leucozona lucorum

Nowickia ferox

Garnwen slope covered in Hemp Agrimony and a magnet for the larger hoverflies such as Eristalis pertinax (170) and Eristalis tenax (105).