Caerau old railway track

 With Blaencaerau way past the 100 species mark, I have now decided to concentrate on the Caerau  1 km square, which stood at 78 species before today. I managed to add another three species taking it to 81. All in all I recorded 37 species of hoverfly, with new for the year being Paragus haemorrhous, Chrysogaster virescens, Eristalis horticola, Merodon equestris, Volucella bombylans and Xylota jakutorum. 

Lots of butterflies emerged today including 4 Dingy Skipper. All the bumblebee and bee species expected were on the wing, as were numerous species of day flying moths. The beetle highlight was a Hazel Leaf-roller weevil (Apoderus coryli) which was new for the site and new for the valley for me also. 

Cuckoos were calling from both sides of the valley and numerous Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap were in song. Finally Swifts were seen entering their holes under the rooves in my street for the first time this year and I have a pair of Starling nesting in my roof for the first time.

Myathropa florea

Rhingia rostrata

Merodon equestris

Eumerus species, which can't be done by photos, but in the hand turned out to be Eumerus funeralis

Apoderus coryli (Hazel leaf-roller Weevil)