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