Cwmfelin Park

 Temperatures reached 15c today with very little wind, so went to visit the Blackthorn hedge at Cwmfelin Park which was in full bloom and dripping with spring hoverflies. Melanostoma mellinum (1m) and Epistrophe eligans (1m) were new for the year. Platycheirus albimanus (75) and Eristalis pertinax (45) were the most numerous. Other highlights included Parasyrphus punctulatus (3f) and high counts of Eupeodes luniger (4m, 3f) and 10+ Eupeodes not specifically ID'd. Also large numbers of Spring Syrphus (40+) of which Syrphus Ribesii (1m, 2f) and Syrphus torvus (7m, 2f) were checked in hand. 

4 species of butterfly were on the wing headed by 3 Brimstone, 3 species of mining bees - Clarke's, Gwynne's and Tawny as well as 60 Honey Bee. Bee-flies were numerous and a few 7-spot and 10-spot Ladybirds were basking on the larger leaves.

Only one singing Chiffchaff was noted and there were lots of fresh Mole hills about.

Blackthorn hedge at Cwmfelin Park

Epistrophe eligans

Eupeodes luniger

Syrphus ribesii

Easter weekend highlights

 Some fine weather saw me spending time outside for a change, with visits to Spelter, Cwmfelin Park and Gilfach (west).

Hoverflies are now starting to emerge in numbers, albeit a few weeks later than normal. Recorded 11 species of hoverfly with the pick being Melangyna lasiophthalma and Parasyrphus punctulatus. Hoverflies are still a bit skittish and difficult to photograph.

Other insects are also starting to emerge with Tachina ursina the pick of the flies, while Minotaur beetles are wandering near horse dung  and a few caterpillars out in the spring sunshine including Angle Shades.

Melanostoma scalare

Angle Shades larva

Tachina ursina

Minotaur Beetle

Melangyna lasiophthalma

On the bird front Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler numbers are starting to build and there seems to be a lot of Bullfinch about this year. Red Kites are also becoming more noticeable of late. 

[SS8691] Mynydd Bach (south) - 100 species for the 1km square

 Mynydd Bach (south) better known as the "cemetery 1km square" has become the 5th - 1km square in the valley to record 100 species following Paul Tabor's finding of a Cheilosia grossa on Saturday. Besides the cemetery the square contains some meadows, moorland and a coal tip reclamation area with some woodland.

The site itself was quite hard to work and was visited over 50 times. Unlike previous 100 species 1km squares the number of hoverfly species per single visit remained relatively low with peaks at week 20 (late April) and weeks 32-35 (August). One plus for the site is the cemetery has quite a lot of Ivy and records continue right up until week 45 (early November) while other sites were done for the year. The record of Eristalis similis is still the only record of that species for Wales.

Spring

specialities - Chriohina ascilica, Criohina ranunculi, Criorhina floccosa, Cheilosia grossa, Epistrophe nitidicollis

Summer 

specialities - Rhingia rostrata, Anasimyia contracta, Volucella zonaria, Cheilosia Lasiopa, Cheilosia longula

Autumn

specialities - Scaeva pyrastri, Sericomyia silentis, Didea fasciata, Eristalis similis, Xanthandrus comtus

species in red are rare for Wales or Glamorgan and blue are migrants from the continent.

Eristalis similis - 1st for Wales and Glamorgan

Ivy at the cemetery