Bank Holiday weekend

 More sunny weather brought out many more hoverflies, my year list jumps to 63 after a somewhat poor spring. Over the weekend  I visited Gilfach (west)  [19 species], Caerau/Blaencaerau [42 species -a new May record] and Maesteg (golf course) [18 species]. All "the big boys" are starting to emerge like Sericomyia lappona and silentis, Volucella bombylans and Didea fasciata. Leucozona lucorum are emerging in the biggest numbers I have seen but the pine hoverflies are yet to kick off. Hawthorn is having a good year and is attracting a lot of hoverflies, but Bramble, Ground Elder and other umbellifers are yet to flower.

Sericomyia lappona

Sericomyia silentis

Volucella bombylans  -  plumata form

Pachytodes cerambyciformis

Rhagium bifasciatum

Dingy Skipper

Small Heath

Drinker moth larva

Large Red Damselfly

2022 specimens and last week

 I received my results of my hoverfly specimens from 2022 from Roger Morris of the Hoverfly Recording Scheme, who is rather busy upgrading the new Hoverfly Wildlife Guides book (due Nov 23) nothing new but some interesting records in :-

Cheilosia carbornaria - 4 records   -   3rd - 6th for Wales, 2nd - 5th for valley and Glamorgan

Cheilosia Psilophthalma - 1 record   -   3rd for Wales, 2nd for valley and Glamorgan

Good records - Cheilosia lasiopa (5), Cheilosia longula (3), Heringia vitripennis (1) [2nd for valley and Glamorgan], Pipiza noctiluca (1) and Platycheirus tarsalis (1)

Also 49 records of 26 commoner species of hoverfly

Last week the fine weather meant more and more hoverflies are emerging and I quickly past the 50 species mark for the year. The highlight being new for the valley species in Brachyppalpoides lentus [147]. Sadly it was too quick to photograph. It looks like there is going to be a good Hawthorn crop this year, so I will be very busy this week 🔍. Lots of other insect families also emerging with my first Dingy Skipper and Red Admiral butterflies of the year along with the longhorn beetle Rhagium bifasciatum.

On the bird front at least 8 swifts are back so far over Caerau and Cuckoos are everywhere, at Blaencaerau I even saw a pair mating a first for me. 

Brooklime

Caerau Tunnel headstone

 

Caerau C.O.P. (weekend)

 The weather has been quite poor in the valleys so far this year. My hoverfly yearly total stands at a meagre 28, this time last year I was on 52.Over the weekend there was just about 3 hours sunshine on Sunday afternoon for a walkabout. Hoverfly numbers are still below average for the time of year and managed just 18 species headed by Chrysotoxum arcuatum, with Melanostoma scalare (18) being the most numerous.

Other insects are also a little scarce, just 3 species of Butterfly. But I did manage to photograph Gorse Shieldbug for the record.

Amongst the birds, summer visitors are now returning including singing/calling males of  Cuckoo (2), Tree Pipit (1) Grasshopper Warbler (2), Whitethroat (3), Blackcap (2), Willow Warbler (11) and Chiffchaff (4). No Swifts, Swallows or House Martins yet though (2 pairs of Sand Martin have returned to the lower valley site this week).

Although all the spring flowers are now in bloom like Cuckooflower and Early Dog Violet, the tree blossoms are all 3 weeks late like Rowan, Sycamore and Guelder Rose. In Fact Sallow is still in bloom from March ??.

Chrysotoxum Arcuatam

Tree Pipit

Gorse Shieldbug

Orange-tip

Adela reaumurella (I think?)