Last weekend

 Still no mass hoverfly emergence, the latest date I have for this phenomena is 4th of August. A few species are increasing rapidly like Eristalis pertinax (110), Cheilosia illustrata (15), Sericomyia silentis (13) and Xylota segnis (14). Otherwise new for the year were Syrphus ribesii (finally) and Eristalis intricaria.

So here a few photos of other insects encountered on the weekend. 

longhorn beetle - Stictoleptura rubra

freshly emerged Bloody-nosed Beetle eating leaves of Common Cleavers

Emperor moth caterpillar - taking a stroll along the tarmac road at Blaencaerau

my yearly photo of the tachinid fly - Nowickia ferox

Small Skipper butterfly up Garnwen

And of course here's some hoverflies

Cheilosia bergenstammi

Sericomyia silentis

Sphaerophoria scripta

Blaencaerau

 I am still waiting for the hoverfly irruption this summer, last year it started on the 21st July but not this year yet. Although there were three first for the year hoverflies seen in Chrysotoxum festivum, Epistrophe glossulariae and Leucozona laternaria. In total 26 species were recorded with other highlights being Platycheirus granditarsus, Scaeva pyrastri and Merodon equestris. Most numerous species was Syritta pipiens (45).

Chrysotoxum festivum

Leucozona laternaria

Sericomyia silentis

Butterflies were headed by Ringlet (20+) and day moths saw the first of the year in Pammene aurana and Silver Y.

Pammene aurana

Other species seen included much better views of Conops flavipes and 2 Juvenile/immature Common Lizard. On the bird front I can hear House Martin chicks in the one nest previously mentioned and 6 pairs of Swift are gathering over Caerau ready to coax out the fully grown juveniles.

Conops flavipes

Common Lizard

Finally lots of new flower blooms appearing a few of which I photographed.

1. Common/escape Comfrey - 2. Wood Sage - 3. Meadow Vetchling - 4. Tufted Vetch

waiting for late summer hoverfly irruption

 The fortnight between hoverfly broods gives me time to photograph other insects over the last week. Some have been new to me or the valley. A few examples are below.

Last week Paul Parsons had a Wool Carder Bee at his bug hotel which was new for the valley, having seen the photograph and learning the ID features I am now seeing them everywhere I go. I didn't know that the word "carder" means the behaviour of scraping hair from leaves, the hair is then carried in bundles beneath their body to be used as nest lining and are often seen low down on plants rather than feeding on the petals like this one in the photo and probably why I hadn't noticed them to date..

July and August is a good time to see plant bugs on flowering plants, there are 200+ different species in Britain and there is a good chance I haven't recorded any I come across. Above are two of the more common species 1. Closterotomus norwegicus and 2. Stenotus binotatus (Potato capsid).

Golden-ringed Dragonfly although common this time of year are always pleasing to see especially when perched like this one.

This Grass vetchling was also a first for me up Blaencaerau, so called because of the shape of the leaves.

Day flying moths are always to the fore this time of year like 1. Six-spot Burnet and 2. Burnet Companion.

Finally a selection of the more noticable flies around the scrub area near the old Caerau Railway tunnel entrance.

1. Palloptera saltum 2. a tachinidae fly, waiting for ID confirmation (possibly Gastrolepta anthracina) 3. Poecilobrothus nobilitatus 4. Urophora cardui 5. Xyphosia miliara

Gilfach (west), Top Llan

 Weather hasn't been great as of late, but a visit to  top Llangynwyd always cheers me up. Its the quiet fortnight between broods at the moment, but I still managed 30 species of hoverfly, with my first Platycheirus granditarsus of the year. Other highlights included all three forms of Volucella bombylans plus Helophilus hybridus. Most numerous was Sericomyia silentis (14).

Nice to see Ringlet butterflies out in good numbers amongst all the commoner insects. Nothing to report on the bird front though.

Three forms of Volucella bombylans (A. plumata, B. bombylans, C. all black/white tail)

Eristalis nemorum

Scaeva pyrastri

Xanthogramma pedissequum s.l.

Common Green Grasshopper

Figwort Sawfly actually on Common Figwort

Ringlet