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

Hoverfly season begins

 A late start to the hoverfly season with the first records of the year today. A visit to Lletty Brongu woods in the wind meant any insects were low down on the ground layer flowers like Lesser Celandine, Early Dog Violet and Opposite-leaved Saxifrage. Two species were seen in Platycheirus albimanus (7) and Eristalis pertinax (3). Had the camera out for the first time this year I think.

Not much else about, few bees and gnats. No summer migrants in the bird world yet either. Rooks are building at Llangynwyd square (4), the nests at the sewage works (2) look unattended from last year so far.

Platycheirus albimanus

Eristalis pertinax

Robin - watching me photographing hoverflies

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

Ivy watch - take 1

 First Ivy tour of the year, hoverfly numbers are now falling rapidly as well as other insects. I visited Maesteg cemetery and Maesteg Welfare Park both with Ivy blossom at 50%. Only 14 species recorded. The highlight being Volucella zonaria at both sites. Other sightings included Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Eupeodes latifasciatus and Eumerus funeralis. Not much else about except the harvestman Opilio canestrinii. 

Volucella zonaria

Helophilus pendulus 

Opilio canestrinii

Maesteg cemetery Ivy (part of)

Ditto

 Visited the same places as last weekend with the Devilsbit Scabious fading fast, probably only a week left, but the Michaelmas Daisy is still going strong as is Japanese Knotweed. The final flowering plant of the year "Ivy" is just starting to open in some well sunlit areas. The number of hoverflies are now dropping dramatically, with less than a month left of the season. Over the weekend I recorded 17 species at My Bach (south) and 21 species at Caerau with greatly reduced numbers. Highlights being Chrysotoxum arcuatum, Eupeodes latifasciatus and Volucella zonaria.

Eupeodes latifasciatus

Eupeodes luniger - egg laying on Meadow Vetchling

Small Copper

Sweet Chestnut - new for the C.O.P

Long-winged Conehead

Locust Blow-fly (Stomorhina lunulata) - only previously recorded in Glamorgan near coastal regions (5th record)

*** confirmed on Irecord, it has been a good year for this migrant and is now thought to be breeding here, as the name suggests it is a parasite of European locusts but may be using native grasshoppers and crickets in the UK. New for the valley also. ***

weekend round up

 Visited Mynydd Bach (south) [18 species of hoverfly] and Caerau [23 species of hoverfly] to view the Devilsbit Scabious patches as most flowers have now gone over except for Japanese Knotweed and Michaelmas Daisy. Highlights again included a record count of 36 Sericomyia silentis at Caerau plus Helophilus hybridus and Volucella pellucens. Melanostoma mellinum are becoming easier to pick out amongst the dwindling numbers of Melanostoma scalare.

Sericomyia silentis

Volucella pellucens

Sphaerophoria scripta

Syrphus ribesii

Helophilus pendulus

Caerau - within this area I recorded 36 Sericomyia silentis, all on Devilsbit Scabious 

Caerau - Good patch of Michaelmas Daisy found

Other Insects photographed

Dock Bug

Meadow Grasshopper

Pegomya flaviformis (leaf-mine [fly] on Red Campion)

Small Copper

Speckled Bush-cricket