Evening Invertebrates..Moths, Mayflies and more !

I've been setting the trap regularly during this warm spell. We have always had  good  numbers of Cockchafers this time of year ( the missus see's nothing good about these monsters ! ) and they have been taking up residence in numbers in the trap most evenings.

Most significant has been the increase in Micro moths, which seem to have responded quickly to the upturn in the temperatures. On the Garden macro front, Green Carpet has been the most prevalent, followed by Brimstone.

Out in the field on my local patch Tuesday I was chuffed to see my first Silver Ground Carpet of the year, and record and get ID'd  the Micro Aethes cnicana ( thanks to Patrick C ).
Another beetle was recorded as well Tuesday, Malachius Bipustulatus.

Silver Ground Carpet moth

On Wednesday, I decided to force myself onto the other side of  Barnett Brook, to see if there was any activity on the patch Odonata wise. I had noted an irrigation channel a few weeks ago that looked good for possible Damselfly activity. I was not disappointed !

As soon as I reached to irrigation channel, a damselfly went up, and once settled I noted it was an immature Beautiful Demoiselle. Walking on to the Brook there was a dozen or so more, resting up on the bank side vegetation at varying stages of  post emergence maturity. I love it when a plan comes together !!

Immature Beautiful Demoiselle

I carried on my walk onto the 'heath' area..most notable birds being Chiffchaff, Jay, Swallow and House Martin. Also  at the far end of one field, a Fox enjoying the evening Sun.

Up until now , the butterflies had been Peacock, a few Orange tips and a Large White. Then my attention was attracted by a decent sized moth that passed me and settled a few yards ahead. I checked it out in my bins..I knew what it was, just couldn't remember the name, but fired off a couple of record shorts before it moved on,  Brown Silver line, a lifer !

Brown Silver-line



 Whilst trying to hurry back ( there was dinner to cook ! ) I noticed a white tailed damselfly-like insect bouncing in mid air, as if on a piece of elastic..a Mayfly !  There were in fact a couple around the irrigation channel, and one settled for a snap ...

Mayfly ( Ephemera danica )

 A nice couple of Spring Evening walks , and on Thursday the beautiful Demoiselle numbers were increasing still. I will post more pics on My Flickr in due course. Have a great weekend !!