Fleam Dyke 7.5.14

A trip to Fleam Dyke this morning, which was windy and cloudy with sunny spells and fairly chilly. Saw lots of Holly Blue perching as well as a wide variety of insects visiting the spring flowers. 

Species seen - 

Holly Blue 10
Green Hairstreak 5
Speckled Wood 2
Orange-tip 6
Brimstone m 4 f 3
Small Whites
Small Tortoiseshell 1

Black and Red Frog Hopper
Beetle Pterostichus niger
Psyllid possibly Cacopsylla melanoneura
Nettle-tap Moth
Moth Incurvaria masculella 
Moth Psychoides filicivora
Bee Andrena minutula
Sawfly Tenthredo mesomela 
Sawfly Tenthredo temula
Cuckoo Bee Nomada
Fly Polietes lardarius
Fungus Gnat Macrocera phalerata

Holly Blue

Holly Blue

Brimstone female and Psyllid (poss. Cacopsylla melanoneura) top middle.

Moth Incurvaria masculella

Sawfly Tenthredo temula

Beetle Pterostichus niger

Fleam Dyke looking north west

Cavenham Heath 3.5.14

Nice sunny afternoon at Cavenham Heath, which provided several firsts for me. First of the year for Small Coppers and Common Blue Damselflies on the Heath and the excellent roadside verge, and Ruby-tailed Wasp and Robber Fly for first sightings ever.

Species seen - 

Small Copper 4
Peacock 1
Green-veined White
Small White
Eulia ministrana Moth
Common Blue Damselflies (m)
Ruby-tailed Wasp
Andrena minutula Bee

Robber Fly

Ruby-tailed Wasp

Small Copper

Devils Dyke 30.4.14

A beautiful afternoon and early evening at Devils Dyke, and saw just every species of Butterfly that should be there at this time of year which was great. Its a superb site for all sorts of insects and hopefully will be for years to come. Of note I saw 2 Brown Argus, which were possibly the first sightings for Cambridgeshire this year (at least recorded on the Butterfly Conservation Website), as well as a few Small Heath which may have also been the first sightings recorded. What was also really good to see was Dingy Skippers, Brimstone and Peacocks pairing, there was something in the air!

Also interesting to spot was a Parasitic Wasp probing a Knapweed seed head with its Ovipositor, with a Dingy Skipper roosting just above. I made a short film - link.

Species seen - 

Dingy Skipper
Green Hairstreak
Brown Argus
Small Heath
Orange-tip
Peacock
Brimstone
Small Tortoiseshell
Small White
Red Twin-spot Carpet Moth
Lattice Heath Moth
Common Heath Moth

Green Tiger Beetle
Dock Bug
Sloe Bug
Cuckoo Bee Nomada Flava
Sawfly Tenthredo temula 
Crane Fly Nephrotoma flavipalpis
Parasitic Wasp (unknown species)
Beetle Silpha atrata
Soldier Beetle Cantharis Rustica

Green Hairstreak

Dingy Skipper

Crane Fly Nephrotoma flavipalpis

Parasitic Wasp (species ??) probing with Ovipositor

Tenthredo temula Sawfly

Dock Bug

Devils Dyke looking north west

Cavenham Heath 29.3.14

A visit to Cavenham Heath was rewarded with fine weather and lots of insect activity which was really good to see. There were several bird watchers at the heath but not having a massive 600mm lens I didn't bother trying to see what they were looking at, everything there is so far away! 

My walk around the southern woods was really nice, saw my first Speckled Woods of the year, and there were good numbers of Brimstone and a few Peacocks too. Also the verge at the side of the road was quite productive, seeing two caterpillars cross the road (not sure on species - please comment if you know), a rove beetle and a Common Wasp Bee. 

The Woods on the eastern side weren't as active but the Slime Mould was an interesting sight. 

St Mark's Fly m or Bibio lanigerus

Cereal Leaf Beetle Oulema melanopus

Rove Beetle Tachyporus solutus

Caterpillar (any help?)

Common Wasp Bee Nomada ruficornis

Slime Mould on Birch Stump

Common Wasp Queen

Woodwalton Fen 30.07.13

This is still my favourite local site, the range of things to see and the unique landscape, it really is special. Its hard to identify everything seen, some things are just too quick! But I did see for myself something reported by others and which I'm really surprised at - Purple Emperors near the Rothschild Bungalow. Exciting to think they might be resident next year. 

Species seen - 

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Common Blue Damselfly

Black-tailed Skimmer

Ruddy Darter

Purple Emperor

Red Admiral

Peacock

Green-veined White

Large Skipper

Gatekeeper

Meadow Brown

Dark Bush Crickets

Hornet

Several types of Bee

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Gatekeeper

Bee

Black-tailed Skimmer (thought this was impressive as it flew about completely fine)

Ruddy Darter