31 May - Muston moths







Three rustic shoulder-knots (Apamea sordens) were the first of the year,



as was this clouded bordered brindle (Apamea crenata).






















These 3 photographs show the small square spot (Diarsia rubi) and its variation in plumage,






















with these male buff ermines (Spilosoma luteum) showing the variation within the species.














Beautiful golden Y (Autographa pulchrina) - the garden's first of the year.

Poplar hawkmoth (Laothoe populi)

23 May to 30 May - Italy

Check out the Italy gallery

Cannobio

The family went to Cannobio to visit family, where we camped. This is a town on the Italian side of the border with Switzerland on Lake Maggiore.

The campsite was in the forest and was fantastic for wildlife. On the campsite the azaleas were all in flower making it very beautiful.
At the beginning of the week we saw 2 snakes - both so far not absolutely identified, however I think they were immature female smooth snakes.


This fly was displaying on the rocks by the river (R. Cannobina). It is a picture-wing fly but I have not got a species identification yet.





There were a lot of firebugs (Pyrrhocorus apterus), which are found on many kinds of vegetation. They sometimes swarm and do attack other insects.





2 ants dragged this dead bee away!

River Cannobina












Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) - look at the length of it's tongue!

There were loads of butterflies mainly flying too high, but I photographed white admiral, painted lady, red admiral, brimstone and speckled wood. I also saw several fritillaries.






White admiral (Limenitis camilla)



Moths were good. They were seen mainly around the toilet blocks in the early morning as the lights were on all night. I did not take a moth trap but may well do next time.


This is a brown silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata)
which is common wherever there is bracken, it's foodplant.











This is a froghopper









and this is a scorpionfly (Panorpa spp.)







Malesco (note the impending thunderstorm in the background)

European wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)

A firefly (Luciola lusitanica) - the photo was taken through a wine glass that was used to capture the insect. It is amazing the amount of light that these insects can generate, flashing every second. The female has a pointed abdomen and a smaller head, and although she is fully winged she does not fly.

Check out more images on the main website in the Italy gallery.

22 May - Muston moths

A lifer visited - a mullein (Shargacucullia verbasci),


as well as a spectacle (Abrostola tripartita), a cinnabar (not illustrated today)











and this heart and dart (Agrotis exclamationis).

20 May - Muston moths


A lychnis (Hadena bicruris) was the highlight and another first for the year.

19 May - Muston moths

New for the year:


The spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)







and a swallow prominent (Pheosia tremula). This is similar to the lesser swallow prominent, however the wedge in the trailing corner of the forewing is greyer white, more elongated and narrower, extending at least halfway to the base.















Here is the underside of a male white ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) looking remarkably peaceful.


18 May - Muston moths

3 firsts for the year:



Cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae)











Heart and dart (Agrotis exclamationis)






and Rustic shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens).


17 May - Muston moths




A least black arches (Nola confusalis) was one of only 2 moths today, the other a muslin moth.



The rain on this sycamore leaf attracted my attention. The left image is a pure photograph and the right has been processed in Topaz Labs Clean 2 and Simplify 2.

(You may need to look at the larger images by clicking on the pics here to see the subtle differences).




16 May - Whitby sunrise?


Bird's eye view

A trip to Whitby for sunrise at 0456. unfortunately the sunrise was covered by cloud. To get there I had driven through the East coast's fog which was very dense in places.


Wave to Whitby



Breakthrough



More images in the North Yorkshire Coast gallery.