Ashtead Common

Leave a comment 21 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

Another hot day, +32° C. Went to Ashtead Common.
Saw a male Purple Emperor (Apatura iris), which passed me by and flew off never to be seen again. I guess now is the time to pay Bookham another visit early in the morning 😉
White Admirals (Limenitis camilla) are also not infrequent.

Large Red Damselfy (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) is the only insect I managed to photograph on the site (although I did collect many moths to photograph at home):

And this, I believe, is Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris):

Richmond Park

Leave a comment 19 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

A hot day, +31° C. Been to Richmond Park.
Very few insects around. Nothing to photo really.
Petrophora chlorosata are quite numerous, though:

Bookham Common

Leave a comment 16 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

The White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) I saw last time I’ve been to Bookham Common, couldn’t get off my mind, so Bookham’s where I went today.
A warm, mostly sunny day, +24° C.

Found an ovipositing female of Stictoleptura scutellata longhorn beetle on a felled Oak trunk (I didn’t know they have such long ovipositors):

Wimbledon Common

Leave a comment 15 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

A warm, sunny day; +24° C. Went to Wimbledon Common.

Lots of summer Hymenoptera on sandy paths.
Cerceris rybyensis:

South Norwood Country Park and Hutchinson’s Bank

Leave a comment 14 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

A hot, sunny day, +26° C.
Went to South Norwood Country Park to check out the flowering Hogweeds and try to catch the Cydia medicaginis tort for a photoshoot.
I guess I should have come earlier in the year for the latter, as the only one I got was already tattered. In any case, not much around at all 😦

Nemophora fasciella longhorn moth, quite a rare and local species:

Platystoma seminationis fly was not infrequent on Hogweeds:

Elmbridge Common

Leave a comment 13 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

A very warm, sunny day, +24° C. Been to Oxshott, spent most of the time on Elmbridge Common.
Surprisingly nothing of interest! And missed some photo opportunities as well:
1. Seen quite a lot of Welsh Chafers (Hoplia philanthus) pretty much in a single spot, probably males gathering to a calling female, but couldn’t get a shot.
2. Saw several Emperor Dragonflies (Anax imperator), but couldn’t get a shot.
3. Saw a couple of Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies (Calopteryx virgo), but couldn’t get a shot.
It’s one of those days, yeah.

Lochmaea caprea leaf beetle:

Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) are in their prime:

Hutchinson’s Bank

Leave a comment 11 June 2017 Vlad Proklov

A warm, mostly sunny day, +22° C. Went to New Addington.
As in yesterday’s Bookham Common, the Hogweed flowerheads are a major insect attractant.
Leucozona laternaria hoverflies were frequent:

A female Stenurella melanura longhorn beetle: