A warm, sunny day, +22° C. Went to Oxshott, took a walk through Oxshott Heath, Elmbridge and Esher Commons. Surprisingly few insects!
Green Tiger beetles (Cicindela campestris) are numerous. Took a portrait shot:
Common Groundhopper (Tetrix undulata):
A nice sunny day, +20° C. Been to Dawney’s Hill near Brookwood. Saw a Nightjar there!
Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi):
A local Brachypalpoides lentus hoverfly, it usually inhabits ancient woodland, I certainly didn’t expect it at Brookwood!
A warm, partially cloudy day, +20° C. Been to Hutchinson’s Bank in New Addington.
There is an introduced population of Glanville Fritillary (Melitaea cinxia) at the site, maintained by local enthusiasts, which was my primary goal.
Mission accomplished:
Small Blues (Cupido minimus) are frequent:
A warm, overcast day, +19° C. Been to Wimbledon Common.
A Chrysolina oricalcia leaf beetle at the same spot as last year:
A Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata):
At last a fairly warm day! +16° С and sunny. Been to Wimbledon Common.
Lots of Andrena bees on Sallow catkins:
A cool, overcast day, +18° C. Been to Brookwood.
Plenty of Colletes sp. bees at Dawney’s Hill, probably C. hederae:
Some small crane-fly:
An overcast, warm day, +20° C. Been to Wimbledon Common.
Not much around, but the Mint patch is busy with flies and wasps.
Phasia hemiptera female, a parasitoid of shieldbugs:
Misumena vatia crab spider was taking advantage of that:
A warm, overcast day with some sunny spells. +22° C. Been to Brookwood.
A Potter Wasp (Eumenes coarctatus):
Heath Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) drags a caterpillar she just paralyzed towards her burrow, where her grub will slowly eat it alive:
A hot, sunny day, +27° C. Went to New Addington.
Found a huge and beautiful Callicera aurata hoverfly. The Small Scabious flowerheads drooped under its weight!
Plenty of Small Blues (Cupido minimus) at the site:
A warm, rather overcast day, +21° C. Been to Bookham.
Quite a lot of Brown Hairstreaks (Thecla betulae) on Angelica flowers:
Some blue-black sawflies were also frequent:
