Michael Foley: Natural History ©

Another late Common Darter at Brockholes

2011-11-28T12:06:00.002Z

November 27, 2011:

In brief sunshine another male Common Darter was sunning itself on the same fence as before, this one had no damaged hind wing.

A very late Common Darter at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

2011-11-24T18:44:00.006Z

November 24, 2011:
A cool blustery day here today but a very late-season Common Darter was still about. Seemingly in good condition depite the damage to its right hind-wing, it perched for a while and then flew off. November 24 is a very late local record.

Short-winged Conehead crickets (Conocephalus dorsalis) at Carnforth saltmarsh

2011-11-20T10:09:00.023Z

September 27/29, 2011:
Close to the upper tidal limit at Carnforth, these bush-crickets can be found amongst the Sea Rush and other associated plants in the late summer and autumn. Coneheads (so named due to the shape of their heads) arrived in this general area only in recent years and are now spreading rapidly and are recorded from the Lune estuary northwards to the Humphrey Head area in Cumbria. They are coloured bright green with brown-orange eyes and brownish wings.

[Making a hasty retreat to ground level when approached]

[Exhibiting unusual behaviour?]

They are most easily located using a bat detector when on a sunny day their almost constant high pitched chirping can be readily picked up. Despite this, they aren't easy to locate amongst the dense vegetation and will quickly hide behind stems of rushes or drop down out of sight when approached. They sometimes survive until November and the first frosts but a check here last week (November 10th) failed to find any.

[Well camouflaged and often difficult to see amongst the vegetation]

[Seen from above]

[.....and from below]

[Another view from above. Like all bush-crickets they have very long antennae]

Bog Bush-Crickets (Metrioptera brachyptera) and Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris) at Foulshaw Moss

2011-10-09T10:29:00.015+01:00

September 20, 2011:
Foulshaw Moss comprises an acidic raised bog together with some small subsidiary pools and is well-known for it large range of insect life including dragonflies. It is also a haven for other interesting insects including the Bog Bush-Cricket and the Green Tiger Beetle.

On this warm late summer's day, Bog Bush-Crickets seemed to be singing over a large part of the Moss and could occasionally be located (although with difficulty) concealed in the heather even close to the board-walk. Females with their long curved ovipositors were readily distinguished from the males.

[Female, above, showing its long curved ovipositor]

[Male]

Nearby, on a lightly trodden peaty footpath, there was evidence of holes of Green Tiger Beetle' larvae and the occasional adult could also be seen. The latter were well camouflaged against the background but still showed a very lustrous coloration.

[Green Tiger Beetle camouflaged even against such an unnatural object as this rusting iron sheet]

Small Red-eyed Damselflies in Gloucestershire

2011-09-02T20:07:00.022+01:00

September 1, 2011:
A large pool near Tewkesbury known for its rich dragonfly fauna also has the fairly scarce Small Red Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum). With hot sunny weather forecast for the day, a visit was made especially to see this species.

Small Red-eyes are relatively tiny damselflies but are superficially similar to the closely-related and much more widespread Red-eyed Damselfly (E. najas). They are however smaller and more delicate and have a narrower, waisted abdomen which is noticeably swollen near the apex. Perhaps the best identification character though is the colour of the second and eighth segments which is mostly blue (but largely black in the larger species).

[Small Red-eyed Damselfly (E. viridulum) the with blue coloration clearly visible on segments 2 and 8]

[An enlarged view showing segments 2 and 8 to be mainly blue]

[For comparison, a Red-eyed Damselfly (E. najas) showing segments 2 and 8 to be mainly black]

The males spent all the time out on the open water where they perched on floating vegetation and lily-pads and were not easy to view closely or to photograph. They need warm sunny weather to be active and today this ceased immediately the sun went in. Small Red-eyes are quickly spreading northwards and have already reached as far as the Midlands.

Some tandem pairs were also seen ovipositing on the floating sphagnum, as below.

[The larger Red-eyed Damselfly (E. najas) was also present with its comparatively broader, non-waisted abdomen]

Also seen at the pool were Common and Ruddy Darters, Southern, Brown, and Migrant Hawkers, one Red-eyed Damselfly, many Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies and a few Banded Demoiselles. A Kingfisher also put in appearances on several occasions.

[Ruddy Darter]

Intense Dragonfly activity at Foulshaw

2011-08-23T21:48:00.015+01:00

August 22, 2011:
Very warm calm weather led to a high degree of dragonfly activity at a small pool here today. A huge number of Black Darters could be seen engaged in a range of activities. At one point four tandem pairs were ovipositing in a damp patch no larger that a dinner plate. Other mating pairs were perched in the vegetation and mature males posed at vantage points by the water margin. However the immatures and females kept some distance away from the water's edge.

Mating pair of Black Darters]

[Black Darter males, above]

[Black Darter, female]

Many Emeralds were also present, most of them males.

[Emerald Damselfly, male, both above]

At least one Brown Hawker was flying as well as a Southern Hawker which lived up to its reputation of buzzing human intruders. An Emperor put in a brief appearance and Commom Blues accounted for the other damselfly species present.lak

Badgers at a sett in a Lancashire valley

2011-08-20T20:44:00.015+01:00

August 17, 2011;
One of the rather rare beautiful evenings of the summer provided an opportunity to watch badgers under good conditions. The sett, in heavily shaded woodland, had many entrances, some of which showed evidence of recent excavation.

In the deep shade as the light faded the first badger emerged at about 19.45 hours. This was soon followed by another and both began to search the bare earth for worms and grubs. As darkness fell further, more badgers appeared until at one time six individuals could be seen simultaneously. There was a range of sizes from adults to well-grown cubs.

Conditions for photography were very challenging and camera settings needed to be at the extreme. Flash was used occasionally and didn't appear to concern the badgers which carried on searching for food normally although they were quickly alerted by the slightest noise. However, the best photos were achieved in normal light despite being very poor. After a two hour watch the badgers were left to themselves.

Chalk grassland butterflies at Aston Rowant

2011-08-17T12:46:00.012+01:00

[Chalk-hill Blue male]

August 15, 2011:
It being almost one year to the day, another visit to the Chilterns to the butterfly-rich grassland at Aston Rowant was now due. Conditions were reasonable but still less than ideal with a very strong breeze and intermittent sunshine. Flying here were many Chalk-hill Blues which especially favoured patches of Marjoram for nectaring. At the same place there were also several Brown Argus similarly attracted to the flowers.

[Chalk-hill Blue male, both above]

[Brown Argus, both above]

[Chalk-hill Blue male and Brown Argus female]

Above the short turf, very fast-flying Silver-spotted Skippers would appear during bursts of sunshine but quickly settled to perch on the bare gravelly rabbit scrapes when the sun disappered. This enabled them to benefit from the heat radiated by the stony surface.

[Silver-spotted Skipper male, both above]

On one occasion a brief glipse was gained of a very bright light blue butterfly, very likely to be an Adonis Blue, but it disappeared before it could definitely be confirmed. Adonis's are known to occur at this site although in very low numbers. There were also many Meadow Browns and Small Heaths as well as a few Small Coppers.

Butterflies in the Peloponnese, Greece (2)

2011-08-11T20:35:00.021+01:00

June 18-21, 2011:
Skipper and 'Blue' butterflies in southern Europe are quite difficult to identify with accuracy. However, some of those seen recently in the northern Peloponnese are shown here. This is the second part of a posting initially made several weeks ago.

Most of these butterflies were seen on the middle slopes of Chelmos (at about 1500 m altitude) where they were visiting trackside flowers or higher up on the flowery meadows of the Xerocampos. Skippers seen on the mountain included Oberthur's Grizzled (Pyrgus armoricanus), Orbed Red Underwing [=Hungarian Skipper] (Spialia orbifer), Olive (Pyrgus serratulae) and Dingy (Erynnis tages). At lower level there were Small (Thymelicus sylvestris), and Marbled Skippers (Carcharodus lavatherae), the latter seen taking salts from moist red mud.

[Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper (and top photo also)]

[Orbed Red Underwing Skipper]

[Olive Skipper]

[Marbled Skipper, taking salts on terra rossa mud]

Also on Chelmos were Adonis Blues (Lysandra bellargus)and Pontic Blues (Neolysandra coelestina) (the latter becoming rather worn since it was late in their season). Unfortunately, the endemic Chelmos Blue was not identified with certainty. At lower levels, two other blues were on the red mud along with the Marbled Skippers. These have been tentatively identified as Osiris Blues (Cupido osiris) and Zephyr Blues (Plebejus pylaon).

[Adonis Blue]

[Pontic Blue, a rather worn specimen]

[Osiris Blue, tentative i.d.]

[Zephyr Blue, tentative i.d.]

Alternative suggestions are welcomed for the last two (please click on 'Comments' below).

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) at Silverdale, Lancashire, and butterflies at Latterbarrow, Cumbria

2011-08-04T19:13:00.025+01:00

August 3, 2011:
A small sheltered pool near Silverdale, a known site for Ruddy Darters, was visited for the second time in eight days. Unlike last week when none was seen, this time a single brightly coloured male patrolled the pool margin.

[Ruddy Darter, showing the all-black legs, waisted abdomen and club-shaped tail]

Several Emerald Damselflies perched on the marginal vegetation and two Southern Hawkers flew high amongst the surrounding trees.

[Emerald Damselfly, female. The two diagnostic sub-triangular marks on segment 2 can be seen]

Earlier in the day a visit in ideal conditions to limestone grassland at Latterbarrow was rewarded with a large number of Peacocks nectaring on marjoram along with pristine Red Admirals. Also there was a single Brimstone but it was too late in the season for the Northern Brown Argus which may sometimes be seen here. Of particular interest also, was a nice fresh example of the Small Copper aberration (ab. caeruleopunctata (Tutt)).

[Peacock]

[Red Admiral]

[Brimstone]

[Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata (Tutt)]

Essex Skippers (Thymelicus lineola) in Derbyshire

2011-08-01T21:00:00.021+01:00

July 30:2011:
Over recent years Essex Skippers have gradually spread northwards through England and are now well established in Derbyshire. A visit today to a locality near Willington provided an opportunity to compare the Essex Skipper with the very similar Small Skipper. This was at a large rough grassy field, ideal skipper habitat, with flowering thistles, ragwort, willowherb, clovers and much else. Essex Skippers emerge slightly later in the season than Small Skippers and here they outnumbered the latter by a ratio of at least 3 to 1.

[Skipper field at Willington]

The two species are very similar both in appearance and in habit and are difficult to separate unless a very close view can be gained. The easiest distinguishing character is that the Essex is black on the underside of the antenna clubs, whereas in the Small this is brown-orange. Another difference is that the male Essex has a short line of dark scent scales on the upperside of the forewing which runs parallel to the wing's edge. In the Small Skipper this line is longer and curves slightly away from the wing's edge towards the abdomen. Photos showing these main distinguishing characters along with more general ones of the Essex Skippers are below.

[Essex Skipper showing black on the underside of the antenna clubs]

[Essex Skipper (male) showing the short dark scent scale line running parallel to the forewing edge]

[Small Skipper showing orange-brown on the underside of the antenna clubs]

[Small Skipper (male) showing the longer dark curved scent scale line slightly diverging from the forewing edge]

A few more Essex Skippers photos are below.

Foulshaw Moss and an emerging Common Hawker

2011-07-27T21:04:00.019+01:00

July 26, 2011:
Seeing something move deep in the marginal vegetation of a small pool at Foulshaw, a closer view revealed a Common Hawker emerging from its exuvia, the latter falling back into the water before there was the chance of a photograph. The insect then climbed slowly up a stem of Juncus, its wings folded at first but then gradually spread as it came out into full sunlight. Its thorax and abdomen were already developing a dull grey/brown coloration but its wings and pterostigma were completely colourless and translucent; the characteristic costa was, however, discernable. At first, due to its large size, it seemed that it might be an Emperor but the photos showed otherwise. After a few minutes perching in the sunlight it fluttered away into the nearby trees.

Four stages of emergence shown below (bottom upwards)

Also flying here were Black Darters, Four-spotted Chasers, an Emperor, and many Azure aand Emerald Damselflies.

[Black Darter, male]

[Four-spotted Chaser, male]

[Azure Damselfly, male]

[Emerald Damselflies, pair]

Emperors, Hawkers and Darters at Brockholes Wetlands

2011-07-24T21:39:00.006+01:00

July 23, 2011:
Being warm and sunny today and with only a mild breeze, this made ideal conditions for dragonflies. There were large numbers of Common Darters flying, most of which were immatures. A male Emperor incessantly patrolled one of the small pools and on the single occasion when it briefly settled, provided an opportunity for a photograph. The damselflies present here were mainly Common Blues.

[Male Emperor]

[Common Darters spent much of the time sunning themelves on nearby alders]

Butterflies in the Peloponnese, Greece (1)

2011-07-17T19:19:00.026+01:00

June 18-21, 2011:
Greece is renowned for its rich butterfly fauna with the mountains of the northern Peloponnese being especially favoured. A few days were spent here recently on the slopes of Chelmos at the height of the season and in perfect weather. Some of the species seen are shown here although some families such as the 'blues' and 'skippers' are difficult to identify and will be covered in a second part later.

[Clouded Yellows]

The mountain of Chelmos reaches an altitude of approximately 2400 metres a.s.l. but up to about 1800 metres it can be reached by the surfaced approach road originally constructed for skiing. The middle slopes are heavily afforested with Pinus cephalonica but at around 1700 metres this gives way to the scrub and short dry grassland known as the Xerocampos (dry fields). This latter area, the margins of the approach road, and the glades within the forest, all abound with butterflies. Some were very common here such as Clouded Yellows, Brimstones, and several species of blues. Up on the Xerocampos Glanville and Spotted Fritillaries were flying and the occasional Swallowtail and Camberwell Beauty were seen patrolling higher on the mountain.

[Glanville Fritillaries]

[Spotted Fritillaries, male above, female below]

[Swallowtail]

[Camberwell Beauty]

In one of the glades amongst the pines a beautiful rich-coloured and rare Grecian Copper nectared on a species of Squinancywort, Cleopatras did similarly on the local variant of Common Vetch, whilst a pristine Black-veined White rested close by. On a branch overhanging a stream at lower altitude, a Southern White Admiral sunned itself.

[Grecian Copper, see top photo also]

[Cleopatra, a more colourful relative of the Brimstone]

[Black-veined White]

[Southern White Admiral. Distinguished from the more common White Admiral in having only a single row of marginal spots on the underwide of the wings]

[Forest glade frequented by several species including the Grecian Copper]

Small Red Damselflies (Ceriagrion tenellum) near Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd

2011-07-14T21:46:00.015+01:00

July 12, 2011:
A visit to this small acidic lake a month ago resulted in only two Small Red Damselflies being seen; these were vastly outnumbered by the Large Reds flying at the time. Today the situation was reversed and Small Reds were present in good numbers although very localised. They are most easily separated from Large Reds by having red eyes and red legs. They are also smaller and are weak flyers. Male Small Reds and the females of the all-red bodied (f.erythogastrum) are not easy to separate although the latter are more robust. Females of the partially black f.intermedia were also seen here. Emerald Damselflies were emerging whilst at another small lake in the Conwy valley large number of Black Darters were flying.

[Male]

[Pair, female f.intermedia]

[Female, f.erythrogastrum]

[Female, f.intermedia]

[Large Red Damselfly, male]

[Emerald Damselfly, male, acquiring pruinescence]

[Black Darter, Conwy valley]

A visit to Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria

2011-07-10T09:39:00.021+01:00

July 9, 2011:
During the past fortnight since I was last here the season had moved on dragonfly-wise with Black Darters and Emerald Damselflies now emerging. Black Darters seen were all males and mostly immatures with only the occasional one displaying its full colour. Most of the Emerald (Lestes) males had developed the blue pruinescence and these were very frequent in the marginal vegetation at the main pool.

[Emerald Damselflies, the dark brown pterostigma clearly seen, above]

The Black Darters were mostly immature males

Four-spotted Chasers were also flying but now in reduced numbers compared to two weeks ago and there were also several Emperors with at least one female seen ovipositing. Amongst the damselflies, as usual the Azures were by far the commonest here with a smaller number of Common Blue and Blue-tailed present. Flying conditions were very good: warm, sunny and with little or no wind.

[Azure Damselflies]

[Common Blue pair]

[Blue-tailed male]

A good dragonfly day in North Wales

2011-07-05T22:37:00.021+01:00

July 4, 2011:
With the period of good weather forecast to end soon, a further visit was made to an idyllic upland lake near Llanrwst, Conwy. Conditions were perfect today with hot sun and no wind.

[Emerald Damselfly]

Seven species were seen: Keeled Skimmers, Black Darters (the first of the season) and very many beautifully fresh Emerald Damselflies. There were also four other damselfly species flying: Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed, and Large Red.

[Black Darter, all above]

[Emerald Damselfly, all above]

[Common Blue female, an unusual colour form?]

[Common Blue-tailed Damselfly]

[Large Red Damselfly]

[The dragonfly site]

Despite a very careful search, no Scarce Blue-taileds were located although some had been seen here on a visit three weeks ago.

White-faced Darters (Leucorrhinia dubia) in Cumbria

2011-07-03T10:29:00.014+01:00

July 2, 2011:
At a large raised peat bog in north Cumbria eight species of Odonata were seen today. These included White-faced Darters for which the site is well-known. There were at least twelve individuals flying over and around three adjacent small flooded peat cuttings. They were mostly males although at least one tandem pair was seen.

Even though the weather was very warm, immediately the sun went behind the clouds all activity ceased but resumed as soon as it reappeared. The Darters rarely strayed more than a few metres from the pools but would occasionally make short forays into the surrounding heather to perch. One or two seemed to have favourite perches and would also fly close to investigate what they presumably thought to be an intruder. A temporarily discarded blue pullover also appealed to one individual as a perch.

[Darter on blue pullover]

Other species seen here included Four-spotted Chasers, an Emperor, and five species of Damselfly: Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed, Large Red and Emerald. Large Heath butterflies were flying in the surrounding raised bog.

[Pair of Large Red Damselflies]

[One of the small flooded peat cuttings]

Southern Damselfly (Coenagrion mercuriale) in Oxfordshire

2011-07-01T20:18:00.011+01:00

June 30, 2011:
The Southern Damselfly is of rare occurrence in Britain, known only from a few localities in Wales, the New Forest and the Oxford area. Despite this, Britain is thought to hold 30% of the world population. It has very strict habitat requirements: pools, springs and flushes in calcareous fens. It is a weak flyer and rarely strays from its breeding grounds and in consequence is slow to re-colonise new localities.

The males are most easily distinguished from the other 'blue' damselflies by the characteristic marking on the second segment of the abdomen. This is the mercury mark, so called because of it similarity to the horned helmet associated with the Classic god Mercury.

Today, four males, a tandem pair plus a possible teneral were seen in warm but only occasionally sunny weather. The fen also had a marvellous display of the orchid Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris).

[Habitat at the site]

[Marsh Helleborine]

Small Red Damselfly and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly in North Wales

2011-06-12T19:53:00.021+01:00

June 11, 2011:
North Wales is home to several species of damselfly which are of restricted or otherwise southern distribution in Britain. Sites for two of these were visited today. One, near Pendrhyndeudraeth, is a beautiful small lake known to have a rich Odonata fauna of which the Small Red Damselfly (Ceriagrion tenellum) is a speciality. This species occurs in a limited area of the lake margin where it favours the rather unstable raised acidic bog. Today there were large numbers of Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) flying and it took a long period of searching before two individuals of the Small Red were found.

[Small Red Damselfly, male, all red body and red legs, near Pendrhyndeudraeth]

They differ from the black-legged Large Reds in having a completely red abdomen and reddish legs and are also smaller and more delicate. Also flying here were Common Blue and Common Blue-tailed Damselflies as well as Four-spotted Chasers and Keeled Skimmers (photos below).

Later, I made a visit to a second small lake within this general area to look for Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies (Ischnura pumilio). This was near Llanrwst, a known locality and another idyllic site. A delay due a puncture meant arrival here was very late in the afternoon and for a while nothing at all was seen but eventually some movement in the lakeside vegetation revealed a single male pumilio and later two orange immature females.

[Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, immature female, aurantiaca phase, near Llanrwst]

[Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, male, near Llanrwst]

The immature females are often very brightly coloured (forma aurantiaca) and therefore easily identified. The males though are much more difficult being very similar to the Common Blue-tailed (Ischnura elegans). It is best differentiated from this by having segment 9 of its abdomen coloured blue with only a little blue on segment 8 whereas segment 9 of the Common blue-tailed is black and segment 8 is blue. Consequently, a close view or a good photograph is necessary in order to be completely sure.

[Large Red Damselflies (note the black legs), near Pendrhyndeudraeth]

[Four-spotted Chaser, near Pendrhyndeudraeth]

[Keeled Skimmer, near Pendrhyndeudraeth]

A good day in Shropshire for Damselflies

2011-06-05T22:23:00.028+01:00

June 4, 2011
Good warm sunny weather prompted a visit to Shropshire especially to look for White-legged, Variable and Red-eyed Damselflies. Localities near Atcham and Berrington were visited as these are places where all three are known to occur. White-legged Damselflies are nearing their northern limit here but neverheless are quite frequent amongst the dense bankside vegetation of the slow flowing River Severn. Many were seen today in various stages of maturing colour form but could be readily recognised by their distinctive white legs.

[The distinctive white legs showed up well]

[The chocolate brown pterostigmas are distinctive]

Below, two photos of an immature:

On a small pool near Berrington several Variable Damselflies were found, the distinctive ‘wine-glass’ shape on segment 2 helping to separate them from other Blues. Some of the males had the characteristic ‘exclamation mark’ bands on the thorax although this was not always the case as indicated in the common name.

[Variable Damselflies]

Male Red-eyed Damselflies staked out their territories on the lily-pads and were especially aggressive towards other males.

[Red-eyed Damselflies]

Blue-tails were also frequent as were Azures and Common Blues. Large Reds were present but not so common.

[Blue-tailed Damselfly, male]

[Azure Damselflies, pair]

[Common Blue Damselfly, male]

[Large Red Damselfly]

Altogether 10 species were seen including Banded Demoiselles, two Broad-bodied Chasers and a distant Downy Emerald.

[The pool at Berrington and the water-lily pads favoured by the Red-eyeds]

Large Red-eyed Damselflies in Cheshire

2011-05-20T10:41:00.013+01:00

May 19, 2011:
Large Red-eyed Damselflies (Erythromma najas) have now emerged here. At this small pool at the north-western limit for the species in Britain, several males could be seen out in the centre of the water where they rested on floating pondweed. As soon as the sun emerged there was frenzied activity as the males defended their territories from intruders. Occasionally also, an ovipositing pair would be ‘buzzed’. When egg-laying in tandem, the female was totally immersed under the surface but protected by an envelope of air around her body. Today all remained at long range and made photography difficult. These are quite fast-flying insects which keep low down close to the water surface but are easily picked out by their striking bright red eyes.

[Male; the female totally immersed when egg-laying]

[Territorial males resting on pondweed]

This same sheltered pool had several other species of Odonata, especially damselflies, and was a haven for other wildlife as well. A group of resting Mallard ducklings added to the idyllic scene.

DRAGONFLY: Banded Demoiselles have emerged at Brockholes Wetlands

2011-05-16T19:59:00.010+01:00

May 11, 2011:
Banded Demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens) are now flying here. Several males showing their beautiful metallic-blue colouring were resting in the long grass adjacent to the Meadow Pool reed beds. At this date there was no sign of the females which have browner wings lacking the dark banding and a greener thorax and abdomen.

[Males above, female below]

PLANT: Fen Violet in central England

2011-05-12T11:00:00.001+01:00

May 9, 2011:
Fen Violet (Viola persicifolia Schreb.) is a very scarce plant and in Britain is now only reliably found at a single locality in central England. A visit there this week revealed several hundred plants in full flower.

Much of the success of the plant here is due to conservation work carried out over recent years by a band of dedicated botanists. The locality is a fen meadow which approaches the NVC classification M24 (Molinia caerulea-Cirsium dissectum) and where other interesting plants grow nearby.

[Fen Violet, all above]

[The habitat where Fen Violet occurs; local botanists assessing the population]

Also found here is the related Dog Violet (Viola canina) with which the Fen Violet sometimes hybridises (V. x ritschliana). Dog Violet and the (sterile) hybrid appeared to be scarce here this year although a few plants were found.

[Flower of the hybrid, V. x ritschliana]

Fen Violet is characterised by its broad, very pale blue-white flowers, its greenish coloured spur and narrowly ovate, subcordate leaves. The hybrid approaches Dog Violet in flower characters and Fen Violet in habit. Fen Violet also occurs spasmodically in small numbers at two localities in eastern England and was much more widespread in past centuries before drainage reclamation drastically reduced its habitat.

Good populations are also known in the Burren area of western Ireland where it grows as the lowest zonal layer of violets on the sides of turloughs (small lakes with rapidly changing water levels). There the hybrid grows slightly above the Fen Violet with V. canina forming the uppermost zone. I saw it here in 1989 when all three taxa were locally profuse.

BUTTERFLY: Paphos Blue (Glaucopsyche paphos) in Cyprus

2011-04-28T17:25:00.008+01:00

April 7, 2011:
Near Kidasi in the Dhiarizos valley fifteen kilometres to the east of Paphos, this endemic Spring butterfly was flying in good numbers although disinclined to settle. When it did so briefly to take nectar from a bright yellow crucifer there was just chance for a photograph.

In Cyprus to where it is endemic it is common although found mostly in the west and south of the island on the warm chalky garrigue. Its larval foodplant comprises various species of Genista (brooms) which are usually thorny bushes. The butterfly photographed here is a male and exhibits a bright blue upperside with a black band around the margin and the characteristic greyish underside with large black spots ringed in white in the post-discal area of the forewing.

ORCHIDS: Cyprus March-April, 2011

2011-04-14T16:42:00.024+01:00

March 29-April 7, 2011:
The chalk garrigue lying within a triangle between the villages of Kidasi, Omodhos and Monagri in south-west Cyprus is rich in orchids. Many can be found near the roadside and often there are several different species growing in close proximity to each other. However, within the same general area and habitat there will be many other places where there are none at all, indicating that the conditions there are not exactly correct for these very demanding plants.

At the time of the visit many species were in flower, especially those of Ophrys (‘bee orchids’) with their strikingly spectacular flowers. Between Kidasi and Omodhos there was Ophrys israelatica, Ophrys asiatica, Orchis quadripunctata in two colour forms, Orchis italica and Barlia robertiana.

[Ophrys israelitica]

[Ophry asiatica]

[Orchis quadripunctata]

[Orchis quadripunctata, white form]

[Orchis italica]

[Barlia robertiana]

A chalk roadside near Monagri had Ophrys flavomarginata, O. umbilicata, O. iricolor and, quite surprisingly a few plants of the rare endemic Ophrys kotschyi (perhaps a new locality?).

[Ophrys flavomarginata, both above]

[Ophrys umbilicata]

[Ophrys iricolor]

[The rare endemic Ophrys kotschyi, both above]

A small gorge just south of Kidasi had Serapias bergonii, Ophrys lutea subsp. galilea (=O. sicula) and more Ophrys flavomarginata and Orchis italica.

[Serapias bergonii]

[Ophrys lutea subsp. galilea]

At this site there was also Bellevalia trifoliata (a monocotyledon but not actually an orchid). At Monagri there was another interesting monocotyledon: Gagea fibrosa.

[Bellevalia trifoliata]

[Gagea fibrosa]

Thanks to Yiannis for help with some of the ids.

LICHEN: Peltigera praetextata in Cumbria

2011-03-09T18:18:00.012Z

March 8, 2011:
Deciduous woodlands in Cumbria are the home to several species of lichen which are scarce elsewhere in England. Whilst searching for some of these yesterday, another more widespread lichen was seen and photographed. This was Peltigera praetextata Floerke ex Sommerf. which was growing on moss-covered boulders in woodland on the west side of Ullswater.

[Colour when dry; photo width = approx 10cm]

It is a relatively large 'leafy' lichen which anchors itself to the substrate by spike-like growths (rhizines) on its underside. The upper surface is brown to pale grey when dry but becomes dark grey or almost black when wet. The surface is bullate (i.e. it has raised vein) whilst the margins and surface cracks of older specimens can bear isidia (outgrowths containing its photosynthetic partner).

[Colour when wet. The isidia can be seen and also the bullate surface (in the lower part)]

This is the only relatively common British species of Peltigera which bears surface isidia. It is widespread and locally common on mossy boulders, tree-bases and on damp, heathy slopes.

[Showing the spike-like rhizines on the underside]

MAMMAL: Otters in Cumbria

2011-02-11T16:22:00.014Z

February 10, 2011:
There have been several recent reports of Otters being seen at a locality in Cumbria so today's unexpected glorious weather gave an opportunity to go to look for them.

A short wait by the lake-side was rewarded by the first sighting as what appeared to be a young one surfaced and rolled about in the water for a few seconds. Soon afterwards a group of three appeared, their size suggesting them to be an adult and two juveniles. These two engaged in a playful squabble before the parent guided them away out of view. There are frequent sightings of Otters in the north-west nowadays suggesting that they are undergoing a significant revival from their former scarcity when they suffered from the poisonous effects of chlorinated pesticides.

PLANT: Salvia veneris (Hedge) a Cyprus narrow endemic

2010-12-19T16:16:00.013Z

Date retrospective: April 2001:
Salvia veneris is a beautifully-flowered extremely narrow endemic restricted to an area of only a few square kilometres of ecologically-interesting terrain around Kythrea (Degirmenlìk) in northern Cyprus. The plant has rounded, flattened, thickly felted grey-green leaves, nearly all of them basal. The flowers have a pale sky-blue hood and a cream-yellow lower lip finely flecked with darker markings although I've also found a few plants with pure white flowers.

[White-flowered form]

The substrate where it grows comprises barren eroded sandstones and marls and plants are usually found on the slopes of small hummocks amongst minimal competition. Such open dry earth is very loose and friable and although quite deep-rooted, the plants (and the habitat) can be easily damaged by trampling. They occur in discrete local populations, often comprising only 10 to 30 individuals and can be surprisingly difficult to detect against the greyish soil.

[Several plants can be seen as grey patches scattered on the friable substrate]

Salvia veneris occurs in loose association with several other interesting plants which include the recently discovered Wiedemannia orientalis Fisch. & Mey. and the endemic Hedysarum cyprium Boiss.

[Wiedemannia orientalis]

[Hedysarum cyprium]

Salvia veneris was first discovered by the party of botanists led by the Englishman John Sibthorp during a tour of the eastern Mediterranean in 1787; a specimen which they collected is preserved in the Oxford University herbarium. In addition, a beautiful and accurate painting was made by Ferdinand Bauer, the renowned Austrian natural history artist, who accompanied Sibthorp's party and an engraving of this is reproduced in ‘Flora Graeca' published by James Smith in 1806. Unfortunately no locality details were given on the preserved specimen and so the precise place where it was first collected is uncertain but may have been a little to the west of the limited area from which it is now known.

For a detailed account of this plant and its close relatives, see the Karaca Arboretum Magazine Vol 7 part 1 (Foley 2003).

PLANT: Arenaria norvegica subsp anglica (English Sandwort) in the British Isles.

2010-12-06T22:03:00.016Z

Arenaria norvegica subsp. anglica, Ingleborough, North Yorkshire

Date: retrospective to the mid 1990s
This very scarce small white-flowered plant is a member of the Caryophyllaceae (Pink family). Arenaria norvegica occurs in Britain as two distinct sub-species (subsp. anglica and subsp. norvegica). The former, subsp. anglica, is a British endemic (i.e. not known elsewhere in the world) and is restricted to just a small area of the Yorkshire Dales whereas subsp. norvegica, although still scarce, is rather more widespread and is found in the Assynt area of Sutherland, Shetland, Argyll, the Isle of Rhum and western Ireland.
Subspecies anglica is biennial with narrow elliptic-ovate leaves, flowers to c.20mm in diameter and with three styles; subsp norvegica is perennial, has obovate leaves and smaller flowers bearing 3-5 styles.

Subp. anglica, Crummack, Ingleborough

Most populations of subsp. anglica are to be found on the limestone pavement area on the eastern flank of Ingleborough although it can easily be overloooked. It prefers very thin soils over well-drained limestone and grows in cracks and small depressions in the rock where competition from other plants is minimal. It has also been found in damp flushes and occasionally has colonised track-sides where limestone gravel has been laid as a base. In the early 1990s I took part in a survey of the plant on Ingleborough where eventually 27 separate populations were found in this very limited area. Population sizes can fluctuate dramatically depending on climatic conditions at the time of flowering (May onwards).

Subsp. norvegica, River Loanan shingle, Inchnadamph, Sutherland

Subsp. norvegica is also restricted to limestone substrates. In Scotland it mostly grows on fine scree and on riverside gravels (as above). In Ireland it was recorded on a single occasion in 1961 on extensive pavement in the Burren but couldn’t be re-found in subsequent years and was thought extinct until rediscovered in 2008. It also occurs in Scandinavia and Iceland.

HOVERFLIES: Some common Lancashire hoverflies

2010-11-22T19:54:00.019Z

August 25-27, 2010:
A few photographs of some local hoverflies are below. Identification to species level (and even to genus) can often be difficult. Some of those shown are only named tentatively and therefore open to correction.

Heliophilus pendulas, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010

Heliophilus pendulas, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010

Episyrphus balteatus, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010

Episyrphus balteatus, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010

Eristalis pertenax, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010

Syrphus vitripennis, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010

Syrphus vitripennis (left) & Episyrphus balteatus, Mere Sands, 26.8.2010

Query Epistrophe grossulariae, Hawes Water, 25.8.2010

Query Melanastoma scalare, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010

Query Eupeodes luniger, Brockholes Wetland, 27.8.2010

FUNGUS: Some gasteroid fungi in north-west England

2010-11-02T19:00:00.026Z

September 28-October 4, 2010:
'Gasteroid' is a loose term used to describe fungi in which the spores are developed within the closed fruitbodies. The result is that the spores are not forcibly dicharged but are released passively often through a central hole (ostiole) by the aid of external agents such as wind or falling rain drops. The group includes those fungi well-known as puffballs, earthstars, etc. Dunes and woodlands are typical habitats with those at Ainsdale NNR near Southport being especially rich. A few seen and photographed recently are shown here.

[Dunes at Ainsdale]

Lycoperdon perlatum, Common Puffball, (below) occurs either singly or in small clusters and has its outer surface delicately covered with fine spines or 'pearls'. It is widespread in Britain and very common at Ainsdale where photographed here.

[Fruitbodies from which the spores have been expelled]

[Above, probably the closely-related Lycoperdon nigrescens, Ainsdale dunes]

Lycoperdon excipuliformis, Pestle-shaped Puffball (below) also occurs at Ainsdale but less frequently. It mainly differs from the above in its shape as suggested by its common name. It is more elongated and taller than L. perlatum.

[Lycoperdon excipuliformis at Ainsdale]

Lycoperdon pyriforme, Stump Puffball, is common throughout the country and grows in woodland on strongly-decaying wood. Photographed below at Eaves Wood, Lancashire in 2008.

[Lycoperdon pyriforme]

Scleroderma citrinum, Common Earthball, (below) is tinged yellowish and has coarse scales or warts on its outer surface. It favours acidic woodlands and heaths and is often associated with birch, beech or oak. Here it was growing amongst scattered birch on the heath at Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria.

[Scleroderma citrinum]

Geastrum triplex, Collared Earthstar, is probably the commonest species within the genus. The expanded fruit body splits into several arched rays to reveal the onion-shaped central body. Often found on dunes or in calcareous woodland as here at Silverdale.

[Geastrum triplex]

MAMMAL: Roe Deer at Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire

2010-09-26T20:42:00.009+01:00

September 26, 2010:
Being close to the Ribble and with much woodland and scrub both on the site and nearby, this wetland is a haven for a number of mammal species which sometimes includes Roe Deer. Intensive construction work on the new facilities is carried out on weekdays so that not many animals have been seen lately but on this quiet Sunday afternoon, one at least was inspecting the new developments.

It took quite an interest in the brightly coloured notice-board and seemed reluctant to leave until spotting a long lens aimed in its direction 150 metres away.

DRAGONFLY: Brown Hawker and Migrant Hawker at Mere Sands, Lancashire

2010-09-25T09:46:00.012+01:00

September 16, 2010:
On a cool blustery early autumn day with little sun, it was rather rather surprising to see Brown and Migrant Hawkers flying. They mainly kept to the more sheltered areas at the tree margins but were inclined to settle onto vegetation more frequently than normal. This was especially noticeable for the Brown Hawker as these seem to fly for ever and are rarely seen settled except when ovipositing. Common Darters were also flying as well as Comma, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies.

Brown Hawker, female (both above), Migrant Hawker, male (both below)

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers (Aeshna cyanea) near Silverdale, Lancashire

2010-09-10T19:39:00.010+01:00

September 9, 2010:
A small sheltered pool near Silverdale has several species of dragonfly including Common Darter, Black Darter and the rather scarce Ruddy Darter. Here also are Southern Hawkers but despite having made several visits to the site in the last few weeks, I had failed to get a photo of any at rest. Today, whether it was the temperature, the cooler weather conditions, or the time of day, several males settled obligingly, only spending short periods in flight or buzzing an onlooker, and much preferring to perch at the pool edge on the reed-mace, willow-herb, meadowsweet or bramble.

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers and Common Hawkers near Burnley, Lancashire

2010-09-04T19:04:00.017+01:00

September 2/3, 2010:
A small isolated wooded pool close to the Pennine moorland had at least three species of Hawker flying today. The conditions were ideal for dragonflies, windless and very warm in the sheltered hollow amongst the trees. A female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) attempted to oviposit (below) onto a desiccated log well above water-level and repeatedly changed position in trying to find an acceptable site.

Males also patrolled the area (below), regularly buzzing any observer whilst a Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis) was seen ovipositing on floating weed but this was on the far side of the pool and out of camera range.

[A patrolling Southern Hawker]

Common Hawkers (Aeshna juncea) were also flying and a bonus came when one settled on the trunk of a nearby pine. At first photographed at long range, it was soon possible to approach extremely closely and even then it didn’t fly, only doing so later to pursue a male which had invaded its territory. Seen against the rough bark of the tree, it was well camouflaged and presumably it knew that.

[Common Hawker]

[The dragonfly pool with a light mist rising]

Several Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) were also seen as well as numerous Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for details of this site.

DRAGONFLY: Ruddy Darters and Common Darters in Lancashire

2010-08-24T20:24:00.012+01:00

August 19, 2010:
In this area of north-west England the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is quite frequent, especially in the lowland areas, but the confusingly-similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) appears much more scarce. The Ruddys have moved into the county in fairly recent times and are slowly spreading northwards through Cumbria.

The males of both species are red and quite similar to each other and so also are the yellowish females. Fortunately, both species perch readily and allow a close view to be obtained.

The male Ruddy Darter especially, is perhaps most easily distinguished from the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) in having jet black legs (yellow-striped in the Common), by the presence of a conspicuous black line running down the sides of the frons (absent in the Common), having deep red eyes and frons, a blood-red (not orange-red) more waisted abdomen and a rufus thorax.

[Ruddy Darter, male, both above: the completely black legs, the dark line running down the side of the frons and the deep red eyes and abdomen, can be seen]

[Common Darter, male, both above: the yellow-striped legs, the absence of a dark line running down the side of the frons, the paler more brown eyes and the orange-red abdomen, can be seen]

Ruddy Darters appear to favour sheltered vegetation near choked ditches and pools where the males will perch and often return to the same place if disturbed. Ruddys are also noticeably smaller than Common Darters and are more prone to hover. The Common Darter has a tendency to rest on artificial surfaces as well as on vegetation but this doesn't seem to occur anything like so much with the Ruddy Darter.

Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for helpful discussion on some taxonomic points.

BUTTERFLY: White-letter- and Purple Hairstreaks at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

2010-08-23T21:56:00.026+01:00

August 22 (and July 11), 2010:
The first decent weekend's weather for more than a month meant that many butterflies and dragonflies were on the wing on the Reserve. Six weeks ago, I was fortunate to obtain photos (above and below) of White-letter Hairstreaks (Satyrium w-album) there. Since then I had been hoping to get the chance to do the same with Purple Hairstreaks (Neozephyrus quercus). Boilton Wood at the Reserve's northern edge has both of these rather similar-looking butterflies and without doubt merits its SSSI status as a wild-life haven. White-letter Hairstreaks are closely associated with Elm trees (Ulmus spp.), especially Wych-elm, as this is their larval foodplant. Like many Hairstreaks they spend much time high in the tree canopy but will come down for nectar under favourable conditions. On this very warm sunny afternoon in July (the 11th), the weather was ideal, the bramble thickets below the trees were in full flower, and it was there that at least three of them were feeding on the brambles.

Being small, they were most easily located when in flight and needed to be watched carefully to find exactly where they had settled. Unfortunately, the subsequent poor weather appears to have curtailed their reappearance and it may be that this particular colony is only a small, somewhat isolated one. No doubt though, there will be several others elsewhere in these extensive woodlands.

Purple Hairstreaks (photos below) have a later and probably longer flight period. These are found amongst and close to oak trees (Quercus spp.) as this is their larval foodplant and, similar to the White-letter, they fly high in the leafy canopy and are also difficult to locate.

Today (August 22) they could be seen on two separate oak trees in warm but breezy conditions. It is interesting that they occurred in an almost identical situation to that of the White-letters although at a different place along the woodland's edge; they have in fact been seen in at least three separate places here recently.

When looking for both species this summer, even though conditions appeared ideal and the butterflies were known to be present, there were long periods of inactivity with none visible. Patience is needed to locate them.

[Typical habitat of both Hairstreaks, Brockholes]

BUTTERFLY: Holly Blues at Silverdale, Lancashire

2010-08-18T21:40:00.017+01:00

August 16, 2010:
In brief sunny spells today a small number of Holly Blues (Celastrina argiolus) were flying. This is a site where I have seen them in the past and sometimes also earlier in the season when their larval food-plant is holly. By the month of August any of those flying are of the second generation and, perhaps strangely, the preferred food-plant now becomes ivy. Such behaviour is unknown in other British butterflies.

Here, males and females were associated with a short 50-metre stretch of sheltered, ivy-covered wall but unless it was warm and sunny they only settled briefly. Sometimes they would disappear from the site for long periods but would eventually return when the sun came out.

[Male, both above]

[Female]

The female differs from the male in having a dark grey border to the upperside of the forewing; in the male this is restricted to just a very narrow band. In the second generation female (as here) these dark markings become more extensive and can extend inwards from the wing edge. In exceptional years there may even be a third generation.

[Warm ivy-covered wall near Silverdale]

DRAGONFLY: Lancashire and south Cumbria dragonflies during a brief improvement in the weather

2010-08-17T18:44:00.036+01:00

August 15/16, 2010:
Recently in north-west England, the weather has been very poor and there's been an apparent absence of dragonflies. Some warmth and sunshine on Sunday and Monday offered promise, however. At Brockholes Wetlands (Lancashire) on Sunday, many Brown Hawkers (Aeshna grandis) were flying. Unfortunately these never seem to settle enabling a photo to be taken although one female was seen ovipositing onto pondweed (Potamogeton sp) at one of the small pools.

[Brown Hawker ovipositing, Brockholes]

There was also a large number of Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) and, in contrast to the Brown Hawkers, these would usually perch accommodatingly. Many Common Blue Damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum), several Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta), a Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) and an Emperor (Anax imperator) were also seen.

[Male Common Darters, Brockholes]

On an oak tree at the woodland’s edge there were Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus) butterflies; these are often elusive and hard to see. Many of the commoner species visited flowers, especially thistles.

[Purple Hairstreak, Brockholes]

At Foulshaw Moss (south Cumbria) on the following day, the main interest was the Black Darters (Sympetrum danae) present in abundance which is often a feature of the site in late summer. Like their Common relative they were also approachable but not so was a solitary Southern Hawker which, although showing curiosity, never settled. Many Common Blue and Emerald Damselflies (Lestes sponsa) active amongst the fringing water plants.

[Pool at Foulshaw]

[Male Black Darters, Foulshaw]

[Emerald Damselflies, Foulshaw]

[Emerald Damselfly, Foulshaw]

Not too far away is the small secluded tarn at Barkbooth. Here an Emperor patrolled the water and there were also two very inquisitive Southern Hawkers and many of the same two species of damselfly as at Foulshaw.

[The small tarn, Barkbooth]

[An inquisitive Southern Hawker, Barkbooth]

BUTTERFLY: Chalk-hill Blues (Lysandra coridon) at Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire

2010-08-14T12:10:00.021+01:00

[Chalk-hill Blue male]

August 11, 2010:
Other than the Silver-spotted Skippers mentioned earlier (see below) there were also many Chalk-hill Blues (Lysandra coridon) flying today. Again, they remained mostly hidden when the sun was obscured but once it returned they were soon in motion and nectaring, especially on the Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) which was in full flower. The males were bright silvery-blue on the upper surface of the wings which contrasted noticeably with the duller brown wings of the females. This butterfly, although restricted to southern Englnd, is much more common than the Silver-spotted Skipper and was very numerous at the site.

[Chalk-hill Blue female, above]

[Chalk-hill Blue male, above]

[Aston Rowant: the short grazed grassland habitat of the butterflies]

The Brown Argus (Aricia agestis), another of the 'blues', was also very frequent here. Both sexes are a rich brown on the upper side of the wings with prominent orange spots towards the outer margin. They also were attracted to the strongly scented Marjoram.

[Brown Argus, below]

Common Blues, Meadow Browns, Small Coppers and Small Heaths were also frequent.

For Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant today, please see below.

BUTTERFLY: Silver-spotted Skippers (Hesperia comma) at Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire

2010-08-13T20:55:00.020+01:00

August 11, 2010:
Following a lack of improvement to the dismal summer weather locally, the forecast for some decent conditions in southern England prompted a day-trip to the Chiltern area to see the Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma).

This is a relatively rare butterfly in Britain and is at its north-western European limit in southern England. Aston Rowant, close to where the M40 motorway cuts a deep groove through the chalk hill-side, is one of its strongholds and is the most northerly British colony of any size.

This is a late-emerging, single brooded butterfly not on the wing until late July but which then continues to fly throughout August. It is restricted to warm, south-facing slopes on chalk downland where the turf is kept short by grazing and its larval food-plant, Sheep’s Fescue, grows. At Aston Rowant, on the steep warm hillside, there were many small bare patches of chalk presumably exposed by rabbits and it was on these warm areas that the butterfly sometimes basked. However, once the sun went in they would cease to fly but would immediately resume on its return.

[Basking over warm patches of chalk exposed by rabbits]

The butterfies flew fast and low and being of a dull greenish-ochre colour below were hard to follow. However, once settled the prominent silver spots, especially noticeable on the underside of the hind wing, could be seen. The females were darker in colour than the males, the latter having a line of dark scent scales on the forewing similar to some other skippers such as the Large Skipper. A wide range of nectar plants were apparently used but thistles and composites were probably the most favoured. There must be a very large population here as they were regularly encountered over most areas of suitable downland.

[A heavily marked female, above]

Although the most frequent skipper was the Silver-spotted, a few Essex Skippers (Thymelicus lineola) were also seen. These are much more widespread in Britain and nothing like as scarce. The Essex can be distinguished from the very similar Small Skipper by having black tips to the underside of their antennae (rather than brown as in the Small). Also, they have a shorter line of dark scent scales running parallel to the outer edge of the fore-wing, not longer and angled away as in the Small.

[Essex Skippers, showing the black underside to the antennae and characteristic line of scent scales]

PLANT: Bladderwort at Leighton Moss, Lancashire

2010-08-08T10:36:00.006+01:00

August 7, 2010:
Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris s.l.) is flowering now in some of the fen pools at Leighton Moss Reserve. Bladderworts are very sophisticated aquatic carnivorous plants. They comprise an underwater structure of roots and leaves in the form of long stolons to which small bladders are attached by thin stalks whilst the bright yellow flowers project above the water surface on leafless stems. When flowering en masse as at present, they make a spectacular sight and can be seen from one or two places along the causeway there.

The bladders themselves are active traps in which small organisms such as larvae and water fleas are caught and later ingested by the plant. Each bladder comprises a vacuum possessing a negative pressure so that when small amounts of animal matter brush against its sensitive trigger hairs a trapdoor in the bladder opens and the prey, together with its enveloping water, is sucked inside. The trap then closes within a few milliseconds and dissolution of the prey by digestive secretions begins. A similar species, U. minor, is found in more acidic waters in Cumbria and elsewhere. Bladderworts are members of the Lentibulariaceae family to which the terrestrial Butterworts also belong.

DRAGONFLY: Black Darters and Emerald Damselflies at Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria

2010-08-03T17:39:00.010+01:00

August 2, 2010:
Today, in one of the few local sunny spells for quite a long while, Black Darters and Emerald Damselflies were flying in good numbers, The Black Darters were mostly males but Emerald Damselflies ranged from emergent tenerals to mature ones. Common Blue, and Blue-tailed, Damselflies were also present, the former in large numbers, as well as an occasional Common Darter and a single patrolling Emperor.

[Black Darter, males, below]

[Emerald Damselflies]

SPIDER: Raft Spiders (Dolomedes fimbriatus) near Haverthwaite, Cumbria

2010-07-25T11:20:00.025+01:00

July 23, 2010:
Raft spiders (Dolomedes spp.) of which only two species occur in Britain and Europe, are the largest spiders we have. Both are rare with the Fen Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius) exceptionally so and only known from three well separated U.K. localities. Although more common than the Fen Raft Spider, the ordinary Raft Spider (D. fimbriatus) is still scarce and has a very patchy British distribution pattern. In northern England it occurs only at a few sites in a very limited area of south Cumbria in small acidic pools in raised bogs. These pools may only be a metre or so in extent. Otherwise, the closest sites are in Shropshire.

[Dolomedes fimbriatus near Haverthwaite]

The spiders' bodies can measure over 20mm and, with their legs outstretched, they may cover a diameter of over 70mm; the females are the larger of the two sexes.

Although they can be found on nearby vegetation, being semi-aquatic they are most easily observed at the pools. There they wait at the margins with their rear legs holding onto the vegetation, ready to quickly run across the water surface in pursuit of prey. This is thought to include damselflies, other small insects and even small fishes. If threatened, the spiders will submerge in an instant, the fine hairs covering them helping to envelop them in an air bubble and enabling them to breathe under water.

[The spiders' typical small acidic pool habitat near Haverthwaite]

[Anchored to the vegetation by its rear legs, waiting for prey]

At this site several were seen in the sunny conditions, one of these was smaller and of a paler colouration than the others and presumably a juvenile.

[Juvenile, near Haverthwaite]

DRAGONFLY: Emperor at Foulshaw Moss, Cumbria

2010-07-24T10:11:00.006+01:00

July 23, 2010:
In intermittent late afternoon sunshine at the small pool at Foulshaw, a male Emperor (Anax imperator) restlessly quartered the water.

I watched it for over an hour and it never settled even for a moment throughout this time although on three occasions it successfully chased off an intruding male. Eventually, a female arrived at the pool and then within seconds, after a brief flurry, the pair were settled down in the vegetation. So this was a rare opportunity to get a photo of these mobile insects.

[Male]

BUTTERFLY: Two subspecies of the Large Heath in Cumbria

2010-07-16T09:50:00.016+01:00

July 5 & 8, 2010:
The Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia) is a member of the family of ‘brown’ butterflies which includes the Meadow Brown and Small Heath. It is quite scarce in the UK where it is has a high priority conservation status. In the south of its range it is only found at a few localities in Wales and northern England but is more frequent in Scotland. In Europe it is designated as ‘vulnerable’ and is in decline in many countries.

[subsp. davus, the southern and most strongly marked form with many well-defined eye-spots]

The Large Heath has a specialised habitat requirement: lowland raised bogs, blanket bogs, or damp acidic moorland. Its main larval food-plant is Hare’s-foot Cottongrass (Eriophorum vaginatum). As well as flying in sunshine it can also do so in dull weather provided that it is warm. When feeding on its usual nectar source of heathers, epecially the Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), it invariably settles with it wings folded so making the upper-sides difficult to examine.

[Typical raised bog habitat of the Large Heath with the yellow Bog Asphodel in the right foreground]

Seen at an acidic bog in north Cumbria in the cool dull conditions pertaining on July 5th, only a few were flying in the more sheltered depressions in the bog but others were well concealed in the heather. The butterfly here is subspecies polydama, so defined by the strength of its wing markings being intermediate between those of the more southern UK localities (subsp. davus) and those of northern Scotland (subsp. scotica).

[subsp. polydama, the less clearly marked, intermediate form from north Cumbria (both above)]

Three days later on July 8th at its classic site at Meathop in south Cumbria, many subsp. davus were flying in breezy but much brighter conditions. This locality and the one seen in the north earlier appear very similar in habitat and vegetation. However, differences in the markings on the butterfly’s underwing are very apparent with those at Meathop showing much more well-defined spots (ocelli) whereas those at the other site (subsp. polydama) have paler wing undersides and fewer, less clearly defined spots. In the far north of Scotland, the underside spots are scarcely visible (subsp. scotica). How clear-cut these subspecies are in reality may be debatable since there seems to be a gradual transition from south to north.

[subsp. davus at Meathop (both above)]

When seen in flight at a distance, it might perhaps be confused with the Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) since the differences in wing-span are relatively slight.

[Small Heath]

DRAGONFLY: Keeled Skimmers in Cumbria

2010-07-14T20:52:00.014+01:00

June 12-July 13, 2010:
Keeled Skimmers (Orthetrum coerulescens) occur at several places in Cumbria where they particularly favour acidic depressions in mires where there are small runnels of slow-moving water. On June 12 at Outley, only a single newly emerged female could be found, the site being otherwise occupied by Four-spotted Chasers (Libellula quadrimaculata). Two weeks later though, things had moved on and there were now large numbers of both male and female Skimmers flying.

In mid-July, at another site much further to the north in Borrowdale, there were also good numbers of Keeled Skimmers. The vegetation here was comparable to that at Outley with much Bog Bean, Bog Asphodel, Heath-spotted Orchid and Sundew. The Keeled Skimmers showed a degree of curiosity hovering within a metre for several seconds as though inspecting the intruder.

[Habitat: slow flowing runnels in acidic mire]

When settled, the deep golden pterostigma on the wings and the pale ante-humeral stripes on the thorax were clearly visible, whilst the prominent black dorsal keel of the female contrasted sharply with its golden abdomen.

[Male above]

[Female below]

Also flying at the second site were Golden-ringed Dragonflies (Cordulegaster boltonii) and Large Red Damselflies (Pyrrhosoma nymphula).

[Golden-ringed Dragonfly]

BUTTERFLY: High Brown-, Dark Green- and Silver-washed Fritillaries in Cumbria

2010-07-09T13:56:00.023+01:00

July 3-8, 2010
In south Cumbria, all three of the larger Fritillaries have now emerged. They are fast-flying, large orange butterflies which inhabit scrub and woodland clearings, especially over limestone, where their bright colouration makes them highly conspicuous. All of them rely on various species of violet for their larval food plant.

Three photos below: High Brown Fritillary:

Two photos below: Dark Green Fritillary:

Two photos below: Silver-washed Fritillary.

When seen in flight these three Fritillaries are difficult to distinguish from each other and even when viewed from above, if perched, they still appear very similar. However, a good view of the underside of the hind-wing makes matters simple. In this respect, the High Brown Fritillary has an additional row of brown, silver-centred, spots (ocelli) lying between the outer margin of the wing and the inner row of seven large silver spots. These ocelli are not present in either the Dark Green or the Silver-washed Fritillary. The High Brown Fritillary also has a brownish tinge to the underside of the hind-wing, whereas in the Dark Green Fritillary it is greenish; in the Silver-washed it is conspicuously silver-banded and almost unspotted.

The markings on the upper sides of the fore-wings also differ, but only slightly. In the High Brown Fritillary the third dark spot (from the wing tip) in the obvious line of spots set inward from the chevrons, is out of line with the previous two whereas in the Dark Green, all are in line. In the Silver-washed, whilst these spots are aligned, they tend to tail off into almost insignificance towards the wing tip. Additionally, the male Silver-washed Fritillary has four very prominent black veins of scent scales on the upper side of each fore-wing.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS
[High Brown Fritillary (both below), showing the additional ocelli on the under-side and the out-of-line third spot on the upper]

[Dark Green Fritillary (both below), showing the absence of ocelli on the underside and the in-line third spot on the upper]

[Silver-washed Fritillary (both below) showing the prominent silver bands on the under-side and the row of diminishing spots and the male's dark scent veins on the upper]

The High Brown Fritillary is now very scarce in this country with south Cumbria being one of its main strongholds

DRAGONFLY: White-faced Darters in Cumbria

2010-07-07T17:16:00.018+01:00

July 5, 2010:
White-faced Darters (Leucorrhinia dubia) are rare in the UK and considered threatened, mainly due to loss of habitat. They occur at only a few sites in England although they are rather more frequent in the Scottish Highlands. Their typical habitat is small peaty bog pools with Sphagnum in open acidic heathland.

A recent visit to a site in Cumbria in less than ideal, dull, breezy conditions resulted in at least six separate individuals being seen, most of them males although no doubt there would be many more concealed nearby. In dull light with the sun overcast, they remained hidden near the pools amongst the adjacent heather but as soon as a brief shaft of sunlight appeared, they were active. On this site there are several old, man-made, water-filled peat cuttings and it was at these that they were found.

The males (all photos above) are mainly black with dark red markings on the abdomen and thorax whereas in the females (below) the red colouration is replaced by yellow. Both sexes have a conspicuous white face contrasting with the dark body and from this the common name is derived. They are fast fliers but are more predictable to follow in the air than the Four-spotted Chasers which were also nearby

[Female]

On one occasion a White-faced Darter settled for a short time on the water surface over submerged Sphagnum as though ovipositing (below) but when viewed more closely it was found to be a male. This seemed rather strange behaviour but perhaps the male was investigating a suitable egg-laying site because in this species very specific requirements for this process have apparently to be met.

The habitat here comprised peaty mossland with a few small pools scattered amongst regenerating conifers with an abundance of heather

BUTTERFLY: Skippers: Large and Small, Lancashire and Cumbria

2010-07-01T13:42:00.019+01:00

June 19-30, 2010:
Large Skippers and Small Skippers are superficially of similar appearance. Whilst the Large Skipper is found throughout most of the country almost as far north as central Scotland, the Small Skipper's northern limit (whilst quite similar) is further south, where it reaches south Cumbria on the west side and somewhat further north on the east. Both species occupy grassy areas, such as meadows, waste ground and roadside verges, and utilise various species of grass as their larval food plant. The males of both species possess a prominent dark line of scent scales on the upper side of the fore wing; this is absent in the females. The Large Skipper is best differentiated from its close relative in its possession of small, almost rectangular, contrasting pale markings, best seen on the upper surface of the wings. The Small Skipper is unmarked in this way and sometimes appears paler overall. It emerges about two weeks later than the Large Skipper. Personal observations suggest that the Small Skipper exhibits a lower, more fluttering type of flight, and appears slighty smaller and paler when seen on the wing compared to the Large Skipper.

Top four photos below: Small Skipper. Lowest two photos: Large Skipper. The dark line of the males' scent scales can be seen on the upper surfaces of the forewings. All shown are males except for the top photo and the right-hand butterfly in the second photo (which are both females).

[Small Skipper (four above), Large Skipper (two below)

[Variously photographed at Gait Barrows and Heysham (Lancashire) and Latterbarrow (Cumbria), June 19-30, 2010]

DRAGONFLY: Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo) in Cumbria

2010-06-27T15:08:00.019+01:00

June 24 & 26, 2010:
These spectacular dragonflies are relatively scarce in northern England and usually found near to vegetation bordering fast-flowing streams.

Cumbria, however, has several localities. At this site in the south of the county, the stream is distinctly sluggish and really little more than a wide dyke passing through agricultural land. However, the banks had extensive fringing beds of vegetation (Phalaris arundinacea) amongst whose roots the larvae would have developed and on which the emerging insects often perched.

Even over just a 30 metre stretch of stream, at least six males were present but no females were seen, presumably not having emerged yet. Upstream and downstream there would no doubt be many more Demoiselles.

Their slow fluttering flight and bright metallic-green bodies seemed almost surreal in the bright sunlight. Males often approached each other very closely but never seemed to show hostility, quite different from many other species of dragonfly. Swallows occasionally skimmed over the stream so that the detached wing of a Demoiselle found in the water suggested that they are sometimes taken as prey.

[View upstream and downstream from the site showing the abundant fringing vegetation. Thanks to Bill Gregory for details of the locality]

BUTTERFLY: Silver-studded Blues at Whitchurch, Shropshire

2010-06-23T09:27:00.021+01:00

June 22,2010:
The continuing hot sunny weather provided an opportunity to visit the only locality in England other than in the south for this butterfly. The site at Prees Heath is open common heathland where conservationists have done much work in supporting the butterfly.

Prees Heath lies between two Roman roads and has many historical connections. The area was once used as a Bronze Age burial ground whilst for many years a gallows was established there and was the site of one of the last public hangings in England. In the thirteenth century it was a muster point for King John's army when he invaded Wales and later it was used by Prince Rupert for the same purpose in the Civil War. During the twentieth century's two World Wars there was further military activity as an airfield, a training ground, and an internment camp.

The whole heath is flat and in those places where the butterfly if found is covered with light scrub and heather (the larval foodplant). Silver-studded Blues are in evidence from mid-June into July and on this occasion, in the warm sunny conditions, up to ten could be seen in flight at the same time.

[Taking nectar from heather flowers]

The butterfly's name derives from the small silver 'studs', actually bluish, present inside the black spots towards the edge of the under side of the hind wing. In some butterflies most of the spots are studded, in others just a few. The upper side of the wing has a pronounced dark margin. The males are bright blue but the females are duller and often brownish.

[The silvery-blue 'studs' are visible in the photo]

[Female low down in the vegetation searching for an egg-laying site]

DRAGONFLY: Emperors (Anax imperator) at Brockholes, Lancashire

2010-06-21T09:30:00.023+01:00

June 20, 2010:
A warm and sunny Sunday morning appeared promising for dragonflies so a walk round some of the more remote pools at Brockholes with Allen Holmes seemed likely to produce good results. A stiff breeze from the north-west at first kept numbers down but later when this subsided, several species were seen. Perhaps of greatest interest was the presence of at least seven male Emperors distributed over three of the smaller pools. All had clearly defined territories and immediately drove off approaching males as well as the frequent Black-tailed Skimmers. The Emperors flew very quickly but at one stage, and quite unusually, a male settled on a bank giving a rare opportunity for a photograph.

A female Emperor could be seen ovipositing on submerged water-weed towards the middle of one of the pools, remaining stationary for a while and bending and inserting its lower abdomen into the water, occasionally buzzed by a male Black-tailed Skimmer.

[Emperor ovipositing, buzzed by a male Black-tailed Skimmer below]

On another occasion a female Broad-bodied Chaser also oviposited but used a different technique to the Emperor, very briefly dipping and trailing its abdomen over the water surface, moving on all the time, and attended and protected throughout by a male.

[Broad-bodied Chaser ovipositing, male above]

Common Blue and Blue-tailed damselflies, Four-spotted Chasers and a single Banded Demoiselle were also seen as well as Small Tortoiseshell and Large Skipper butterflies. Thanks to Allen whose sharp eyes spotted the perched male Emperor (and much else).

[Black-tailed Skimmer, male]

BUTTERFLY: Small Blue, Maryport, Cumbria

2010-06-17T21:12:00.022+01:00

June 16, 2010:
In England, the Small Blue (Cupido minimus) is very scarce north of a line from the Severn/south Wales to the Wash. At one time it was thought to be extinct in Cumbria, not having been seen there for more than a decade until I had the good fortune to find a surviving colony at Maryport in early July 1983 (Entomologist's Record (1983) 95: 248-9). Since then, the colony seems to have thrived and additional populations have been found in the same general area.

As its name implies the butterfly is much smaller than other British blues with a wing span of about 20 mm. Their territories are very small, often only 20 metres or so in extent and only occur where their larval food-plant Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) is frequent.

Small Blues fly quickly and very close to the ground and this, together with their grey-blue colouration and small size, makes them difficult to follow. They especially favour small sheltered banks and depressions which are warmed by the sun. This particular population occupied perhaps a mere 25 metres long section of a steep sunny bank with much Kidney Vetch present. There were probably 15-20 butterflies flying here at the time, a few having become worn, although others appeared freshly emerged.

Here, the Small Blue flies from June to early July, the later ones probably resulting from a second brood. Eggs are laid individually onto separate flower heads and the larvae, which are cannabilistic, burrow into the calyxes and eat the seed. When fully developed they descend to ground level and, in a similar to those of the Large Blue, are thought to be attended by species of ants as they over-winter in soil crevices.

[The warm sunny bank, the habitat of this Small Blue colony]

Common Blues, Large Skippers and Meadow Browns were also flying here in the bright sunshine.

BUTTERFLY: Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Haverthwaite, Cumbria, and a comparison with its close relative

2010-06-13T13:03:00.012+01:00

June 12 & 15, 2010:
A colony of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries was found on very boggy, acidic ground near Haverthwaite where the butterflies were frequently nectaring on bog-bean (Menyanthes trifoliata). This butterfly is usually found in open woodland and scrub, often over limestone, where its food-plant, various species of violet, commonly grow. Therefore, this unusual site was in strong contrast to its normal one. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries are much commoner than the close related, scarce, and now threatened Pearl-bordered Fritillary which flies earlier from May onwards, although their flight periods do overlap.

[Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: upper side. Very similar to the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, below]

[Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary: underside. The additional silver spots, the dark chevrons, and the large central spot, all on the hind wing (see notes below) can be clearly seen]

Viewed from above the two species are very difficult to separate even when at rest but if the undersides of their hind wings are examined the differences become apparent. In the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, there are several additional central silver spots as well as the seven on the wing margin (there are only two bright central spots on the Pearl-bordered), the outer spots are outlined with dark chevrons and the adjacent line of dark spots is bold (this is not so in Pearl-bordered), and also there is a large black-margined central spot in the Small Pearl-bordered but this is almost insignificant in the other species. Compared with the male Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, the female has more rounded wings, a broader body, and is more heavily marked.

See below for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary's upper- and under-sides as photographed at Gait Barrows recently.

[Pearl-bordered Fritillary, upper-side. Very similar to that of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary]

[Pearl-bordered Fritillary, showing its differently marked under-side]

DRAGONFLY: Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) at Asprokremnos, Cyprus.

2010-06-10T09:55:00.009+01:00

May 8, 2010:
At the Asprokremnos pool, as well as there being many Purple Drop-wings, some Red-veined Darters were also present.

The male photographed here shows the characters of this species: a red venation in the wings, prominent black lines bordering the pterostigmas, the abdomen with black marks on the rear dorsal segments, and the abdomen itself narrowing strongly after the second segment. Not visible from the photograph is the blue colouration of the bottom part of its eyes.

It is a widespread resident of the Mediterranean area including Cyprus and also a strong migrant which reaches Britain in most years. I'm grateful to Allen Holmes and Yiannis Christophides for their comments on this photo.

BUTTERFLY: Marsh Fritillary at Finglandrigg, Cumbria (a conservation success)

2010-06-06T10:45:00.021+01:00

June 5, 2010:
At one time there were more than 200 colonies of the Marsh Fritillary in Cumbria but the number subsequently declined quite rapidly. I can recall seeing just a few butterflies at each of three or four surviving colonies in the early 1980s but by 1995 only one colony remained. There, the butterfly lingered on for a few more years but by 2004 it was considered to be on the point of extinction and so drastic action was carried out by the local butterfly Action Group. They took the surviving eggs into captivity and the emerging butterflies were bred on in various ways (in some cases involving strains from other UK localities) with the object of re-introducing the resulting progeny to a few of the old Cumbrian sites. This has now been successfully completed so that at Finglandrigg NNR (near Carlisle) and at a few other sites, the Marsh Fritillary is re-established.

[Perched by a leaf of its food plant, Devil's-bit Scabious]

[Underside view with the light shining through]

The cause of decline is not fully understood but as the butterfly’s specialised habitat became overgrown due to changing agricultural practices, only a few small isolated colonies survived. This resulted in a classic case of population collapse due to inbreeding, the genetic diversity within these small colonies having been lost.

The Finglandrigg site comprises a large marshy pasture lying in a shallow valley bottom where the butterfly’s food plant, Devil’s-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis), is abundant. In warm sunny weather today, there were dozens of Marsh Fritillaries flying and the whole site must have held hundreds. Small Heaths were also present, again in large numbers.

[The site at Finglandrigg with a lepidopterist photographing a Marsh Fritillary]

This re-established site is an excellent example of what can be achieved by nature conservation. The successful re-introduction of the Lady’s Slipper orchid to south Cumbria is another.

[A Marsh Fritillary with a deformed right hind-wing which had difficulty flying. Could this result from an inherited genetic defect passed down from its small ancestral population?]

BUTTERFLY: Skippers at Wrexham

2010-06-03T21:17:00.012+01:00

[Large Skipper]

June 3, 2010:
The continuing sunny weather is ideal for butterflies. One species which should be flying now and which reaches its northern British limit in Denbighshire is the Grizzled Skipper. Known to occur in that county only in small numbers, it nevertheless seemed worth taking the chance to try to find it in the present good conditions. Loggerheads Country Park near Mold is a known locality and was checked first but today none could be found although one had been reported 'last week'. So, a move to a second known locality near Wrexham (Wrecsam) was called for. This was a 'brown field' site on an industrial estate with suitable habitat covering only a very small area. Again, no Grizzled Skippers were found on what is a very flower-rich piece of grassland but Dingy Skippers and Large Skippers were present as well as Small Heaths and Common Blues.

[Dingy Skipper]

[Dingy Skipper]

[Common Blue]

[Small Heath]

This site at Wrexham is becoming rather overgrown and there was little evidence of the presence of the Grizzled Skipper's food plant (Wild Strawberry). A disused quarry nearby at Marford was also checked. Here there was abundant food plant but again no Grizzled Skippers could be found.

DRAGONFLY: Banded Demoiselles, Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

2010-06-02T21:08:00.017+01:00

June 2, 2010:
In the present hot sunny weather, Banded Demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens) are flying on certain parts of the Reserve and especially in those reed beds not too far from the river. Many of them, whether males or females, are in beautiful condition.

[Male]

[Male]

[Female]

[Female]

The males maintain fairly localised territories, although in some cases two will occur surprisingly together.

[Two males in a stand-off?]

They are usually quite active, especially when disturbed, but will soon return with fluttering flight to perch on a leaf or dead Phragmites seed-head.

[Female, showing the metallic green tinge]

[Another female with full colouration still developing]

DRAGONFLY: Four-spotted Chaser at Foulshaw, Cumbria

2010-05-24T14:09:00.018+01:00

May 23, 2010:
The period of good weather which benefited the butterflies also brought out the dragonflies. At Foulshaw on the main pool, dozens of Four-spotted Chasers were flying but were reluctant to settle or perch. Further on by the path near the platform there are some large stagnant puddles. Again the Chasers were frequent here, the males often conveniently settled on the surrounding vegetation and claiming territory and driving off intruders. At one large puddle a female repeatedly dipped down, its abdomen touching the water surface as it its layed eggs into the shallows.

Four-spotted Chaser

Also present here was the Azure Damselfly with its bright electric blue body. These were present in hundreds.

Azure Damselfly

The Large Red Damselfly was less frequent. It can easily be distinguished from its relative the Small Red by its black legs.

Large Red Damselfly

BUTTERFLY: Spring butterflies in the Lancashire/Cumbria border area

2010-05-24T10:22:00.025+01:00

May 20-23, 2010:
The extremely hot sunny weather over these few days provided an opportunity to see some of the interesting butterflies which fly at this time of year. Whitbarrow (south Cumbria) and Gaitbarrows NNR (north Lancashire) are both excellent sites for butterflies as well as much else. At each, there are good colonies of the nationally-scarce Duke of Burgundy Fritillary whose habitat is woodland glades and open scrub with an abundance of its larval food plant, Cowslip (Primula veris). A rather small neatly-marked butterfly, it flies from mid-May into June.

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary

Also at these sites, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary can be found, another species under threat which has seriously declined in recent years. Again, woodland glades are favoured where there are violets (Viola spp.), its food plant. This butterfly is in flight a few weeks earlier than the commoner, less threatened, but closely-related Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Pearl-bordered Fritillary: (the characteristic spotting on the underside of the wing distinguishes it from its relative, the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary).

At Gaitbarrows on the barer, stony areas, the Dingy Skipper was active and very restless but rarely perched for long and so made photography difficult. Its food plant, Bird's foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) didn't appear to hold its interest on this occasion.

Dingy Skipper

At Foulshaw (south Cumbria), Orange Tips and Speckled Woods were flying but a small colony of Green Hairstreaks which favoured a small patch of Garlick Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) was of particular interest. This is the only British butterfly with green-pigmented scales. Often found in scrub, it has a wide range of food plants.

Green Hairstreak

Nearby, a brightly coloured, newly emerged Small Copper was flying. Species of Rumex (Sorrel) are its foodplant.

Small Copper

DRAGONFLY: Trithemis annulata (Violet Dropwing) at Asprokremnos, Cyprus

2010-05-19T13:30:00.009+01:00

May 6, 2010:
In early evening after a very hot day Violet Dropwings began to emerge in large numbers from vegetation at the margins of the pool and perched conveniently for a while giving good views. This is a dragonfly of North African origin which is now quite widespread in the Mediterranean region. The male's abdomen possesses a beautiful violet-mauve overtone (basically red with a pruinose blue overlay) whilst the female's is brownish.

Male

Female

BUTTERFLY: Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), Nata, Cyprus

2010-05-17T20:37:00.008+01:00

May 6, 2010:
The water-splash at Nata is a well-known spot for migrant birds which come down to drink there. On this occasion there was no bird of note but several butterflies were seen along the track-side including Swallowtails, Clouded Yellows and this single Lulworth Skipper perching in typical Skipper fashion with its wings partly open.

In Britain, the Lulworth Skipper only occurs in south Dorset at more or less the northern limit of its European range. Further south it is much more common and it extends southwards through the Mediterranean into north Africa. The larvae feed on various species of grass.

(Above) a rather faded Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) photographed at Asprokremnos on the same day.

BUTTERFLY: Hermit (Chazara briseis), Avagas, Cyprus

2010-05-17T09:37:00.007+01:00

May 7, 2010;
The Hermit ranges from southern Europe to north Africa. In the northern part of its range it is apparently becoming scarce but is widespread and common in the south. It is a rather large butterfly having a wingspan of up to 60mm. When at rest it behaves in a similar manner to the Grayling (Hipparchia semele) angling its wings in line with the sun so that very little shadow is cast and heat on the wings is minimised. It is found in hot, dry stony habitats with sparse vegetation where its colouration makes it difficult to separate it from the background. Its foodplant comprises several species of grass including Bromus, Festuca and Sesleria.

Photographed here perched on a gravelly track in the Akamas, western Cyprus, it was difficult to pick out against the background.

CATERPILLAR/BUTTERFLY: Eastern Festoon (Zerynthia cerisy), Kidasi, Cyprus

2010-05-13T21:59:00.013+01:00

May 5, 2010:
In Europe, the Eastern Festoon butterfly occurs only from the Balkans to the eastern Mediterranean. In Cyprus its larva has made an interesting choice for its food-plant: the low-climbing herb Aristolochia sempervirens (a species of birthwort).

Whilst relatively widespread, A. sempervirens is not common everywhere on the island. At this date and relatively low altitude the butterfly appeared to have finished flying but its brightly-coloured caterpillar could be found on Aristolochia plants growing by the roadside near Kidasi in the Diarizos valley.

The Aristolochia food-plant with its unusual and highly-specialised, funnel-shaped flowers (above) and the butterfly (below).

Thanks to Yiannis Christophides for providing the photo of the butterfly (its flying period being over at the time of the visit)

PLANT: Cotoneaster induratus, new to Lancashire as a naturally-sown plant

2010-04-22T22:39:00.018+01:00

October 17, 2009:
Although in this country Cotoneasters are usually grown as garden plants or for amenity decoration they also often spread into the natural environment when bird sown. This is a result of birds eating the ripe berries, the seed of which passes through them undigested and is later spread into a new habitat via their droppings.

A single magnificent shrub of Cotoneaster induratus was discovered and photographed (above and below) in a semi-natural habitat in a disused limestone quarry near Carnforth. It was laden with bright red berries and was a most attractive sight. Initially there was uncertainty as to its identity until it was confirmed as this species by Mrs Jeanette Fryer. Unfortunately, the quarry is now scheduled for housing development and even though this is the only naturally-grown representative of the species in the county, it is quite likely to be lost soon.

In this species the orbicular bright red fruits are slightly hairy whilst the new leaves and stems are much more so.

Other species of Cotoneaster present at the locality include C. dielsianus, C. horizontalis, C, rehderi and C. simonsii.

LICHEN: Peltigera leucophlebia near Haverthwaite, Cumbria

2010-04-14T21:57:00.015+01:00

April 13, 2010:
This is a relatively large and quite striking lichen whose thallus is bright green when wet but becomes duller and browner if dried out.

In Britain it is quite local, often found in upland areas usually overgrowing bryophytes on base-rich substrates. However, photographed here it was in old coppiced woodland close to sea-level on small moss-covered limestone boulders.

Cephalodia (large dark spots) can be seen on the surface of the thallus. These contain a cyanobacterium capable of nitrogen fixation but the presence of any fertile apothecia is rare. Other characteristics are the curly (crisped) margins of the lobes of the thallus which has a white underside with black hairy rhizines.

Tightly crisped lobes are well in evidence

The black rhizines show up well against the white underside of the thallus.

I'm grateful to Jeremy Roberts and David Clarke for details of this locality.

LICHEN: Lobaria virens in Cumbria

2010-04-11T09:30:00.009+01:00

April 7, 2008:
A visit to see this interesting lichen. Lobaria virens is an epiphyte which attaches itself to tree bark and whose presence is a classic indicator of ancient woodland. In the British Isles it has a westerly, oceanic distribution and is nowadays mainly found in south-west England, Cumbria, western Scotland, and Ireland. Everywhere however it is scarce or very scarce and is particularly susceptible to atmospheric pollution, especially sulphur dioxide.

It is found on the more acidic-barked trees such as oak and ash. When growing on trees which have become isolated due to woodland felling it may dry out and die off. Lobaria virens also occurs in Scandinavia and in western and southern Europe.

Below, the fruiting bodies (apothecia) can be seen as prominent, slightly concave brown discs.

Below, the small volcano-like protuberances are incipient apothecia which will develop similar to those shown above.

A Cumbrian oak with a large thallus of Lobaria virens. Towards the bottom left of the trunk the related Lobaria pulmonaria can just be seen.

I'm grateful to Mike Porter whose eagle-eye and persistence located the tree and both to him and to Jeremy Roberts for discussions about Lobaria virens.

DRAGONFLY: Some common dragonflies in north-west England

2010-03-29T20:23:00.026+01:00

Summer 2008/9:
In north-west England, small lakes and pools in sheltered areas such as those at Leighton Moss, Hawes Water, Foulshaw Moss and Roudsea can be rich in dragonflies during the summer months. Very difficult to photograph in flight, they are much easier at rest if carefully approached. A few commoner ones are shown here.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum): Very frequent as its English name implies. It often perches on vegetation, also sometimes on the ground or board walks (as the male below). A mid-late summer flier, often seen until until November.
Photos (below): Haweswater (male red), Roudsea (female, brown)

Black Darter (Sympetrum danae): A frequent percher on vegetation and man-made structures such as gates, fence posts, etc. Flies July-September.
Photos (below): Foulshaw Moss, male (black) and female.

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum): A prominent percher, often frequenting overgrown watery areas in woodland. Flies June-September.
Photo (below): Foulshaw Moss, male

Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa): Perches with partly open wings, often by shallow ponds. A rather weak flier, seen from July to September.
Photo (below): Foulshaw Moss, male.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula): Locally common. Emerges in early Spring and flies until midsummer.
Photo (below): Roudsea, probable female.

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea): A large, often solitary dragonfly which is seen locally in late summer. It will often approach humans and hover whilst 'inspecting' them.
Photo (below): Leighton Moss, male.

PLANT: A rare endemic wormwood: Artemisia granatensis in Spain

2010-03-29T18:04:00.012+01:00

July 1, 1995:
Nowadays, this extremely rare endemic is only occasionally found on the upper peaks of the Sierra Nevada, southern Spain, at altitudes of 3200 metres upwards. Its typical habitat is the stony or gravelly schistose slopes and consolidated scree found there. Commonly known as "manzanilla de la sierra", at one time it was frequent down to 2500 metres but has since been grossly over-collected on a commercial basis. This was by the 'manzanilleros' for its value as a medicinal herb and as an ingredient for the sherry-like aperitif, manzanilla, but the plant can still occasionally be found. In the past, miraculous cures were attributed to it although its main medicinal property was its use in alleviating digestive problems. As it became over-collected and scarce the price rose so that it was often unscrupuously adulterated with wild thyme and other aromatic plants collected from the upper regions of the mountain.

A. granatensis is a small plant with crowded, deeply divided, basal leaves and more entire upper leaves. The inflorescence, which can be up to 10cm tall, bears up to three capitula in a rather crowded, short raceme. The whole plant is covered with a dense, setaceous indumentum which gives it a distinctive silvery-grey, silky appearance. When bruised, the leaves give off a strong but very pleasant aromatic odour.

Artemisia granatensis can still be found on the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada, such as Mulhacen, Puntal de Siete Lagunas, La Alcazaba and, where photographed in early July, on the upper slopes of the Veleta at 3250 metres. It has also been recorded in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada on Buitre and Borrachera in Almeria province.

Above, the barren upper slopes (left centre) below the Veleta summit where A. granatensis was seen and photgraphed.

PLANT: An endemic Butterwort (Pinguicula nevadensis) in the Spanish Sierra Nevada

2010-03-29T16:42:00.013+01:00

July 8, 1998:
Endemic to the upper regions of Sierra Nevada and the Sierra de Alfacar in southern Spain, Pinguicula nevadensis occurs in small groups on gently sloping damp turf and flushes from 2400 metres upwards with a limit at about the 3000 metre contour. It is often found near the margins of some of the higher ex-glacial tarns as well as in the ‘borreguiles’. These are fragile, boggy seepages or rivulets and show up as bright green patches against the drab stony terrain; they tend to develop as the ground thaws out at the beginning of summer.

P. nevadensis is a small plant with a few waxy-green, glandular-surfaced leaves. Like other European members of the genus it is carnivorous and gains nutrients by absorption of organic material from any small flies and insects trapped on its sticky leaf surfaces. There are usually 1-3 flowering stems, the flowers borne singly on erect pedicels. Flowering is from early July to August depending on the season. It was first discovered by Edmund Boissier when travelling to the upper regions of the Sierra Nevada in 1837.

Below: The Laguna d’Aguas Verdes, Sierra Nevada, a high alpine tarn at c.3000 metres whose margins provide a habitat for the plant.

PLANT: The orchid hybrid between ‘man’ and ‘monkey’ (Orchis anthropophora × Orchis simia) in Kent

2010-03-29T12:51:00.008+01:00

May 20, 1989:
This most attractive but extremely rare hybrid orchid, a cross between the Man and the Monkey orchid, was recorded in Kent at a locality near Ospringe on several occasions in the late 1980s; at that time it was known as ‘Orchiaceras’ × bergonii. It occurred in species-rich chalk grassland together with both parents, although O. simia (Monkey orchid) itself was usually a very scarce plant everywhere. There was a suspicion at the time that the parents might have been given a little help via hand-pollination. This hybrid is also known to occur elsewhere in Europe.

When seen and photographed (above) in mid-May 1989, there were two plants of the hybrid along with more than 50 plants of Orchis simia (below) and one of O. anthropophora.

MAMMAL: Arctic Fox in Spitsbergen

2010-03-28T21:05:00.014+01:00

July 14, 2008:
The Arctic or Polar fox (Vulpes lagopus) has a circumpolar distribution and lives in some of the coldest conditions in the world. In winter its thick, highly insulating fur is pure white but in summer, as shown here, it turns brown. It has furry pads on its paws which help to insulate its feet and give it traction when on the ice. Its sense of hearing is acute enabling it to detect prey even when under the snow. A mature animal can weigh up to 5 kilograms. Arctic Foxes occur in two colour phases, white and blue. The white phase is uniformly white in winter but becomes grey-brown on its back and thighs and cream on its belly and sides in summer. The blue form remains dark charcoal all year round. Where available, lemmings are the favourite diet but bird’s eggs when in season, fish, and carrion are also eaten.

The fox shown here on Spitsbergen was a white phase and was in the remote valley of Bjorndalen. Although in its darker summer fur, some white remains on its breast and ear tips. On these islands there are no lemmings and virtually no other small rodents, so in summer the foxes prey on seal pups, seabirds, Rock Ptarmigan and eggs. The bird cliffs here with their huge populations of nesting birds are a favourite haunt for foxes. In winter, apart from the Ptarmigan, they rely on food cached during the summer such as seal and reindeer carcasses as well as other carrion.

On Spitsbergen, the fox has no natural enemies or competitors. just a few resident trappers who are allowed to take animals under strict license during a limited winter season. This practice is traditional having taken place for hundreds of years. One estimate suggests that there is a density of approximately one fox for every 10x 10 km in Spitsbergen.

Below, Bjorndalen where this fox was photographed. Even at the height of summer, as here, it is a hostile environment for almost any form of wildlife.

PLANT: A rare hybrid sedge in north Lancashire

2010-03-28T13:13:00.013+01:00

July 3, 2008:
In June, a sharp-eyed botanist found a sedge (Carex sp.) of unusual appearance which he thought might be the hybrid Carex pseudocyperus × C. rostrata (C. ×justi-schmidtii nom. nud.) at a wetland site in north Lancashire. Having just completed an account of British hybrid Carex for ‘Sedges of the British Isles’, Mike Porter and I decided to take a look.

There were two plants growing close together in fen vegetation on the drier, inner side of a dense belt of Phragmites surrounding a small sheet of water. Carex pseudocyperus, a potential parent and a fairly distinctive species, grew close by but C. rostrata, locally common in the area, wasn’t seen.

The two plants, which we now confirmed as the hybrid C. ×justi-schmidtii, were superficially closest to C. pseudocyperus but could be distinguished from both parents in having stomata (small white pores) present on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves. They also possessed longer, narrower, usually less dense and somewhat more erect, female spikes compared to C. pseudocyperus.

This hybrid is very rare in the British Isles and had been previously recorded only from one site in Norfolk and from two in Ireland.

The hybrid (both photos above)

Carex pseudocyperus (both photos above)

PLANT: Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid): variable flower colour at a Lancashire site

2010-03-27T21:47:00.014Z

May 1, 2007:
Anacamptis (or Orchis if preferred) morio is commonly known as the Green-winged Orchid. It is a plant of unimproved, species-rich, grazed calcareous grassland and flowers in early May. It is a scarce plant in north-west England much of its habitat having been gradually destroyed through modern agricultural practices. However, some sites are specially reserved for it and for other similarly-scarce plants. This site is one of them and is of interest in that the orchid is often present here in a range of colour forms. In a good year, several hundred plants may be found in flower.

PLANT: Helichrysum taenari, a very rare narrow endemic from southern Greece

2010-03-25T21:22:00.020Z

May 15, 2002:
In 1944, during the Second World War when the German army occupied Greece, one of its personnel, the botanist Werner Rothmaler, explored the extreme southern tip of the Mani peninsula searching for plants. This southern tip is known as Cape Taenari and is the central of the three south-pointing peninsulas which gives the map of southern Greece its characteristic outline.

In a remote ravine near the deserted village of Korogonianika, Rothmaler discovered a white-flowered member of the daisy family (Asteraceae) growing in the crevices of a steep limestone cliff and which he identified as being a new species of Helichrysum (a type of Everlasting Flower). This was a chasmophyte, a plant restricted to a cliff-face habitat, and he named it Helichrysum taenari after the area. The type specimen which Rothmaler collected was lost when the Berlin herbarium was bomb-damaged shortly afterwards and he probably wrote his original description of the plant from memory. It was subsequently thought to be extinct until re-found by Arne Strid’s party in 1984 at what appeared to be Rothmaler's original locality. Unfortunately, shortly afterwards in the 1990s, the ravine was engulfed by fire and it was feared that the plant was lost.

In 2002 we paid a visit to the area to try re-find the Helichrysum. The vegetation in the ravine had quickly recovered and was now a dense mass of spiny shrubs which reached head height and above. This dense growth in the ravine bed was penetrated with great difficulty (and painfully) but eventually a small clump of what appeared to be Rothmaler’s white-flowered plant was spotted through binoculars, high on the cliff-face.

A closer approach was out of the question but following a hazardous extrication from the ravine, access seemed feasible from above and this was eventually achieved by a long circuitous route.

From the top of the cliff, several flowering plants could be seen at various points on the face below and after a careful descent some were photographed. Later, a single seedling was found growing in a crevice of a disused vine terrace nearby.

It was very encouraging to establish that despite the fire this extremely rare plant still survived at its original locality. Although a second site for it had been found by a separate group of botanists at Vathia, another deserted village nearby, these were the only two known localities. In the 17th and 18th centuries the whole Mani peninsula was a lawless no-go area. Today it is peaceful but largely uninhabited so that the plant should have every chance of survival.

The distinctive square-towered houses of the southern Mani at the deserted village of Vathia. This is within the limited area where Helichrysum taenari occurs.

PLANT: Two similar-looking Fumitories (Fumaria capreolata and F. purpurea)

2010-03-24T14:42:00.019Z

July 1 & 4, 2009:
Fumaria capreolata and F. purpurea appear very similar and are easily confused. They have almost the same habit and have flowers of similar shape and colour. They are the only two British species in which the flowers become sharply inclined downwards as they mature. F. purpurea is known from only limited areas of the country and is classified as a Red Data Book plant so, being rare, its correct identification is important. F. capreolata is more widespread and is often found in areas close to the coast. Both are most attractive plants despite occurring as weeds in ruderal or arable habitats.

Fumaria capreolata (above)

Fumaria purpurea (above)

The main distinguishing characters are relatively slight. Although the flowers of both species turn pink on maturity, those of F. capreolata are almost pure white initially whereas those of F. purpurea bear a distinct pinkish flush. When the corollas are viewed laterally (see below) the upper central keel is often still visible in F. capreolata but not so in F. purpurea. Also, the inflorescence of F. capreolata is usually more sparsely-flowered. As with many difficult species they can sometimes best be separated by their almost undefinable ‘jizz’.

Flowers of F. capreolata (top) and F. purpurea (bottom)

The plants were examined and photographed near Lancaster (F. purpurea) and Scarborough (F. capreolata) in 2009.

MAMMAL: Stoat (Mustela erminea) near Bashall Eaves, Lancashire

2010-03-24T13:33:00.007Z

June 21, 2009:
Only a brief view and a few photos were possible when this Stoat emerged briefly from a ditch alongside a quiet country lane.

PLANT: A scarce marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides) new to Cumbria

2010-03-24T11:46:00.014Z

June 14, 2009:
A most experienced botanist and friend, Jeremy Roberts, contacted me to say that he had found some interesting marsh orchids which he thought to be a first record for that particular species in Cumbria, and suggested that we should go and take a look at them together. There were eight plants in flower close to a stream on small grazed ledges on a fairly steep slope in upland limestone pasture. The plants were grouped 4, 3 and 1 and the groups were within 2 to 3 metres of each other and all were at peak-flowering. Close associates included Schoenus nigricans, Carex ornithopoda, C. capillaris, Primula farinosa, etc. Whilst at the date of the visit the ground was dry, run-off from the slopes above, no doubt provided fairly continuous flushing of the habitat.

All eight plants were small, rather delicate and usually possessed two narrow, recurved (often folded) sheathing leaves with a small cauline leaf above; most leaves were unspotted, some just slightly so. In all cases the inflorescences were few-flowered, lax, and one-sided, the individual flowers were reddish-purple, relatively large and with broad labella. These latter were trilobed to differing degrees, usually with the central lobe the longest and were rather obscurely marked with dashes and dots, etc. The bracts were strongly anthocyanin-stained as was the upper stem below the inflorescence. All the above characters relate to Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides and their identification as such was confirmed.