Early season in South Cumbria; dragonflies, butterflies, and other invertebrates

May-mid June, 2013:
Quite a wide range of invertebrates finally emerged once the cold spring weather had abated. Some of those which were photographed are shown below.

Duke of Burgundy Fritillary

Northern Brown Argus

Emperor, female ovipositing

Four-spotted Chaser, female ovipositing

Beautiful Demoiselle, female

Chrysotoxum bicinctum, a hoverfly

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea)

Cryptocephalus sericeus, beetles

Latterbarrow and Meathop Moss, Cumbria

July 3 & 5, 2012:
Almost continuous poor weather has meant that opportunities to see and photograph insects has been restricted to brief impromtu outings whenever a few hours of favourable conditions occurred. There have been just two of these this past week. At Latterbarrow on the 3rd, a few Northern Brown Argus were flying in areas where Rockrose was present, whilst a beautiful small day-flying Pyrausta moth (probably P. purpuralis) and in pristine condition, took up territory in one small area. There were also Silver Y and Six-spot Burnet moths and several Small Peacock butterflies and many nymphs of the Common Green Grasshopper.

Northern Brown Argus


Pyrausta cf purpuralis


At Meathop Moss two days later, the weather was hot and humid with briefs spells of sushine. At least 50 individuals of the Large Heath butterfly (ssp davus) were flying but were usually reluctant to settle.

Large Heath (subsp. davus)

Also two individuals of the nationally-scarce moth, the Mancheter treble-bar (Carsia sororiata) were seen as well an equally scarce Purple-bordered Gold (Idaea muricata). Other moths which were much more frequent included Clouded Buff (Diacrisia sannio), Common White Wave (Cabera pusaria) and Common Heath (Ematurga atomaria). Nymphs of the Bog bush-cricket were also in evidence until all activity was brought to a sudden halt for the day by a violent thunderstorm.

Manchester treble-bar

Purple-bordered Gold

Clouded Buff

Common White Wave

Common Heath

Bog bush-cricket nymph, female

[Thanks for your help with the moths Graham]