Butterflies and Ladybirds

For the first time this year, on the 15th June, I recorded butterflies on all ten sections of my butterfly transect.  This runs from Crosstown in Morwenstow down into the Tidna Valley to the Altantic then climbs the cliff before returning along a Cornish hedge to the start.

Last year it was 23rd June when I recorded butterflies on all sections. 

Despite seeing butterflies in each sector, the abundance was low with only 25 specimens but a good range of species; ten in all.  In 2020 I recorded 64 specimens again of 10 species.

Large Skipper and Meadown Brown made their first appearance this year but it was the guest appearance of the second brood of Speckled Woods in the wooded sections that made a 100% record possible.

Large Skipper

Meadow Brown

Speckled Wood

In contrast, there were over 100 newly emerged 7-spot Ladybirds.  All along the open section in the Tidna Valley, were some quite yellow ladybirds.  There were one or two larvae and pupae, but it appeared that there had been a mass emergence and they had not quite managed to achieve their normal red colour.

Newly-emerged 7-spot Ladybird

Blogs I follow

https://downgatebatman.blogspot.com/

https://maryatkinsonwildonline.blogspot.com/

In like a Lion, out like a Lamb

In March, the surveying season starts. And when it starts, it starts with a bang.

After weeks of inaction due to Covid restrictions, the second week of March has been filled with the resumption of surveys of all types.

First off was Sunday morning, 14th March, surveying Maer Lake for the BTO’s Wetland Birds Survey. There were a limited number of bird species, although there was an unprecedented mixed flock of over 300 gulls, as most of the winter waders had left although a pair of Shelduck remained giving hopes of another breeding year. Black-tailed Godwits were also noted; they seem to be residents now.

This was quickly followed the next day by a visit to Tamar Lakes, again WeBS at Lower and Upper Lakes. This was similar to Maer with few winter visitors although the annual Goosander visitation had not come to an end with four remaining on the Lower and two on the Upper Lake.

Mixed flock of Gulls at Maer Lake

The temperature was around 13℃ so high enough to commence the Bee walk in Coombe woods. Although not many were seen, we did find that where Willows were in flower, they had attracted quite a few Buff-tailed Bumblebee queens high up in the canopy.

Thursday 18th was the day we planned the quarterly bird transect around Bude Marshes. Normally this is a group effort, but to conform with Covid regulations, Duncan and I have been the only two participants for a year now. Numbers of species are definitely down; from 31 last March to only 24 this year although it did include Shelduck, Curlew and two Cattle Egret.

Cattle Egret - Bude Marshes

During the month, the invertebrates had begun to appear from their winter absence. Gorse Shieldbugs, 7-spot Ladybirds and Buff-tailed Bumble bees were appearing at the beginning of the month in that short warm spell.

We had the very cold and windy middle of the month, typical of March until the last week when we had the mini heatwave. Butterflies - Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone, and those harbingers of spring, Skylarks and House Martins.

During this cold spell, I completed my three Riverfly surveys adding another beetle to my growing species list - Oreodytes sanmarkii, a tiny 2-3mm water beetle that zooms about in the water column of stony streams.

2-3mm Water Beetle - Oreodytes sanmarkii

The 30th was a very warm day, hitting 18℃ when I recommenced my Butterfly Transect along the Tidna. Although there were only four butterflies of three species - Speckled Wood, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell, other invertebrates were recorded. Common Carder and Red-tailed joined the Buff-tailed Bumblebees along with more Gorse Shieldbugs and 7-spot Ladybirds.

Of great interest were the Oil Beetles. I recorded both Violet Meloe violaceus and Black M. proscarabaeus in the Tidna Valley as well as the triungulins of the Violet species. These are bee parasites. The adults lay eggs in sandy soil near a bee nest . These in turn hatch into triungulins (so called because they have three claws on each leg)which emerge and crawl onto flower heads and lie in wait for a passing bee. They hitch a ride into the bee’s nest where they eat the bee’s eggs before changing into grubs where they remain until emerging as adults the following year. The cycle then repeats.

Clockwise - Violet Oil beetle, triungulins, Black Oil beetle

On the last day of the month another butterfly, a Red Admiral was recorded along with the first Green Shieldbug of the year.

To top it all off, life has continued to develop in my Lockdown Pond. I built it during Lockdown1 from 8th April and filled it with water on the 16th. At the begining of March, I found a Palmate Newt under a log and transfered her into the pond where she vanished into the bottom mud.

Palmate Newt

 In the last few days of the month I have seen, a Backswimmer (Notonecta), Pond skaters (Gerridae), a Whirligig beetle (Gyrinus) and three Dragonfly nymphs. As I noted ovipositing Broad-Bodied Chasers last May, these would appear to be its progeny.

Broad-bodied Chaser nymph

Those last few days of March were gentle, warm and windless - almost as gentle as the large numbers of new-born lambs in the fields.

Blogs I follow

https://downgatebatman.blogspot.com/

https://maryatkinsonwildonline.blogspot.com/

Spring has sprung.

February thought it was March - we had a very cold snap when temperatures hovered around freezing here in North Cornwall.  Then there was a very cold easterly wind when eventually backed southerly and became warm, but just as strong, eye-wateringly strong.

My pond was frozen for almost a week but Water Boatman and Diving beetles survived the ice and could be seen foraging in the warm weather.

Then, Spring arrived.  In the last few days of February temperatures rose to double figures.

Wild and garden daffodils began to flower.  A large queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee disappeared into one of their trumpets.  Honey bees massed on my neighbours flowering Heather.

The first invertebrates had awakened from their winter sleep.

Gorse Shieldbug

After a couple of months of checking on local Gorse bushes, we saw our first Gorse Shieldbug on the 25th and every day since.  7-spot Ladybirds are about too whilst overhead, a Buzzard mewled and a Great-spotted Woodpecker drummed in a nearby copse.

7-spot Ladybird

Along the hedgerows, it seemed that every tall twig held, alternately, a Robin or a Dunnock each spaced about 100 metres apart and proclaiming his territory.

And on the 25th the first butterfly roused from hibernation; a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell on the 28th.

Spring has most definitely sprung.

Blogs I follow

https://downgatebatman.blogspot.com/

https://maryatkinsonwildonline.blogspot.com/

Signs of Spring?

Well officially, it has been the wettest January in 10 years.  I can confirm that from experience!  On the North Cornish coast, we rarely get snow and are too high above sea level to suffer from flooding.  But there certainly has been lots of rain.  Our streams are surging and high and the ditches are overflowing onto the roads.

When it is wet, we experience very low cloud which means we have to walk through a miasma of damp, drizzly all enveloping rain drops.

Despite all this, nature is beginning her regeneration.

New lambs

Mammals, such as deer and squirrels are becoming more obvious, out looking for mates and visible through the leafless branches.  We have new lambs gambolling in the fields. Birds too are becoming apparent with Nuthatch, Pheasant, Goldcrest appearing and a territorial Robin singing every 100 yards or so.

Invertebrates are beginning to appear too.  During late January I have recorded a Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar trying to get run over on the road; it was safely returned to the verge.  

Garden Tiger Moth caterpillar

One sunny day there was a Queen German Wasp investigating Ivy and I have rescued two other species from the cold wet weather.  

Queen German Wasp

Queen German Wasp

I found a Common Earwig on our coal bunker and a 7-spot Ladybird on the house wall.  Both are now ensconced on my pop-up butterfly cage which is now serving as a hibernaculum for them and an overwintering chrysalis that I hope will prove to be a Red Admiral when it emerges.

Common Earwig and 7-spot Ladybird

Flowers are also pushing out of the verges, with buds and flowers showing.  Honeysuckle is in bud and in the last days of January a number of plants were in flower; Dandelion, Lesser Celandine, Barren Strawberry, Primrose, Snowdrop, Dog’s Mercury, Alexanders and Daffodils almost ready to pop.

Snowdrops

Honeysuckle buds

Dog's Merucry

Alexanders

There are certainly signs of Spring in North Cornwall

Blogs I follow

https://downgatebatman.blogspot.com/

https://maryatkinsonwildonline.blogspot.com/