4th September

After confirmation by the local recorder the moth trapping the other night has added a further two species to the parish list, both micros...

Acleris laterana

and Acleris emargana

And this is a picture of the Twin-spotted Wainscot, another new parish species.

In the fen area of the Magic Garden I found more of the little micro moth Prochoreutis myllerana , today with at least 11 individuals present.

I assume this must be a second brood as I haven’t seen any for a few weeks. I have also tentatively identified the tiny orangey fly which is very common on the same patch of Skullcap.

I believe it’s a saw fly, Athalia scutellariae, and is specifically associated with Skullcap. This really highlights the complexity of ecological relationships, and the wider ramifications of losing any part of our biodiversity. Now I just need to identify the tiny hoverfly which also seems exclusively linked with the plant…

Talking of second broods these young Swallows have just fledged from a nest only a couple of feet from another in the doorway of the village hall.

Elsewhere Wheatears were seen in Ainderby and Morton and, a real sign of autumn coming, the first Meadow Pipits were back in the parish. On the bottom field pools there were six Snipe, a handful of Teal and another Greenshank. I managed a couple of shots but the geography of these pools does not make for good photography and I ended up lurking behind a straw bale with the camera on full zoom (in horrible light)…

Year list to end of August – 108 species.