Sunday 7th May 2023

Species: Brimstone (4) Comma (2) Green Hairstreak (1) Green-veined White (1) Grizzled Skipper (2) Holly Blue (1) Large White (2) Orange Tip (5) Peacock (5) Red Admiral (1)

Common Lizard - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

The weather was fine for my visit to Tucking Mill on the 7th May. Finally, there was more sun than cloud and the temperature was up around 16c.

I first headed to the embankment where during the early spring several of us Sustrans Volunteers had raked the dead grass to give the smaller plants a chance to thrive. I first visited the old reptile mat where I was pleasantly surprised to see a Common Lizard sunning itself. This was my first clear view of this species in this location.

Slow Worms  - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

Beneath the mat were several Slow Worms, four in total as far as I could see.

Two-coloured Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

Apart from the reptiles the embankment was quiet with no butterflies showing. However, on my way back along the embankment I noticed a bee carrying a strand of grass. Following the bee for a minute or so I could see it was busy building a pile of dead grass. 

Two-coloured Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

This behaviour is typical of  the Two-coloured Mason Bee - Osmia bicolor. This species utilises vacant snail shells to lay their eggs and then set about camouflaging the shell with fragments of grass. 

Horsecombe Vale - 07-05-2023

I next headed up to Horsecombe Vale where there was a rich variety of flora including Peacock and Green-veined White.

Green-veined White - Horsecombe Vale 07-05-2023


Red Admiral - Horsecombe Vale 07-05-2023

As I turned back along the valley, I saw my first Red Admiral of the year perched on a nettle. Nearby a male Beautiful Demoiselle had settled on a Ramson flower.

Hairy Shieldbug - Horsecombe Vale 07-05-2023

Further back back along the path I noticed a Shield bug on a Garlic Mustard leaf. This was a Hairy Shieldbug (Dolycoris baccarum), a relatively common species. 

Red-headed Cardinal beetle - Horsecombe Vale 07-05-2023

As I walked up the slope at the end of the valley which leads over the top of the Combe Down Tunnel, a flying beetle dropped onto a leaf in front of me. Its striking red body and black legs, indicated it was a Red-headed cardinal beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis)

Dingy Skipper - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

Further up the slope where the path widens into a small area of grassland, a Dingy Skipper flew up off the track onto the surrounding vegetation.

Green Hairstreak - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

The fields were at last beginning to show the first signs of spring. There were more insects flying amongst the grasses and flora, and it wasn't long before I saw my first Green Hairstreak of the year. It was flying low over an area of Rock Rose covered anthills, a larval foodplant.

Ashy Mining Bee - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023

As I head away from the fields on my way home, a bee caught my attention. It's distinctive grey and black uniform told me it was an Ashy Mining Bee.

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