Saturday 24th June 2023

Species: Common Blue (4) Ringlet (1) Comma (8) Silver-washed Fritillary (1) Meadow Brown (7) Small Skipper (6) Marbled White (9)

Black-tailed Skimmer - Tucking Mill Viaduct 24-06-2023

A late afternoon visit on a warm (26c) but cloudy day led to few butterflies being about, but some interesting sightings nonetheless. A Black-tailed Skimmer was basking on the path that traverses the Viaduct. Not a species I have seen before in this location. 

Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - Tucking Mill 24-06-2023

Also near the path was another Odonata species, this time a Damselfly. A Beautiful Demoiselle flew past and perched on a tree.

Comma - Horsecombe Vale 24-06-2023

In Horsecombe Vale I had just a brief glimpse of a Silver-washed Fritillary but there were a number of Comma butterflies still flying.

Variimorda villosa 'Tumbling flower beetle' - Horsecombe Vale  24-06-2023

It was in the valley I saw an unusual looking beetle feeding of a Bramble blossom. After some online research I have tentatively recorded this as Variimorda villosa, a 'Tumbling flower beetle'. 

Bloody-nosed Beetle - Tucking Mill 24-06-2023

My next notable sighting was a Bloody-nosed Beetle. Intriguingly, this was spotted in an identical location to my last sighting of this species on 22nd May 2022. On both occasions the beetles were scurrying across the narrow, earthy track that leads up to the top on the Combe Down Tunnel. This was the third time I have seen this species in the Tucking Mill area.

Small Skipper - Tucking Mill 24-06-2023

The grassy fields that adjoin the cycle path were busy with Common Blue, Marbled White and Meadow Brown butterflies. Also, making their first appearance this year, a total of six Small Skipper butterflies were fliting around. Some of these were feeding from the muddy edges of the small stream that crosses the footpath.


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