Tuesday 22nd August 2023

Butterfly Species: Brimstone (2) Brown Argus (5) Comma (3) Common Blue (6) Gatekeeper (5) Green-veined White (2) Meadow Brown (10) Red Admiral (5) Silver-washed Fritillary (7) Small Copper (2) Small Tortoiseshell (1) Small White (2) Speckled Wood (5)

Silver-washed Fritillary - Horsecombe Vale - 22-08-2023

The weather on the 22nd August was warm (20c) with broken cloud and sunshine. Silver-washed Fritillaries were still on the wing with a total of seven seen. These were in two distinctive locations, Horsecombe Vale and the start of the 'permissive' section of cycle-path near Midford. 

Small Tortoiseshell - Midford 22-08-2023

The Midford viaduct is a good place to pause and look for butterflies during the spring and summer months. It is open, sunny and has a variety of flowering plants growing along the verges. The walls both sides add to the 'sun trap' effect. 

Here I recorded a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly nectaring on the Valerian that grows here. Shockingly, this was one of just three I have recorded in the Tucking Mill valley during 2023. This once common butterfly appears to be slowly disappearing from the area.

Green-veined White - Midford 22-08-2023

Also on (or near) the Midford viaduct were a number of Red Admirals and a Green-veined White. 

Common Darter Dragonfly - Horsecombe Vale - 22-08-2023

As usual there were several Dragonflies buzzing about along the path in Horsecombe Vale. These appeared to be Common Darters.

Comma - Horsecombe Vale - 22-08-2023

Near the footpath, up towards the fields, a Comma was sunning itself. This was one of three I saw that afternoon.

Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) - Tucking Mill 22-08-2023

Tucking Mill and Horescombe Vale are a good spot to see hoverflies. Through most of the summer there are flowering plants alongside the cycleway and footpaths that seem to attract them. The first one I noticed was a brightly coloured  hoverfly feeding on a Knapweed flower. This hoverfly (Myathropa florea) is sometimes referred to as the Batman Hoverfly due to the markings on its thorax.

Hornet Mimic Hoverfly - Tucking Mill 22-08-2023

About three hundred metres away on the embankment, I saw another colourful Hoverfly. This was a Hornet Mimic (Volucella Zonaria).

Great Pied Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens) - Horsecombe Vale 22-08-2023

The third hoverfly I was able to identify that day was the Great Pied Hoverfly (Volucella pellucens). It was sitting on a nettle in Horscombe Vale. This is quite a large and distinctive insect and is quite common across the British Isles.

Small Copper - Tucking Mill 22-08-2023

There were a number of butterflies still flying in the fields. These included Small Copper, Brown Argus, Meadow Brown and Common Blue. 

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