Ento Photo File

I took a group of Butterfly Conservation and National Trust members around the Obelisk Lodge meadow at Nostell Priory (NT), Wakefield today. In all we had twelve species of butterflies, three species of moths and six species of dragonflies. The highlight of the day was not one but two Hummingbird Hawkmoths nectering on bramble within a couple of feet of one another.

Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum (immature male).

Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) was a welcome visitor to my front garden this afternoon.

I went on the Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire 'awayday' to Township Plantation, Cumbria (SD451884) today. Five Branch members were lead around the area by Dave Wainwright, BC's North of England Regional Officer. The weather was overcast but at least it stayed dry.

Here's a couple of the Duke of Burgundy butterflies we managed to find, we saw four in all, and also one of the two Speckled Yellow moths that were present in the coppiced woodland on the site.

I went to the National Trust property, Nostell Priory, near Wakefield today. I managed to get my first damselfly of 2009...an immature Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum. There were also a few Large White and Green-veined White butterflies flying in the Spring sun.

I went to Prince of Wales Park, Eldwick again today in search of Green Hairstreaks and managed to find three along with three Speckled Wood and four Peacock butterflies.

In between a spot of DIY, I spotted this hoverfly holding territory against all comers in my small front garden. I have identified it, from other pics I took, as Eristalis pertinax. This common hoverfly is widely distributed and can be seen wherever there are suitable flowers.

Lots of Eriocrania subpurpurella flying low around the oaks in the park this morning. The larvae of these small micro moths mine oak leaves but the adults do not feed...their only purpose is to reproduce.

I can't believe it's April before my first post of the year...mainly due to the weather but other commitments have also prevented me getting out and about with the camera. Not much insect activity in the Prince of Wales Park in Eldwick as the cold weather earlier in the year has definitely held back the Bilberry but there was the odd bumblebee about along with a very flighty Comma, which I eventually managed to pin down after several attempts.