Abington Naturewatch: August 2021

Monday 30 August 2021

Wasp Spider and Hummingbird Hawkmoth

24th August - Living nearby, Justine U regularly walks along Bourn Bridge Road noting what she sees in the Protected Verge. She took this lovely photograph of a dramatically-marked Wasp Spider on its web there this morning, and of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on buddleia.

Wasp Spider

Hummingbird Hawkmoth

Butterflies along the Roman Road

15th August - after the rather damp ANW trip along the Worsted Lodge end of the Roman Road, Andy and Polly M decided to visit again on a rather nicer day to see what butterflies were about when the sun was actually shining!

In the main, similar species were seen but in rather higher numbers, including several Painted Lady, Small Skipper and Essex Skipper, Small Copper, Small Heath, Gatekeeper and Common Blue, alongside the more familiar Small White, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone and Meadow Brown.

A couple of Painted Lady butterflies

Painted Lady

Small Copper - with its rather striking bright orange and black colouring

Green-veined White

Small White - with the darker yellow hind wing

Essex Skipper - with black-tipped antennae

Small Skipper - with orange tipped-antennae

A 'bonded pair' of mating Skippers

Small Tortoiseshell

Peacock

Common Blue

Small Heath - unusually resting with its wings open ...

but only briefly - exactly the same Small Heath, seconds later.

Small Heath

Brimstone - camouflaged as a leaf as it rests in the hedge

Southern Hawker dragonfly

11th August - Andy M has spotted a few dragonflies 'patrolling' over his garden recently, catching small flies. Somewhat difficult to identify on the wing, he was happy to find this one resting in a hawthorn tree, allowing him to identify it as an immature Southern Hawker dragonfly.

Hornet Hoverfly

10th August - there have been several sightings of Hornet Hoverfly recently. This harmless fly mimics the markings of a wasp or hornet in order to deter predators. Andy M saw this one in his garden, feeding on Marjoram flowers.

Sunday 15 August 2021

ANW Trip - Roman Road

7th August 2021

Despite the less-than-promising weather, four of us gathered at Worsted Lodge on to walk along the Roman Road looking for flowers and butterflies.

A good variety of flora were identified and, when the sun briefly came out - and with it the butterflies - seven species of butterfly were seen. [photos Andy M]

Brave souls - watching... waiting... for the sun and the butterflies!

Common Blue

Small Copper

Gatekeeper

Green-veined White

Skipper - likely a Small Skipper

Painted Lady

Cinnabar Moth caterpillar

Common Knapweed

Yarrow

Greater Knapweed

St John's Wort

Ragwort

Field Scabious

Agronomy

Wild Basil

Pignut

Common Knapweed

Wild Basil

Restharrow

Lesser Scabious

Lesser Trefoil

The Aims of Abington Naturewatch

At their meeting on 9 April 2005 the members approved this revised version of the aims of Abington Naturewatch:

To monitor and record the wildlife (fauna & flora) within the borders of the Abingtons;
To encourage protection of our wildlife, maintain its quality and foster its diversity;
To promote awareness of the richness, potential and problems of the natural environment of the Abingtons;
To cooperate in improving access to the local natural environment for the benefit of all Abington villagers.

Pat Daunt, Founder

The organisation is informal and communication is by email if possible; members are notified of events from time to time. Contact details are maintained by a small "project team". There is currently no membership fee as costs are covered by voluntary contributions at events.

Members are encouraged to report notable sightings of flora and fauna within the Abingtons to the appropriate sector coordinator and an illustrated record is published annually.

A map of the area covered, with some features noted, is available here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=213774935674882866424.00000111dca2be9f06ab8&z=13>

For more information or to join, please contact David Farrant on (01223) 892871.

Contributions to our records should be sent to sector contacts or either of the above. Photographs may also be submitted to Andy Merryweather (amerryweather61@gmail.com)