Changing Seasons

 Summer extended it's influence into early October as the first couple of weeks were mild with prolonged sunny spells. As the month progressed, Autumn took more of a hold and the weather became more changeable and blustery. Now we are into November, slightly cooler temperatures accompany the wind and rain and meteorological Winter officially starts in three weeks time. 

There were certainly a few butterflies still on the wing as October began but as the month continued, insects in general dwindled in number and my focus has turned to looking for fungi.

Small White (Pieris rapae) (mating)

Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes)

Sphaerophoria taeniata (Hoverfly sp.)

Glyphotaelius pellucidus (Caddisfly sp.)

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) (female)

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

False Death Cap (Amanita citrina)

Common Earthball (Scleroderma citrinum)

The following fungus has got me scratching my head. I think that it may be a member of the Cortinariaceae group. The images are of the same specimen taken eleven days apart.

Winter work has begun in the wood, starting with the burning of Rhododendron waste cut since last winter.

 

 

Late Summer along the Woodland Edge

 With the arrival of August and September, there is a hint in the weather that Autumn is not far away. In my local wealden woods, single brooded summer butterfly species have finished and have been replaced by those species that have two or three broods in a year.

However, nature provides an important nectar source for these late season insects. At this time of year a blueish haze borders many woodland rides as the flowers of Devil's-bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) burst into colour. 

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) 

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Comma (Polygonia c-album)

Peacock (Aglais io)

Green-veined White (Pieris napi)

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Small Heath (C.pamphilus) (ab. antiparvipuncta)

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) (female)

White Admiral (Limenitis camilla) 

In Britain, camilla is predominantly a single-brooded species, flying from late June to early August. In good years, a partial second brood can occur which has become more regular in recent years. I happened upon this second brood male on 15th September.

Volucella inanis (Hoverfly sp.) (male and female)

Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly) (female)

Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima) (female)

Southern Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema meridionale) (female)

Spiked Shieldbug (Picromerus bidens) (mating)

More from the Woodland Edge

Although the summer species of woodland butterflies are looking rather tired and past there best, there is still plenty of interest to be found along the woodland edge at this time of year.

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) (female)

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) (Immature male)

Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis) (male)

Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) (female)

Common Lizard (Lacerta vivipara)

Black-and-yellow Longhorn (Rutpela maculata)

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris) (mating)

Scaeva selenitica (Hoverfly sp.)

Cinnamon Bug (Corizus hyoscyami)

Southern Wood Ant (Formica rufa)

Carrying material to nest.

Violet Helleborine (Epipactis purpurata)

Autumn on Pevensey Levels

 Whilst the arrival of Autumn is signalled by a change in the weather and day length, I always feel that the season has changed on Pevensey Levels when the farmers have mown the meadows, cut back the trackside hedges & verges and the maize crop is being harvested.

The commonest dragonfly on the wing at the moment is the Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). I have seen numerous mating pairs in recent weeks and as I walk along the water ditch margins, the sound of dragonfly wings clattering on the reeds as females lay their eggs, is a familiar one.

Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) (female ovipositing on reed)

Migrant Hawker (A.mixta) (mating)

Wall (Lasiommata megera)

This species is having a substantial third brood on Pevensey Levels.

Female.

Male.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) (male)

This is a typical late season male with much reduced pale markings.

Roesel's Bush-cricket (Metrioptera roeselii) (female)

Dark Bush-cricket (Pholidoptera griseoaptera) (male)

Helophilus hybridus (male)

This widespread species of Hoverfly is very much at home along the edges of water ditches.