Ranscombe Farm with the Field Club

Myathropa florea, Eristalis tenax, Eristalis pertinax, Eristalis arbustorum, Sphaerophoria scripta, Episyrphus balteatus, Melanostoma scalare, Volucella inanis,

Interesting solitary wasps

Both Acerias on Acer

Corncockle, Nettle-leaved Bellflower, Fluellens, Ground Pine, Blue Pimpernel, Stinking Iris,

Greensand Way path down from West Peckham

Episyrphus balteatus, Myathropa florea, Melanostoma scalare, Epistrophe grossulariae, Syrphus vitripennis/rectus, Eristalis pertinax, Dasysyrphus albostriatus, Eristalis arbustorum, Meliscaeva auricollis, Sphaerophoria, Cheilosia illustrata, Chelosia sp., Common Red Soldier Beetle,

Hedge Woundwort, Black Horehound, Fireweed, Hogweed, Dandelion, Nettle, Ivy, Sycamore seedlings, Enchanters Nightshade, Alkanet, Lettuce, Coltsfoot, Nipplewort, Roberts Weed, Selfheal, Geum urbanum,

Green Woodpecker heard. Kestrel overflying Matthews Lane on way back. 

Haysden Country Park

A bright male Eristalis arbustorum photographed well with most characters seen: whitish face, bright abdominal pattern, yellow on T2 continuous with T3, pale base to hind tibia, swollen hind metatarsus, dark tip to mid tibia, dark tips to mid and front tarsi, a hint of long hairs on arista in one photo.

This picture concentrates on the swollen hind metatarsus.

Also seen were Eristalis pertinax I think, and Eristalis tenax definitely. 

To the Pheasantry and back.

Eristalis arbustorum and Eristalis pertinax, bug, Carder bee, white/buff tailed bee, honey bee, Volucella pellucens,  Episyrphus balteatus, Small White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Pararge aegeria, Holly Blue, Common Carpet, seven spot ladybird, spider.


Spearmint, meadow vetchling, vetches, water mint, water parsnip, common centaury, ragwort, yellow loosestrife, woody nightshade, yarrow, common knapweed, black horehound,                  

Back to Dene Park

I found a nice moth on the grassy meadow which I think must be a species of Epirrhoe, perhaps the Common Carpet, Epirrhoe alternata.

Interesting to see the greyish tuft of hairs on the side of the thorax of this female Episyrphus balteatus. She seems to have a swollen abdomen (full of eggs?) and to be taking pollen directly from the anther. Note also the small facial bump, the whitish frons with the small dark Y above the antennae and the longitudinal stripes on the top of the thorax.

I photographed two Eristalis and both of those turned out to be male Eristalis pertinax.