16th September 2019

1st FOUR-SPOTTED CHASER for Scilly

As I missed out blogging the whole month of August, I’ve decided to post the highlights from that month starting off with a Mega find by Viv Stratton with this female FOUR-SPOTTED CHASER at Porth Hellick, 2nd! The dragonfly showed well in front of the seaward hide during it’s three day stay. But I’ll start with the goins on in the last few days. Highlight being a Lesser Yellowlegs at Tresco Great Pool (10-15th) and today, last weeks TAWNY OWL at carn Friars was found in bad shape at the Porth Hellick Down pines nearby. It was taken into care where hopefully it will recover. Also today, there were Nightingale and Wryneck at Peninnis, the Red-backed Shrike was still at Carn Friars and on Bryher there was a Dotterel.

Nearly two months ago I found 2 Silver Y Moth caterpillar (top) feeding on one of my indoor plants in the bathroom. I left them both there and today on the curtain in the living room was one of the moths!

Yesterday 3 White and 7 Yellow Wagtail were at Porth Hellick. At the same time, a Cetti’s Warbler, that Ritchie Aston found in the morning. was singing on and off by the ringing station.

Yesterday I had a Pied Flycatcher in the garden with two more birds nearby on the Dead Pine Walk where this individual was taken. I also had a single Redstart and Whinchat at the Standing Stones Field

Two days ago I had 3 Spotted Flycatcher at Higher moors

These Willow Warbler were also at Higher Moors

Reed Warbler

Moorhen

There have been up to 11 Greenshank at Porth Hellick

This Painted Lady caterpillar was crossing the path at Porth Hellick and could prove to be the first confirmed breeding record of the species on St Mary’s, 14th

I’ve up to 10 Painted Lady in the garden

And also in the garden, very large numbers of Ivy Bee

This Probable female Phalangium opilic Harvestmen was in the garden also

So besides this chaser what else was observed during august

Ren found a Denticulate Leatherbug and with less than ten records for Scilly, a few of us were keen to see it.

This striking Nephritoma flavipalpis Cranefly that I found at Trenoweth on the 11th was only the third Scilly record. The same afternoon, we took the ducklings for a walk around Trenoweth and searched for insects in a hedgerow and were rewarded with a few new species. I also started looking at flies more carefully and got what I believe is a scarce species, Phaonia errans House Fly

This Crab Spider was taking on more than it could chew with this Phaonia errans House Fly

Sarcophaga sp Flesh Fly

Finale instar of the Hairy Sheildbug

Myathropa florea Hoverfly


Metellina sp Possibly segmentata 

Jo and I spent less than hour one night just outside my home near to the Dead Pine walk, Garrison.king for bugs meters from the digs area on the Garrison. As we’ve only been searching for bugs at night since June, most critters we find are new species to us and this included three species of Harvestmen, three species of caterpillar, although I’ve seen the moths we came across as they’re pretty common on Scilly.

This Female Dicranopalpus sp Harvestmen could prove to be a first for scily!

While this Male Leiobunum blackwalli Harvestmen are very common

As is this Paroiligolophus agrestis Harvestmen

Phytocoris varipes Capsid Bug


Gracillaria syringella Moth


Willow Beauty Moth


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