Another interesting visit to Brede High Wood this afternoon highlights included ovipositing Large Red Damselflies in the woodland Stream near Holman’s Meadow and Dingy Skipper in the meadow. Two species of bumblebee attracted attention, Bombus hypnorum which was first found in the UK nine years ago, the second Bombus vestalis which is a cuckoo bumblebee that takes over the nests of Bombus terrestris. All are pictured below.
Bombus hypnorum
The pratincole at RSPB Dungeness has been confirmed as an Oriental. The reserve is open until dusk tonight. Please can visitors park in the main car park and not on the access track. Many thanks.
A pratincole (probably Oriental) has been present over the Hooker’s pits/Denge Marsh area since late morning. Best viewed from the Hooker’s pits viewpoint of Denge Marsh hide.
At the end of summer last year, one of village residents brought me a bag of sweet pea foliage on which were several tiny caterpilars from her garden. I kept them in a plastic dish with a bit of netting over the top, changing their sweet pea food every day. When they were almost fully grown (below), I released most of them, but kept two, providing them with a bit of moist compost to pupate, which they subsequently did in mid October. This morning I was delighted to find that one of them has emerged (bottom). It is a Cabbage Moth, a common and variable species which as the name suggests often feeds on cabbage and related plants, where it can be something of a pest!
Cabbage Moth caterpillar
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