Both transects were surprisingly quiet, but for this year's first small whites, red admiral and a small copper. There were butterflies and bumblebees about, but in very small numbers and entirely missing from some sections of the transect.
The years first reed warblers have now arrived, with one singing from the Bawsey Drain and another singing from the Reffley Reservoir. Another avian first for the year was a lone swallow that was seen flying over Reffley Wood. The first Helophilus pendulus hoverfly was noted on the edge of Spring Wood and the cock's-foot grass was beginning to flower alongside the cycle path that runs across part of the site. A number of 14-spot ladybirds were seen adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital and two 2-spot ladybirds were found on Osier Marsh.
But the stars of the day were the new species that I have added to the patch list, with red-breasted carrion beetle, red-and black froghopper, ramsons, spotted medick, drinker moth, and sheep's sorrel. This now brings the Patch List up to 432 species.
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| Drinker moth catterpiller |
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| Red-and-black froghopper |
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| Red-breasted carrion beetle |
