Emperor Moth Larvae

These caterpillars are mostly in their final stage. They are the result of a mating on 27 4 11. In their younger stages they were nondescript black creatures. Now they are most spectacular. They are voracious feeders. Luckily there is a supply of Meadowsweet and Ling fairly near.
Peter Byles, Ceibwr.

Skomer 29th June

It's that time of year again when the guillemots and razorbills at the landing start to thin out. The chick there and the parents have gone so I hope the little one made it after seeing a great black-back pick one off the previous Wednesday.

Chris, the warden, has noted other guillemot and razorbill chicks absent from the cliffs so they fledging in good numbers now. The little owl is now west of the farmhouse and we had a good, if still distant, view yesterday.

The spider crabs are also starting to make new shells in preparation for moulting.

Unbelievable

Yesterday evening (28th June) my attention was drawn to people obviously attracted to something under my neighbours car. Surprisingly the interest was created by a young otter, (possibly three parts grown and not well fleshed). The otter had initially entered the porch of my neighbour in no.13 Front Street, Pembroke Dock before returning to the street and taking refuge under my neighbours car and then having crossed the road it took refuge under another parked car before returning to the tide and swimming close to the shore towards the Martello Tower where the animal disappeared. 

I've been lucky to have sighted otters during my farming days but never have I been able to observe a wild otter that wasn't seemingly all that alarmed, so close and for for a reasonable time.I just wonder how it arrived in Front Street and where it might have come from.

David and Pam
@thedock

My new toy!

I treated myself to a Bushnell trophy cam not too long ago and gave it its first try out in a patch of woods at Stackpole a few nights ago. I had seen badger tracks and latrines around so I set it up and left it for two nights. I'm very happy with the results. It also picked up a few mice going about their business but the photos weren't that great.

A very healthy looking fox on the headland near Broadhaven South, and my first otter sighting for a while made for a good walk. A noisy family of herons in the treetops near the eight arch bridge and a sparrowhawk that nearly took my head off also put in appearances.

I had a lovely trip out to Skomer a few weeks ago and was pleased to see more porpoises than I've ever seen before. It seemed that every time I looked out to sea there were a few dorsal fins in view. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to share a few more shots from the trophy cam.

Back to Holyland Wood, and only one brief view of a Tree Bumblebee. But we did have another nice invertebrate find though, a recently emerged white-letter hairstreak butterfly on the edge of the car park in Holyland Wood, present no doubt due to the magnificent elm trees that are growing well there (elm being the food plant of the caterpillar). They nectar on bramble, thistles etc near elm trees so its well worth the while looking in suitable places during the next few weeks that they are on the wing to see if any more colonies are around.

Dark green fritillary

Dark green fritillary seen at Martins Haven on Wednesday morning. The new image for the blog was taken by Clive Hurford at Newton Farm. Thanks Clive.

Pembrokeshire Butterfly Recorders

As you are probably aware Butterfly conservation is running the scheme Butterflies for the New Millennium, and they are keen to raise the number of records from South Wales. Can you help please? All you have to do is enter your butterfly sightings on a form and return it to me by the end of the year. If you would like a recording form please email me your contact details so that I can post them out to you. My email is paul.warren@rocketmail.com
Many thanks
Paul Warren
Lepidoptera recorder for Pembrokeshire

Butterfly Recording

Butterfly Conservation are trying to increase the amount of records from South Wales and Paul Warren, the new Butterfly & Moth Recorder for Pembrokeshire, has asked for volunteers to record their butterfly sightings on recording forms which he can send to you. If you can help please contact Paul for forms at - paul.warren@rocketmail.com

Filming Dinoflagellates at the National Oceanography Centre at Southampton was an interesting challenge. The objective was to show the bioluminescence produced when algal cells are stimulated chemically or by physical shock, but also simulating how it would look for real in the open ocean! A cunning beamsplitter prototype camera supplied by Ammonite ltd that is sensitive to to infra red and blue light was coupled to my microscope system, this enables the cells which in nature only bioluminesce at night, to be imaged using infra red while the very highly sensitivite blue camera captures the bioluminescence. The blue camera has an effective sensitivity of 18,000,000 ISO, which is remarkable compared to an average DSLR which has a maximum sensitivity of 25,600 ISO. Different species of Dinoflagellates were observed to bioluminesce, some more brightly than others. Martha Valiadi and Charlotte Marcinko, phD Students from Ocean Biochemistry and Ecosystems assisted us with the supply of fresh cultures and their preparation for filming. We looked at various species of Dinoflagellates including Pyrocystis fusiformis, Pyrocystis lunula, Pyrocystis noctiluca and Alexandrium tamarense.

Great black-backed gull

A cloud of puffins, guillemots and razorbills erupted from the cliff by the landing last Wednesday on Skomer. A great black-backed gull had swooped in and picked a chick up from a ledge. There is, hopefully, a guillemot chick in view just below the steps.

Freshwater West Orchids

In response to Richard's query below: the left hand pic (as you look as the screen) is a Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis), where as the orchid in the central pic looks like a Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa). Most, if not all, of the orchids in the right hand pic also look like Southern Marsh Orchids.

As you say, a showy display of orchids whatever.......

Freshwater West Orchids

A great show of Orchids in the dunes behind a windswept Freshwater West beach this morning. In all stages from flowers just formed to those going over. Are they Pyramidal Orchids?

An interesting walk north of Musslewick this evening along the coastpath. The path down from the road from Marloes had a few small tortoiseshells and the coast path a couple of common blues. All the thrift is looking very burnt. I had hoped to see young peregrines practising their flying skills but I only had a brief glimpse of an adult and the nest was empty. The raven family is flying with their disused nest easily seen. Around 14 fulmars appear to be still sitting on eggs in one location.

Raven family

Saw a family of 6 Ravens near Solva today which was rather special. The fledglings were practising taking off at the cliff edge, hovering in the updraught then landing again. What a treat!

Those EYES!

Wendy has just sent another view of the possessors of those eyes. The second one is a common Hover fly Episyrphus balteatus. I've never managed such stunning Macro shots.
Peter byles, Ceibwr.

EYES Penwaun.

My neighbour Wendy Smit has a super new camera and has had a glorious time snapping all the diverse wildlife on her land. She wonders if anyone can ID these insects from their amazing eyes. The left one must be one of the numerous Large Red damselflies from her huge pond.

Peter Byles, Ceibwr.

EYES Penwaun.

Anyone know what this is?

I saw this stuff exuding from a sycamore tree some time ago. Does anyone know what it is?

What is it?

A few months ago I had a new shed built as a ward for my hedgehogs. It is dry and cosy and today I suddenly spotted a couple of very strange things growing from the roof. I detached one and am putting photos on here to see if anyone knows what they are. I thought they were a fungus, and they probably are but they are not fleshy like a toadstool. They are extremely delicate in structure yet quite strong. They hung down so I have done a couple of angles and they are so fine I can see through the sides. I have some very pretty tissue table napkins that have a similar feel and look about them if that helps.

First Common Centaury

10 6 11. This pretty little annual is becoming more abundant every year on our nutrient poor fields. Our plants are very small and ground hugging.

Spider-

This creature, the like I have not seen before, was standing guard over a host of young in a web at Bosherston Lilly Ponds. Any ideas on what it is?

Various

Since joining this blog I have has limited chance to upload, however a little late from the Bank Holiday w/end on Skomer, herewith a picture of a Skomer Vole, taken of course on Skomer! The hands are from Jan.
A visit yesterday revealed a Shrew under some old sheets of tin, so small and so fast no one had a chance to get a pic.

Chaser confusion

Whilst watching our garden pond on Saturday it became clear that something odd was going on. There was one male Four-Spotted Chaser (FSC) and one male Broad Bodied Chaser (BBC) holding territory on opposite sides of the pond. A female FSC arrived, mated with the male FSC and then laid eggs, accompanied by the male. Then what looked like a female BBC arrived (fatter body and bright yellow stripes down the side). But we assumed it must have been an FSC because the male FSC mated with it. But this was not followed by egglaying. It happened several times and during the last prolonged and anrgy coupling it was clear that the female was trying to get away from the male which she did, eventually. Then after a few minutes the female came back again and this time the BBC spotted her, mated with her succesfully for just a few seocnds and she then laid eggs, accompanied by the male BBC.

So it seems the male FSCs, in their enthusiasm will try to mate with other species.

Tree Bumblebee

The handsome tree bumblebee arrived in Britain ten years ago - not a human introduction, but a range expansion possibly due to climate change. There have been a couple of records in the county, but on Sunday we encountered a few in Holyland Woods in Pembroke.

This distinctive bee is easy to identify (can't be confused with any other bee species). It is associated with trees and woodland, and nests in tree holes or other crevices well above ground. It isn't aggressive unless trapped - like other bumblebees.

If you see one, please send us the record rushmoor1@tiscali.co.uk together with a photo if possible, and I'll add them to the local and national database.

More info at BWARS website (Bees, Ants and Wasps Recording Society) If you send a record directly to BWARS, please copy it to us for our local records.

Any other bee records gratefully received

Grassholm

The title image was taken in lovely evening light at Grassholm last Thursday. One of the best wildlife locations in the UK! More images to follow.

Four-spotted chaser

Alan Collens has just pointed out that the second dragonfly is a four-spotted chaser. I just assumed that the dragonflies with the yellow abdomen were females as they were ovipositing and one was mating with the male BBC. I will look more closely the next time! The one in the picture has deformed wings and couldn't fly.