Wheatfen and a listing milestone, 20 July 2024

My 2nd recent visit to Wheatfen, this time in very hot conditions so I didn't walk far or stay too long!

I concentrated on the '11 Bridges Walk' looking mainly for insects. Highlights were a literally Beautiful China Mark alongside Small China Mark, Yellow Loosestrife Bee, Wall Mason Wasp, the wetland inhabiting fly Terellia tussilaginis and Physocephala rufipes (aka Waisted Beegrabber) which was a fitting species to become my 6000th pan species tick. Southern Hawkers, Brown Hawkers and Ruddy Darters plus a single Silver-washed Fritillary were on the wing with Orange Balsam and Monkeyflower being the best botanical finds.

On the way back one of the reserve volunteers was opening a moth trap so I had a quick gawp at Buff-tip, Drinker and Nut-tree Tussock.

                                                                                                                                Orange Balsam
                                                                                                                                 Terrelia tussilaganis
                                                                                                                              Waisted Beegrabber
                                                                                                                          Yellow Loosestrife Bee
                                                                                                                              Beautiful China Mark
                                                                                                                                Small China Mark
                                                                                                                           Nut-tree Tussock
      

No comments:

Post a Comment