May Roundup

30 May
Borland Fishery: Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral (AS).

26 May
A stop at Pinbain Hill on the way home produced the first 3 Northern Brown Argus along with about 12-13 Wall Browns (RHH).

20 May
During the past week lots more butterflies have been seen within the village and in surrounding areas, these have included the first sightings for 2008 of Small Heath (3 on 19th), Large White (1 on 18th) and Small White (1 on 13th) as well as loads of Green-veined Whites, some Orange Tips, a few Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks and 1 Red Admiral (JC).

18 May
A walk round the Garnock Floods and the west side of the railway embankment: plenty of Green-veined Whites and Orange-tips, with a few Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells and a single Small Copper. Plenty of Large Red Damselflies, a few female Azure Damselflies, several Four-spotted Chasers (GM).
Garnock East: Small Copper near the railway at Ardeer Quarry; Four-spotted Chaser over scrub near the upper Garnock Estuary; and a Blue-tailed Damselfly in a ditch at Ardeer Quarry (IH).

15 May
Craigdow Loch: 4 Green Hairstreaks, 10 Green-veined Whites and an Orange-tip (JC).
Culzean and Kirkoswald area: loads of Green-veined Whites, 16 Orange-tips, 5 Small Whites, 8 Small Tortoiseshells and 3 Peacocks (JC).
Glen App : Wall Brown and Red Admiral (RHH).

13 May
Glen App: 6 Small Heath (RHH).

11 May
Garnock East: 3 Small Tortoiseshells, 6 Peacock, 5 Green-veined Whites, 7 Orange Tips. Ardeer Fen: 15 Green-veined Whites. Ardeer Quarry: 7 Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, 17 Orange Tips, 7 Green-veined Whites (IH).

6 May
Had a very enjoyable 2 hours wandering around one of my "local" tetrads this morning (south edge of Blairquhan up to Dyke Farm). Lots of Orange-tips about (RHH).

3 May
Culzean: 2 Peacocks (G).

2 May
Ardeer Quarry: 10 Orange-tips, 1 Peacock and 3 Small Tortoiseshells (VF).

1 May
Garnock East:Large Red Damselflies (c150), 15 Peacocks, 7 Orange Tips, 3 Green-veined Whites, and 9 Small Tortoiseshells (IH).

Thanks to Gayle, John Candlish, Vallerie Firminger, Iain Hamlin, Angus Hogg, Gordon McAdam, and Alistair Simpson for the news.

A few firsts

A few firsts of the year (for me): Small Copper in the cattle field at Garnock East and near the railway at Ardeer Quarry; Four-spotted Chaser over scrub near the upper Garnock Estuary; and a Blue-tailed Damselfly in a ditch at Ardeer Quarry.

Iain

Cuckoo Flower

Here are some things to look out for on cuckoo flower:

Orange-tip eggs - just under the fowers on the flower stems.

Adela rufimtrella - a long horned micro moth that feeds on cuckoo flower and garlic Mustard (in the same way orange-tips do). you will see them occassionally on the cuckoo flower flowers. Flying now.

Micropterix calthella - tiny micro on buttercups and cuckoo flower. Shiny wings, yellow head

I would be especially pleased for some rufimtrella records as I have no Ayrshire records and it must be present. calthella has been recorded, but with no specific records as yet.

See www.ukmoths.org.uk for pictures.

Neil Gregory

Loudon Castle Moths

Species list from Moth Trapping at Loudon Castle on 10/05/08 for Irvine Valley Walkers. Over 60 attendees, but mostly interested in bats!

Least Black Arches

Scalloped Hazel

Early Thorn

Water Carpet

Chestnut

Hebrew Character

Flame Shoulder

Common Carpet

Red-green Carpet

Pale Prominent

Common Quaker

Clouded Drab

Brindled Pug

Double-striped Pug

10xMay bugs too

Neil Gregory

Stevenston area, 11th May

Garnock East:
3 Small Torts
6 Peacock
5 Green-veined Whites
7 Orange Tips

Ardeer Fen:
15 Green-veined Whites in a relatively small area of Marsh Marigold and Cuckoo Flower

Ardeer Quarry:
7 Peacocks – holding territories along tarmac road at east of reserve.
2 Small Torts
17 Orange Tips
7 Green-veined Whites

(Photos: Small Tort at Garnock East; Orange Tip in overcast conditions on previous day at Ardeer Quarry)

Garnock East 1st May

Warm sunny weather saw the sudden emergence of many Large Red Damselflies - about 150 seen in the scrubby areas on a circuit around Garnock East. Also, good numbers of butterflies: 15 Peacocks, 7 Orange Tips, 3 Green-veined Whites, and 9 Small Tortoiseshells.

Iain

April Roundup

30 April
Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Peacocks, 1 Red Admiral and a Green-veined White at Rankinston (JC)

28 April
Orange-tips in Ayr gardens (RGV) (JT).

27 April
First Green Hairstreak of the season at Drumtee. Also 7+ Emperor moths (FSS).
The upper part of Glen App held 3 Peacocks and at least 5 Green-veined Whites (RHH).
Colmonell had a pair of Orange-tips (RHH).
More male Orange-tips at Maxwelston and Hamilton Bridge in the Girvan valley (RHH).
A few Small Tortoiseshells and an Orange-tip in Ardrossan and Portencross (SMcM).
Orange-tip and Small Tortoiseshell in Kilmaurs garden (RT).

19 April
Two Peacocks at Finnarts Bay (RHH).

17 April
First Green-veined White of the season in Glen App (RHH).

13 April
Peacock basking in full sunshine at Loch Finlas (GM).
Single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell at Bargany and Crosshill respectively (RHH).

3 April
Peacock near tennis courts in Kay Park, Kilmarnock (AS).

Thanks to John Candlish, Angus Hogg, Gordon McAdam, Stuart McMahon, Alistair Simpson, Jim Thomson, Robin Turner and Dick Vernon for the news.

Green Hairstreak emergence

A single Green Hairstreak on the wing at the Drumtee colony north of Fenwick on Sunday 27th. Most of the forestry here has now been harvested and most of the hairstreak habitat patch (strip of fenced blaeberry/heather/etc between the forest edge and grazing) has been trashed by machinery. If the site is left as a clear fell it'll probably recover in time. Also at least seven Emperor moths buzzing around. No hairstreaks at Corsehouse Reservoir yet.

Dragonflies link from Ayrshire Birding

I've added a new link at the bottom of the floating menu on the Ayrshire Birding web-site to Fraser's new Dragonflies in Ayrshire web-site.

Small Tortoiseshells emerging from hibernaculums

The unseasonal, double-figure temperatures and extended sunshine have resulted in several Small Tortoiseshells flying or basking this week. Singles have been noted near Girvan on the 12th, at Crosshouse Hospital on the 12th, and at Borland Fishery, Cumnock on the 13th. Thanks to Alan Paxton, Alistair Simpson and Robin Turner for these reports.

Stinchar Bridge

Two Peacocks and a Common Hawker still on the wing,

Angus Hogg

Black Darters at Loch Doon

Perhaps the biggest surprise were the 2 Black Darters - not the most active of dragonflies but, given the time of year and the temperature, hardly surprising.

Angus Hogg

Red Admiral, Pow Burn

Pow Burn had no Little Egret, but a Red Admiral brightened the area up.

Angus Hogg

National Moth Night 11th August 2007

Dear All,

As my first post to the blog I thought I would let you know the species people recorded from Ayrshire for National Moth Night on 11th August 2007:

Taxon	Vernacular
Argyresthia goedartella
Yponomeuta evonymella	Bird-cherry Ermine
Agonopterix nervosa
Bactra lancealana
Ancylis badiana
Agriphila straminella
Agriphila tristella
Catoptria margaritella	Pearl-band Grass Veneer
Dipleurina lacustrata
Evergestis pallidata
Udea lutealis
Euthrix potatoria	Drinker
Idaea biselata	Small Fan-footed Wave
Xanthorhoe designata	Flame Carpet
Xanthorhoe montanata	Silver-ground Carpet
Eupithecia centaureata	Lime-speck Pug
Crocallis elinguaria	Scalloped Oak
Noctua pronuba	Large Yellow Underwing
Noctua comes	Lesser Yellow Underwing
Noctua janthe	Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
Diarsia rubi	Small Square-spot
Xestia baja	Dotted Clay
Lacanobia thalassina	Pale-shouldered Brocade
Hadena bicruris	Lychnis
Cryphia domestica	Marbled Beauty
Cosmia trapezina	Dun-bar
Apamea monoglypha	Dark Arches
Mesapamea secalis agg.	Common Rustic agg.
Chortodes pygmina	Small Wainscot

Records have now been submitted to the recording scheme, but any late entries can always be sent to me.

best wishes,

Neil Gregory - County Moth Recorder

Garnock East

Mid-morning in hot sunshine:

1 Painted Lady
16 Peacocks
4 Small Tortoiseshells
1 Common Blue
1 Small Copper
1 Meadow Brown
11 Small Heath
2 Common Hawkers
Hundreds of Common Darters, including 20+ copulating pairs
1 male Black Darter

Bogside

A stroll round Bogside racecourse on Sunday afternoon produced 4 Meadow Brown, 3 Small White, 14 Small Heath, 18 Peacock and 3 Small Tortoiseshell, also 6 Common Darter.

Robert Kelly

Wall numbers climbing in the south

Inland on Friday looked grey so Scotch Argus counts were abandoned and I checked the southern coastal areas around Lendalfoot and Ballantrae. I managed a record number of Wall at Pinbain Burn with 35 counted along with 30+ Grayling. A Peacock here had a beak-shaped chunk of it's wing missing at the forewing eyespot. Further south conditions were less than ideal with wind and hazy sunshine providing only three Purple Hairstreak found on the scrubby, hillside oaks along Shallochwreck Burn. I was looking for impressive numbers of Wall on Donald Bowie in light of the Pinbain situation, though just 23 were counted here along with 50+ Grayling. Green-veined Whites were out in abundance in juncus marshes around Kilantringan Loch. Ringets appear to have finished on the coast. Single Red Admirals and Peacocks widespread elsewhere.

Pinbain Burn

Wall (35)

Grayling (30+)

Small Copper (3)

Peacock (4)

Red Admiral (1)

Meadow Brown (10+)

Green-veined White (3)

Small White (1)

Silver-Y (1)

Golden-ringed Dragonfly (1)

Shallochwreck Burn - Currarie Port

Purple Hairstreak (3)

Wall (23)

Grayling (50+)

Green-veined White (22)

Meadow Brown (3)

Peacock (3)

Large White (1)

Small Tortoiseshell (3)

Kilantringan Loch

Green-veined White (100+)

Kilantringan Loch - Currarie

Peacock (7)

Green-veined White (50+)

Scotch Argus at Stinchar Bridge

Near Stinchar Bridge this morning... butterfly activity was a bit limited but there were about a dozen Scotch Argus in the area, and the only dragonfly seen was a Common Hawker.

Angus Hogg

Scotch Argus in Changue

Surveyed Kirstie’s Trail and Devil’s Trail at Changue for Scotch Argus. While waiting for the weather to improve I checked Craigens Hill forestry near Kirkoswald without seeing much. Intermittent periods of warm sunshine in the glen at Changue provided some immaculate looking Scotch Argus and it looks like emergence wasn’t particularly early here this year. Numbers could be in the hundreds in a week or two. The bridge accessing the Fairy Knowe trail is still closed so I didn’t try for Black Darter which can be common here. The pool near Kirstie’s Stone had up to three Common Hawkers plus another pair in copula nearby. One individual attempted to take a worn Meadow Brown. The Water of Gregg and Changue Burn held territorial Golden-ringed Dragonflies but the most interesting sighting was of one patrolling a wee burn less than 35cm across which runs along the footpath between High Changue and the car park. Or at least it ‘runs’ when we have a wet summer like 2007! Surprisingly not many Peacocks around yet.

Changue Glen
Partly Cloudy, 16-17ºC
Scotch Argus (42)
Green-veined White (39)
Ringlet (13)
Meadow Brown (10)
Peacock (2)
Red Admiral (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Northern Eggar (1)
Common Hawker (13)
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (4)
Common Darter (1)
Emerald Damselfly (1)

Craigens Hill forestry
Cloudy, 15ºC
Meadow Brown (3)
Ringlet (2)
Peacock (1)
Common Darter (3)

Ardeer & Bogside

A Common Hawker along with many Common and Black Darters at Ardeer/Bogside today. Also Large Heath, Small Heath, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Peacock, Red Admiral, Common Blue, and Small Copper.

Mike Howes

Common Hawker in Dalry Garden

A Common Hawker was reported from a garden in Dalry on 29 July...

this dragonfly - photo attached, was in my garden in Dalry about 7pm today for over an hour and a half, just sitting as you see it, on the sweet peas. Can you please identify it for me.

Anne McDowall

Garnock East

62 Common Blue butterflies
19 Small Heath
71 Meadow Brown
5 Grayling
3 Small Copper
14 Green-veined White
2 Small Tortoiseshell
Also, a dull looking Four-spotted Chaser.

Purple Hairstreak

First Purple Hairstreak of the year reported at Shallochwreck Burn by Angus Hogg today. Scotch Argus should also be emerging now.

Stevenston Dunes

A hot day and a walk in Stevenston Dunes LNR produced quite a lot: 12 Common Blue butterflies, 3 Graylings, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, 20 Meadow Browns, 32 Green-veined Whites, 10 Small Heaths, and 143+ Six-spot Burnet moths (one patch of flowers, 3m x 3m in area, contained over 50 Burnets). Most of the insect life was concentrated in the sheltered dune grassland around NS264410.

(Photos: Common Blue and Six-spot Burnet moths)

Ardeer Quarry

Walking round the Ardeer Quarry LNR site: there were a couple of male Common Darters at the east end of the small pond, 5 Common Blue butterflies and a Small Copper at the butterfly grassland at the south of the site, 14 Azure Damselflies and an Emerald Damselfly at the western bay of the small pond, and a male Common Hawker patrolling along the cycle path.

(Pictures: Azure Damselfies, Common Blue)

Stevenston

Along the hedge at the barley field beside Dubbs Quarry there were 34 Small Tortoiseshells and 11 Meadow Browns. There were 7 further Meadow Browns in the quarry itself, along with 8 Green-veined Whites. 5 Six-spot Burnet Moths were on the wing over the damp, mossy grassland at the far end of the site. Also, there were a couple of male Common Darters at a small puddle – the first males I’ve seen this year. Over the main water body there were 20-30 ‘blue’ damselflies – the few I positively identified were Common Blues. There were also 4 Blue-tailed Damselflies.

The ‘butterfly grassland’ at the south of the Ardeer Quarry LNR site had 4 Common Blues, 1 Small Heath, 1 Six-Spot Burnet Moth, 2 Meadow Browns, and 1 Green-veined White. There was a single Ringlet and a couple of Small Tortoiseshells nearby.

(Photo: Green-veined White)

Dubbs Quarry, Stevenston

Overcast, cool, and windy - not ideal conditions. Had to walk along the edge of a barley field to get to the quarry. A 100m stretch of hedgerow, overgrown with bramble, thistle, and stinging nettle, had at least 18 Small Tortoiseshells. Many were roosting in the barley, as were about 6 Meadow Browns. Resting in the hedgerow were a Large Red Damselfly and a female Common Darter. There was no dragonfly activity at all over the quarry’s water body. However, there were 20 Common Blue Damselflies resting in the long grass on site, including a couple of copulating pairs. 1 Emerald Damselfly was also resting in the grass. There were 2 other Small Tortoiseshells and I either disturbed or saw resting 17 Meadow Browns. An interesting area of damp grassland/heathland at the site was pretty quiet – I disturbed about 6 Meadow Browns and there was a single Six-spot Burnet Moth on the wing. Yesterday there were 2 Small Heaths and 3 Common Blues in the ‘butterfly grassland’ at the south of the Ardeer Quarry LNR, and 2 male Common Hawkers were patrolling the upper reaches of Stevenston Burn above Kerelaw.
(Photos: Small Tortoiseshell; Large Red Damselfly)

Darvel & Stewarton area

Finally a better day weather-wise.... Lower numbers of Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries than usual at the site near Loudoun Hill but I guess the season is more advanced this year and most individuals were quite faded. Corsehouse Reservoir and one small corner of Glenouther Moor produced a reasonable count of 36 Large Heath, so probably good numbers over the entire area moor. Every year I come up to survey them there are usually a lot of Wood Tigers zipping past at speed. This year, I finally managed to observe one on the deck.

Allantonplains Wood
Ringlet (124)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (25)
Meadow Brown (25)
Green-veined White (5)
Dark Green Fritillary (1)
Small Heath (4)
Common Blue (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Painted Lady (1)
Common Hawker (2)
Large Red Damselfly (10+)
Red-necked Footman (1)

Corsehouse Reservoir & Glenouther Moor
Large Heath (36)
Meadow Brown (6)
Ringlet (2)
Small Heath (2)
Green-veined White (1)
Red Admiral (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Common Hawker (1)
Large Red Damselfly (40+)
Emerald Damselfly (30+)
Common Blue Damselfly (20+)
Wood Tiger (20+)
Red-necked Footman (6)

Garnock East

Breezy with sunny spells at Garnock East (north of Bogside, Irvine) on Saturday. There were 6 Six-spot Burnet Moths, only two of which were flying; 5 Common Blues; 6 Small Heaths; a single Ringlet; 6 Small Tortoiseshells in the livestock field; many Meadow Browns; a single ‘blue’ damselfly; and 4 female Common Darters. Today at Garnock East the sunshine was stronger and longer and there was a bit more about: 18 Common Blue butterflies, 9 Small Heaths, 10 Six-spot Burnet Moths, 3 Graylings, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, and a Small Copper. There were a few more female Common Darters about, particularly along the woodland tracks. More damselflies too, mainly Blue-tailed and Common Blue. 2 Common Hawkers were patrolling along a woodland track, plus there was another male over at Ardeer Fen.

The highlights of a quick stop off at Shewalton Sandpits SWT reserve were 4 Common Blue butterflies and 7 or 8 Six-spot Burnet Moths.

(Photos: Common Blues, Small Copper, Six-spot Burnet Moths)

A few days ago a local wildlife enthusiast told me that he saw a Fritillary at Ardeer Fen and that he was 100% sure it was not just a Painted Lady. Visiting the site on Saturday I flushed a large, very bright orange butterfly. It sped off with purpose west. A couple of hundred meters further on I flushed a second butterfly of the same species and it flew off east never to be seen again. Very frustrating, but I’m pretty sure that these were Dark Green (?) Fritillaries.

Carrick Hills

Didn't have the car today so I took the bus down to Maybole and walked into the Carrick Hills. Cool with low cloud all day and heavy showers from 1450h. There is a lot excellent habitat up there especially around Red Moss Loch, Drumshang Loch, Blacktop Hill Loch, and Sauchrie Burn. The sun eventually broke through around 1730h and many fritillaries appeared along the course of Sauchrie Burn.

Red Moss Loch > Drumshang Loch > Blacktop Hill
Ringlet (19)
Meadow Brown (8)
Common Blue (1)
Northern Eggar (2)
Common Blue Damselfly (2)
Common Darter (1)
Large Yellow Underwing (1)
Straw Dot (20+)

Sauchrie Burn
Ringlet (50+)
Dark Green Fritillary (37)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (21)