Rankinston Area

There were 10 Green-veined Whites, 3 Orange Tips and 3 Peacocks seen this afternoon in the Rankinston area, I also saw a single Green-veined White in Cumnock earlier this morning.

Ardeer Quarry and Eglinton moth

7 Peacocks (6 basking along the Railtrack road), 3 Green-veined Whites, and a Small Tortoiseshell were at Ardeer Quarry this afternoon. This morning, a Flame Carpet moth was roosting on a fence post in Eglinton Country Park.

(Photo: Flame Carpet)

Ardeer Quarry

3 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Peacocks, 4 Green-veined Whites, and an Orange Tip were at Ardeer Quarry this afternoon.

Orange Tip & Green-veined White in Monktonhill

Monktonhill - Saturday 18th April.

There was one Orange Tip and at least one Green-veined White in our garden (NS352286) this afternoon - our first for the year. Also one Peacock.

Roger Hissett

First Green-veined White

I saw my first Green-veined White of the year today near the former location of Littlemill Colliery less than a mile outside Rankinston and despite the fine weather I saw only 3 other butterflies all day (2 Peacocks and 1 Small Tortoiseshell).

Ardeer Quarry Railtrack access road

5 Peacocks were basking along the old Railtrack access road. A Small Tortoiseshell was nectaring on a roadside Dandelion. As usual, the Peacocks were taking part in a lot of chasing. One Peacock pursued a Dunnock through the air for a few meters and 'mobbed' it for a couple of seconds after it landed.

Butterfly habitat improvement

A local conservation group has cleared away a lot of scrub at the south of the Ardeer Quarry LNR site. This area is rich in wildflowers and contains the greatest diversity of butterflies on the reserve. Much of the area - a former railway siding - had become overgrown with Gorse and Sea Buckthorn. The work wasn't a full clearance: several sizeable patches of Gorse and Bramble have been left.
(Photo: Sea Buckthorn stumps)

Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell in Kilmarnock

More early butterflies from the Kilmarnock area today included a single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell in Wardneuk, at least two Small Torts in Townholm and a single in a garden near North Craig Reservoir (Obs: A & D Simpson).

Peacocks

A single Peacock was flying around dune heath on the Stevenston side of the upper Garnock Estuary; 2 were at Garnock East; 2 were on the track to Garnock East behind the recycling centre by Garnock Floods; 4+ were basking on the old Railtrack access road at Ardeer Quarry.
(Photo: Peacocks)

Small Tort

With the cold spell over, a single Small Tortoiseshell was in a Dandelion-studded garden opposite Saltcoats Harbour this afternoon.

More Peacocks

Temperatures peaked at 16 deg C today. A single Peacock was basking at Garnock East. 3 Peacocks were at Ardeer Quarry, 2 of them basking on the old Railtrack access road. Also, 2 Green Tiger Beetles at Garnock East were the first I've seen this year.
(Photos: Peacock at Ardeer Quarry; Green Tiger Beetle at Garnock East)

Small Tortoiseshell in Ayr

Whilst out walking in the lovely spring sunshine this afternoon I saw my first butterfly of 2009, a Small Tortoiseshell flying along the bank of the River Ayr close to Dam Park Stadium (NS344214).

My first butterflies of the year

With bright sunshine all day, next to no wind, and temperatures peaking at 14 deg C, I wandered around Stevenston's green spaces in search of newly emerged hibernators. A Peacock powered over the small Ardeer Quarry pond and a Small Tortoiseshell fed from heather in a garden beside Ardeer Quarry.
(Photo: Small Tortoiseshell)

Moths in Ayrshire Literature

I'm trying to find out any literature references for moths in Ayrshire. With Marco's help we've found a few bits and pieces, but nothing substantial. Also I'm investigating if there are any historic natural history societies that may have literature. I know about the Ayrshire Archaelogical Society, but no success with useful references.

Or could it be that there has been very limited entomological work in Ayrshire!

Hope you can help.

Neil

Ardeer Quarry LNR public consultation

As part of the development of the Ardeer Quarry LNR management plan, Stevenston Environmental Group is holding a public consultation on proposals for the reserve. Several of the projects are butterfly/moth/dragonfly related.

Details of the projects and the group's email address can be found at:
http://www.geocities.com/stevenstonenvironmentalgroup/ardeerpage.htm

Physical work cutting back scrub, felling trees, etc. will probably start at the end of winter. With all the red tape involved in creating a new wetland, I'm guessing that work won't begin on this until the end of next summer.

Ruby Tiger Larvae

Dear All,

A number of people have reported seeing Ruby Tiger larvae this year, but not from Ayrshire. They are small hairy, brown (sometimes black) and an orange body stripe sometimes. They run fast and can be found in grassy areas often looking for bare ground, which is warmer than other places. Let me know if you've seen any with the Grid Ref. Here's a picure taken last year:

Best wishes,

Neil Gregory

Garnock East

Warm sunshine for much of today saw lots of Common Darters out, many in copulating pairs. Good numbers of Black Darters too, including a couple of copulating pairs. Also, a Common Hawker was out and about.
(Photo: Black Darter)

Migrant Hawker

I came across a Migrant Hawker yesterday (25^th September) hawking along the woodland edge near the eastern end of Auchenharvie wood in Stevenston (NS 262 420). There’s only one previous record for Ayrshire, but it is a species extending its range northwards. Whether my sighting is indicative of a greater presence by the species in the NW this year I don’t know. However, it’s worth keeping an extra eye open for them over the coming weeks (their flight season extends into November).

It was feeding 8-16 feet in the air and was intermediate in size between Common Hawker and Common Darter. I found the dragonfly to be very obviously smaller than Common Hawker – a size difference I wouldn’t have expected from reading the field guides. Because of its small size, it didn’t give the impression of being a ‘miniature aeroplane’ like the Common Hawker does. The individual I saw hawked with the end of its tail curved slightly.

This size difference was accompanied by a feeding behaviour noticeably different from that of Common Hawker.

It fed far more frantically than Common Hawker, taking detours off its flight path far more frequently to flycatch – dipping down one second then jumping up the next. Similarly, it also changed direction far more often when hunting. Changing direction frequently and randomly, it covered a smaller area than Common Hawker when feeding.

To those familiar with the jizz and behaviour of Common Hawker and Common Darter, Migrant Hawker should stick out like a sore thumb – the difference in size and behaviour between the two species is obvious.

It’s worth pointing out that Migrant Hawkers can turn up just about anywhere; they don’t just frequent wetland habitats. The one I saw was several hundred metres from the nearest pond, hawking along a woodland edge.

Also worth mentioning, I’ve seen a few Red Admirals powering about recently, including one today at Eglinton and two yesterday at Auchenharvie. Also a couple of Peacocks during the past week: 1 at Shewalton Wood on Sunday and one at Garnock East on Tuesday. There was also a Common Hawker at Garnock East on Tuesday, along with dozens of Common Darters.

(Photos: Common Darter at Garnock East)

Ardeer Quarry LNR

A window of sunshine for a few hours today saw a few butterflies on the wing at Ardeer Quarry: 3 Common Blues, 2 Red Admirals, 1 Small Copper, 1 Meadow Brown, and 1 Small White. Also, there was a White Ermine moth caterpillar crawling across the tarmac.
(Photos: Common Blue, Small Copper, White Ermine moth caterpillar)

Garnock East

Wet weather and soaking grass. Not great conditions for butterflies, but as I walked through the long grass at Garnock East I disturbed a Common Blue, a Peacock, a Green-veined White, a Meadow Brown, and a Small Heath – a good variety for such a wet day. As conditions got better, a Peacock and 2 Green-veined Whites were on the wing. An Elephant Hawk-Moth caterpillar was crawling across the road at Garnock East.
(Photos: Small Heath and Elephant Hawk-Moth caterpillar.)

Stevenston 23rd August

Walking in the countryside NW of Kerelaw in Stevenston, I came across only a few butterflies: 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, and 4 Green-veined Whites. At Ardeer Quarry there were a couple of Green-veined Whites, a Peacock, a Meadow Brown, and what I think is a Shaded Broad-bar moth.

Ardeer Quarry LNR 19th and 21st August

Unfortunately I've been away from the county for most of the summer, but thankfully I'm able to catch the tail end of the season. On the 19th there were 4 Common Blues, 3 Small Coppers, 8 Green-veined Whites, and 1 Meadow Brown at Ardeer Quarry LNR. On the 21st there were 5 Common Blues, 3 Small Coppers, 4 Green-veined Whites, 1 Large White, 3 Meadow Browns, 2 Peacocks, and a Silver y moth. (Photos: Common Blue, Silver y moth, Small Copper)

Fritillaries Galore In Rankinston Area

Yesterday I followed the track which runs from the end of the road above Rankinston below Bow Hill as far as Dunston Hill (NS4312 and NS4412) and counted 60+ Dark Green Fritillaries and 8 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, many of these were found on the first grassy hillocks to the right of the path just beyond the wooden bridge.

Other butterflies seen in this area were:-
1 Large White, 2 Green-veined Whites, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Heath, 76+ Ringlets and 9 Meadow Browns.

I also searched the Bow Bing for Graylings but none were found.

Ringlet

My first Ringlet of the year at Gailes Marsh today – a nice fresh, silky, dark individual. Low numbers of everything else such as Small Copper, Small Heath and Common Blue. Damselflies were fairly scarce with the following found: Emerald Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

Fraser Simpson

Meadow Brown at Eglinton Loch

Meadow Brown seen at Eglinton Loch. Also, plenty of Common Blue Damselflies in the water vegetation at the west end of the loch with a single Common Hawker and Large Red Damselflies in drier habitat at the east end.

Gordon McAdam

In the shelter of North Glen App

I checked a few sites on the southern coast today but it was clear that the wind was one factor in the low numbers around. Still, Pinbain Burn had a single Grayling (my earliest record), 10 Large Skipper, 2 Northern Brown Argus, 1 Wall, 6 Common Blue, and 3 Small Heath. Moving inland to the shelter of North Glen App proved a wise move with some good counts:

Dark Green Fritillary (17)
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (13)
Large Heath (17)
Small Heath (70+)
Large Skipper (2)
Wall (1)
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (min 9)

Also Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Green-veined White, Peacock (very worn individual from the 2007 brood), Chimney Sweeper, Large Red Damselfly, Crossbill (4+), Jay and Tawny Owl.

Fraser Simpson

Portencross Today

Very little about today: only one micro-moth (unknown sp.), no Burnets or Blues or Whites about! I think the wind and temperature were just too low.

The rocky outpost next to the pier at Portencross is fanatstic for flowers:
Wild Thyme
Devil's-bit Scabious
Northern Marsh Orchid
Bird's Foot trefoil
Blooody Cranesbill
A small white bladder type campion
Red Campion
Lady's Bedstraw

There were also 8 Large White larva on the field escaped Oil Seed Rape plants - see picture


Nil Gregory

Basking Shark - Bennane Head

Report of a Basking Shark at Bennane Head on 09/06/08 only 4m out from the shore!
Neil

National Moth Night 7 June

From Neil Gregory...

Just a reminder that National Moth Night is happening this Saturday. We would be very grateful for any records you may have from day-time observations and night time trappings. Please contact your local moth recorder with your records. Below is a message from the National Moth Night team with a little more information:

"Once again National Moth Night (organised by Atropos and Butterfly Conservation) is upon us and this year we are celebrating its 10th anniversary. Even more reason to go out into your gardens and the wider countryside to record moths!

For 2008, NMN includes a daytime element and a change from the normal macro-moth only list of targets with the inclusion of both micro-moth and habitat targets, respectively Anania funebris and Orchards; the macro-moth targets being Bordered Gothic (Heliophobus reticulata) and Narrow-bordered bee Hawk-moth (Hemaris tityus).

It is recognised the target species and habitat will not be in the reach of every recorder or public event; however, the NMN team do encourage recorders and event co-ordinators to allocate their own local targets of interest, an ideal opportunity to do so.

For 2008, we strongly encourage the use of the revamped NMN data submission form and the new NMN recording template forms (Microsoft Office and Sun Systems OpenOffice formats) which will be made available from the NMN website (www.nationalmothnight.info) for the event until the end of the year. Along with a short questionnaire, the data submission form gives provision for recorders to attach the NMN recording templates, MapMate `Sync' files (in preference to submission via the MapMate Web Server) or any other suitable data format (visit the NMN website for further details).

On behalf of the National Moth Night team, thank you for your continued support for the event and let's hope for good weather and a bumper crop of moths!

Regards, Les Hill.Data manager, National Moth Recording Scheme

Dalmellington Area - 4th June

Today whilst out walking in the Dalmellington area I saw a very early Dark Green Fritillary near Dalcairnie Glen, this is the first time that I have ever seen this butterfly before the last week of June, other butterflies seen were as follows: -

Bogton Loch > Dalcairnie Burn/Glen > Wee Berbeth Loch/Hill
60+ Green-veined Whites
3 Small Whites
8 Orange Tips
12+ Small Heaths

Dalmellington Moss
4 Green-veined Whites
1 Orange Tip
2 Small Heaths