Butterflies, Burnets and Basking Zigzags - 22nd July 2020

The plan this morning was to head back toward Lullingstone and a roadside site that I had been given for Green-flowered Helleborines but having sat on the A2 slip road for an hour following an ‘incident’ I almost turned round at Cobham and went home but at that point the traffic disappeared and I decided to push on.

From this point it was a swift journey and I was soon pulled up and looking at a patch of 29 tiny little orchids alongside the car.  I probably looked a bit odd laying down in a layby taking pictures of flowers but I was glad that I did. Most were no more than three or four inches high with the biggest ones tipping a whole eight inches and by careful searching I found one or two that were just about open.

Green-flowered Helleborines

Just about opened!

Green-flowered Helleborine with Ants milking Aphids

From here it was a short venture onto Lullingstone country park where I saw the Purple Emperor in early June.  It was already busy but I enjoyed my walk along the river which had less dogs in it this time. Common Blue and White-legged Damsels were still to be found but I only saw two Banded Demoiselles.  There were however now Common Darters on the wing.

Common Blue Damsel

White-legged Damsel

Still working on this little wasp

Some of the Chub were quite hefty and I watched several Stone Loach hoovering the bottom. 

Chub

The curved hooks of Agrimony seed

Dark Mullein

Dark Mullein

Chinese Mugwort - Artemisia verlotiorum

I cut up through the meadows bisecting the golf course and set about visiting all the patches of Knapweed, Marjoram and Scabious.  I could not find any Andrena hattorfiana but there were countless Honey Bees in attendance along with Six Spot Burnets, Dusky Sallows and the dancing little shiny Nemophora scabiosella with outrageous antennae. 

Dusky Sallow

Dusky Sallow

Nemophora scabiosella

Nemophora scabiosella

Six Spot Burnet

Six Spot Burnet

Six Spot Burnet

A pair of Sicus ferrugineous were moving between the blooms with the male hanging onto his prize and Common Blues, Small Heath, Small and Essex Skippers, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites moved off in front of me. Two Dark Green Fritillaries were still on the wing and actually looked in good condition and the three Whites and Brimstone were seen down slope where there was less grass.  I also found Small Copper here too and Comma, Red Admiral and Peacock on a Buddlia back near the car park.

Sicus ferrugineous

Sicus ferrugineous

Sicus ferrugineous

Brimstone

Large White

Marbled White

Common Blue

Essex Skipper

Dark Green Fritillary

Small Copper

Small Copper

I could smell Lavender and had no idea about the vast fields just out of sight until I turned back towards the visitors centre.  There were rounded rows of purple covering both sides of the valley and the scent intensified as I got closer and as I did so I became aware of the sound of what felt like a trillion Honey Bees. A path cut through to one of the fields I naughtily fence hopped for a few pictures.

The park was filling up with crowds of families and I slunk back to the car and headed a little further south to Fackenden Down where James Hunter had recommended I pay a visit.  James and his boys were still there and quietly beckoned me over immediately. At least three Adders were basking on a log pile but even my stealthy approach resulted in them slithering out of sight. I see this wondrous reptile so rarely that it is always a treat to watch and be watched.

Adder

The downland slope was covered in the same sort of flora as Lullingstone with the addition of Rabbit cropped anthills with carpets of Thyme. Although the same spread of butterflies were present there were some notable additions with Brown Argus, Small Blue and Dingy Skippers back on the wing and dozens of shining male Chalk Hill Blues skipped between the flowers.  The strong sun was slipping behind the clouds every now and then and this caused the normally closed winged males to open up to catch some rays.  Several chocolate females were also seen and even they showed me both sides.

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

Chalk Hill Blue

 

Brown Argus

Brown Argus

Brown Argus

I think this is a female Common Blue

Common Blue

Small Blue

Small Blue

 

Dingy Skipper - already in the wars

Dingy Skipper

Little groups of Nemophora scabiosella danced above their Scabious foodplant and I found Nomada fucata and Eriothrix rufomaculata on Wild Carrot and I put up many pink and beige Oncocera semirubella Grass Moths as I walked through the narrow paths.

Eriothrix rufomaculata

Field Scabious

White Greater Knapweed

White Greater Knapweed

Nemophora scabiosella

Nomada fucata

Oncocera semirubella

 

Bombus lucorum

Peacock

Peacock

Wild Basil

Dwarf Thistle

Common Restharrow

Thyme

There were plenty of Grasshoppers and those I got a good look at were Field and Meadow but I did find a rather large beast that seems to be my first Stripe Winged.

Pretty sure this is a Meadow Grasshopper

Stripe Winged Grasshopper

As I walked back I could hear a Yellowhammer singing in the hedge at the bottom and Bullfinches called from the woodland edge up the top.  I crept back to the woodpile and found five Adders and amazingly a Grass Snake lounging in the sun but the surprise bonus reptile slunk off before I could even raise the camera.

 

Adder

I left the others where they were and circled back to the car after a most enjoyable outing.

I suspect I shall be back here before too long...