West Sussex, 2 May 2012
As I have said before, there is always something to see …
The St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci) is a large hairy black fly belonging to the family Bibionidae. It is a species which shows strong sexual dimorphism (male pictured). It is common in late April and May in grassy meadows and fields, especially in the south. Swarms of the males can often be seen flying sluggishly up and down in the sunshine with their legs dangling below, looking for the females which are sitting not far below in the grass. When the females take wing they are seized by the males and mating takes place in the air.
You just have to look ...
Chiddingfold Forest Complex, 11 April 2012
Hoping for an early Wood White was always going to be a long shot, despite a recent Surrey sighting on the 10th April and not least the fact that today was one of occasional sunshine and intermittent heavy showers …
The first area of forestry visited, on the Sussex side of the county border and probably the best site in Sussex for Wood White, produced nothing in the way of butterflies though this was inspected mid morning when the temperature was still only around 9°C. After a quick lunch my son and I headed off to a more reliable location, over that imaginary line the county boundary, into Surrey. The temperature had increased to around 12°C, though I could still feel a cool breeze on my back as we entered the woodland ride. As the sun shone through the trees into a small clearing a male Brimstone lifted from its resting place. As quickly as he had appeared, the sun disappeared behind one of many grey clouds and he alighted on a bramble leaf allowing a very personal encounter. Whilst taking my shots a tiny psychodid briefly landed on its wing. I believe it's of the genus Pericoma.
A beautiful experience …
