Willow Emerald at Alton Flood meadows 12 September 2022

 A somewhat better photo...

And common darter...

Alton Flood Meadows 3 September 2022 - Willow Emerald damselfly.

Dragonflies of any description in Alton are decidedly scarce, bar some moderate numbers of Demoiselles along the way.

Common Darters are not that surprising...

But Willow Emerald damselfly are quite exceptional. This is a recent colonist in the UK - they only really arrived in numbers in UK in 2009. There have been relatively few records for Hampshire before this year. The British Dragonfly Society website tells the full story here:

https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/recording/willow-emerald-watch/

I found four of these including a pair in-cop. 

I apologise for the ropey quality of the pictures - but they confirm the key things to distinguish from the more common Emerald Damselfly. 

Also present - The hoverfly Helophilus Pendulus

Alton Natural History Society walk from the Wellington Statue towards Caesar's Camp, 4 September 2022

 A fascinating walk focused on plants and geology. 

This slug and mushroom is awaiting ID.

Garden Spider

There seems to be a huge crop of acorns this year. In addition to the regular Pedunculate Oak, the introduced Turkey Oak was also found. A number of galls including Knopper Gall - particularly large, made by the Gall Wasp Andricus quercuscalicis.

After we split from the main walk we headed up towards Caesar's Camp proper but did not reach the top. Once the rain had passed the sun appeared and so did some butterflies:

11 or more Grayling

2 Small Heath

1 Speckled Wood.

But overall the day was very quiet for insects and birds.

Alice Holt Forest 10 July

 A second visit. This time focused on Lodge Inclosure.

Starting at the Butterfly Conservation reserve at Bentley Station.

This male Golden-Ringed Dragonfly was patrolling a small area and often resting on docks. A couple of Brown Hawkers were also present. And a Purple Emperor flew through.

A nice patch of Betony by the path...

Zig-Zag Clover

I dread to think how many Speckled Wood photos I have taken

This Hornet was doing the dragonfly thing: it came down to the surface of a pond to drink (presumably).

Alice Holt Forest in early July

The first of a couple of visits to the forest. The "big" butterflies are the obvious main draw - Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, and Purple Emperor. However there is plenty more to be found.

3 July: Straits Inclosure. We walked the fields from Country Market where there was a field of Flax in flower:

In the woods themsleves Large Skipper...

 A Purple Hairstreak which had come down from the tops of the oaks...

And some more obscure stuff - Red Legged Shieldbug in Alders by a pond - presumably this was responsible for binding the leaf edges together.

A pair of Hoverflies - Helophilus Pendulus:

The commonest (or most visible) of the Long-horn Beetles: Rutpela Maculata

A much scarcer long-horn: Arhopalus Ferus (probably - there is another very similar species). This very large - perhaps an inch long excluding the antennae. The highlight of the day.

But this Speckled Bush Cricket came close...

Bramdean Common 2 July 2022

Peacock caterpillar along the track from West Tisted...

In Bramdean Common woods... an intriguing orange fly. Unable to find this one in my general Insect field guides - but with 7000 species of fly in the UK then not all can be shown. (And they have a limited appeal)

Silver-washed Fritillaries are now on the wing in numbers in suitable woodlands....

In the meadows, wild basil...

Numbers of Small/Essex Skippers were in the meadow. Those which I put the effort in to identify were all Essex Skippers. The tips of the antennae are completely black.

A single example of Clouded Yellow - a rare migrant. As always, impossible to get a photo of the upperside of the wings.

Greywell 25 June 2022

 Along the upper reaches of the River Whitewater.

The dark U shape on the first segment of the abdomen tells us this is a pair of AzUre Damselflies.

Large Red Damselfly...

There were a couple of the fairly large longhorn beetle leptura quadrifasciata in the willows...

Umbellifers provided close views of Marmalade Hover-flies...

Lots of Water Figwort in flower....

With a Sedge Warbler still singing in one patch...

Marsh Helleborine...

Marsh Fragrant Orchid coming into flower...

 

Alton Cemetery then along the Wey

 We had a brief walk around Alton cemetery, having heard about orchids there. It was pleasantly overgrown with 20 or more Pyramidal Orchids scattered about the place in 1's and 2's 

Fox and Cubs may not be a native species, but they are still a bit special. These were in the cemetery, there were more along the railway line.

Then a walk along the Wey from the industrial estate - where 20 or more Scarlet Tiger Moths were resting on the caterpillar's food plant, Comfrey.

A bit of searching the Great Mullein revealed this spectacular large Mullein Moth Caterpillar

Not particularly wild... 
 

Neatham Down - Ringlets now emerging in numbers

I've yet to ID this (very cooperative) small bug but was pleased with the shadow effect on the leaf...