Southern Marsh Orchids

Southern Marsh Orchids

Saturday 22 April 2017

Ramsons ... and what you can find on them

Into my local woods in Creigiau this morning in search of the Ramsons hoverfly, Portevinia maculata. Not only did I find several males of that, but also on Ramsons I found a stunning Birch Shieldbug and a Tipula vittata. All three are new species for me, and checking on Aderyn all three appear to be new for my home square ST08 as well. 😊

Portevinia maculata
Birch Shieldbug

Tipula vittata





4 comments:

  1. Well done, always exciting to find a new species at 10k square level. I haven't recorded Portevinia maculata but I shall start looking at flies on ransoms. I was expecting it to be a much duller insect with grey spots, based on Ball and Morris and other sources. I didn't realise it could have fairly bright yellow spots.

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  2. Thanks Paul.

    The abdominal spots on Portevinia maculata are silver grey. It is a lighting effect if they look any different.

    Coincidentally, the day before on the same patches of Ramsons, I saw Bibio marci (St Mark's Fly) and looking at Aderyn that could be another new species for ST08. Good stuff this Ramsons.

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  3. After years of hunting I finally caught up with Portevinia maculata in Bute Park. Not new for the square or even the park, but new to me!

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  4. Nice one Dave, I've not seen it there. The only one I've seen locally was at Glamorgan Canal.

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