Dalgety Bay, NT1783, end of June

A serviceable month with 144 additions

Best of the month was 2nd British record of anthomyiid fly Hydrophoria diabata, though not much of a looker

My favourite addition, though partly because it was very recent was sarcophaggid Metopia argyrocephala, which sadly isn't even new to county, though it briefly masqueraded as something marginally more exotic (other Metopias). This really is a looker, though, with its face flashing like a mirror at the right angle.

It's also been nice to finally wrestle a couple of ichneumonid wasps to ground, including this Diplazon laetatorius.

Securely on track for 1k end of October if not before. The other highlight has been one not of finding things but of harvesting data from NBN that has taken Dalgety Bay total list well over 2k (2074) and that ball keeps rolling every day. It's still a rich playground, though it could do with a larger pond if I was being picky.

Latest additions:

599	Schizopora paradoxa	Split Porecrust	fungus
600	Arctium minus	Lesser Burdock	flowering plant
601	Circaea lutetiana	Enchanter's Nightshade	flowering plant
602	Hypericum pulchrum	Slender St.John's Wort	flowering plant
603	Iris foetidissima	Stinking Iris	flowering plant
604	Mitopus morio	A harvestman	harvestman
605	Nemastoma bimaculatum	A harvestman	harvestman
606	Drapetisca socialis	A Linyphiid spider	spider
607	Aphrophora alni	A froghopper	hemiptera
608	Neophilaenus lineatus	A Planthopper	hemiptera
609	Philaenus spumarius	Cuckoo-Spit Insect	hemiptera
610	Plagiognathus arbustorum	A mirid bug	hemiptera
611	Chilocorus renipustulatus	Kidney-spot Ladybird	coleoptera
612	Gastrophysa viridula	Green Dock Beetle	coleoptera
613	Metopia argyrocephala	A flesh fly	diptera
614	Pegomya laticornis	A flower fly	diptera
615	Rhagio lineola	Small Fleck-winged Snipe Fly	diptera
616	Xyphosia miliaria	A picture-winged fly	diptera
617	Celypha lacunana	A tortricid moth	lep-moth
618	Bombus terrestris	Buff-tailed Bumble Bee	hymenoptera
619	Bupalus piniaria	Bordered White	lep-moth

Dalgety bay NT1783 - 500 passed

Slow start to June. Busy work and rainy weather.

Hydrophoria diabata was a nice find. A few of these are new for Dalgety Bay, but not as many additions as I harvested from NBN. Bay list now stands at 2039, with a more or less up to date list here: link

Updates:

476	Bolboschoenus maritimus	Sea Club-rush
477	Vicia hirsuta	Hairy Tare
478	Sarcophaga carnaria	Sarcophagidae
479	Dolerus niger	A sawfly
480	Hydrotaea irritans	A muscid fly
481	Carex nigra	Common Sedge
482	Stenocranus minutus	A planthopper
483	Anthocoris nemoralis	A plant bug
484	Orthops campestris	A mirid bug
485	Glyphipterix simpliciella	Cocksfoot Moth
486	Morellia aenescens	A muscid fly
487	Dolichopus ungulatus	A long-legged fly
488	Elachista canapennella	A micro moth
489	Epilobium montanum	Broad-leaved Willowherb
490	Phaonia pallida	A muscid fly
491	Arion subfuscus	A slug
492	Exidia thuretiana	White Brain
493	Hydrophoria diabata	A flower fly
494	Leymus arenarius	Lyme-grass
495	Anthomyia procellaris	A flower fly
496	Stachys sylvatica	Hedge Woundwort
497	Anthophila fabriciana	Nettle Tap Moth
498	Trifolium repens	White Clover
499	Dolichovespula sylvestris	Tree Wasp
500	Juncus inflexus	Hard Rush
501	Poa trivialis	Rough meadow-grass

Dalgety Bay, NT1783, end of May

A good finish to the month took me probably beyond what I was really expecting. Nice ones included finally nailing a Speckled Wood that I thought I had glimpsed a couple of times, the Fan-bearing Wood-borer Ptilinus pectinicornis which may be new to county, and a nice 18-spot ladybird which was only previously known in the county from Tentsmuir, which is the kind of place that roving entomologists actually visit in Fife.

Other than that a few commoner species were added to my overall Dalgety Bay list and the list slowly creeps towards 1900. I still fondly imagine that I might take it over 2000 by end of year, though without proper moth trapping I'll be a bit hobbled. I may be able to sneak out and trap some moths though.

Ptilinus pectinicornis

Speckled Wood

18-spot

List additions

415	Helophilus pendulus	A hover fly
416	Hydrotaea dentipes	A muscid fly
417	Phaonia rufiventris	A muscid fly
418	Lecanora albescens	A lichen
419	Lecanora sulphurea	A lichen
420	Porpidia tuberculosa	A lichen
421	Rhizocarpon geographicum	A lichen
422	Rhizocarpon richardii	A lichen
423	Frullania dilitata	A liverwort
424	Fissidens taxifolius	Common Pocket-moss
425	Chamerion angustifolium	Rosebay Willowherb
426	Petrobius maritimus	Sea Bristletail
427	Rhagonycha fulva	Common Red Soldier Beetle
428	Coenosia tigrina	A muscid fly
429	Empis tessellata	An empid fly
430	Myospila meditabunda	A muscid fly
431	Pollenia amentaria	A cluster fly
432	Anthus pratensis	Meadow Pipit
433	Branta canadensis	Canada Goose
434	Loxia curvirostra	Common Crossbill
435	Motacilla cinerea	Grey Wagtail
436	Metzgeria furcata	Forked Veilwort
437	Erigone atra	A Linyphiid spider
438	Hypomma bituberculatum	A Linyphiid spider
439	Speudotettix subfusculus	A leafhopper
440	Cafius xantholoma	Strandline Rove Beetle
441	Myrrha octodecimguttata	18-spot Ladybird
442	Fannia canicularis	A lesser house fly
443	Thoracichaete zosterae	A lesser dung fly
444	Tipula vernalis	A crane fly
445	Vespula vulgaris	Common Wasp
446	Sturnus vulgaris	Starling
447	Eristalis tenax	A hoverfly
448	Tephromela atra	Black Shields
449	Ceutorhynchus obstrictus	A weevil
450	Chrysopa perla	A lacewing
451	Morellia simplex	A muscid fly
452	Norellisoma spinimanum	A scathophagid fly
453	Ornithogalum angustifolium	Star-of-Bethlehem
454	Populus tremula	Aspen
455	Veronica chamaedrys	Germander Speedwell
456	Brachythecium rutabulum	Rough-stalked Feather-moss
457	Eriophyes laevis	A gall mite on alder
458	Denticollis linearis	A Click Beetle
459	Adela reamurella	A micro moth
460	Platybunus triangularis	A harvestman
461	Cantharis cryptica	A Soldier Beetle
462	Puccinia deschampsiae	A rust fungus
463	Aegopodium podagraria	Ground Elder
464	Lathyrus pratensis	Meadow Vetchling
465	Lecidella asema	A lichen
466	Episyrphus balteatus	Marmalade Hoverfly
467	Pararge aegeria	Speckled Wood
468	Xylota segnis	A hover fly
469	Syndemis musculana	A tortricid moth
470	Melanomya nana	Little Black Blow Fly
471	Eupteryx urticae	A bug on nettles
472	Ptilinus pectinicornis	Fan-bearing Wood-borer
473	Dryopteris filix-mas	Male-fern
474	Calliphora subalpina	Woodland Bluebottle
475	Tipula lunata	A crane fly

Dalgety Bay - a following wind

Super windy today but an email about lichen records in Scotland inspired me to go out and get some done, including a few new additions - nothing really unexpected but it was nice nonetheless. In sheltered spots there was a lot of dipteran action and any roadside buttercups were occupied, mostly by Melanostoma hovers.

Opegrapha calcarea

Dolichopus popularis

Additions:

366	Cyanea lamarckii	Blue Jellyfish
367	Orchesella cincta	A springtail
368	Cantharis nigricans	A Soldier Beetle
369	Carabus problematicus	A ground beetle
370	Phaonia errans	A muscid fly
371	Suillia variegata	A heleomyzid fly
372	Ophion luteus	An ichneumon wasp
373	Empis aemula	An empid fly
374	Fannia armata	A lesser house fly
375	Platycheirus scutatus	A hover fly
376	Pieris napi	Green-veined White
377	Tenthredo atra	A sawfly
378	Cladonia coniocraea	A lichen
379	Uromyces muscari	Bluebell rust
380	Alopecurus pratensis	Meadow Foxtail
381	Deschampsia cespitosa	Tufted Hair-grass
382	Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
383	Geranium pratense	Meadow Cranesbill
384	Meconopsis cambrica	Welsh Poppy
385	Trifolium pratense	Red Clover
386	Veronica beccabunga	Brooklime
387	Vicia sepium	Bush Vetch
388	Cerastoderma edule	Common Cockle
389	Nucella lapillus	Dog Whelk
390	Venerupis corrugata	Pullet Carpet Shell
391	Linyphyia hortensis	A Linyphiid spider
392	Austrominius modestus	A barnacle
393	Cancer pagurus	Edible crab
394	Oniscus asellus	Common Shiny Woodlouse
395	Orchestia gammarellus	Sand Hopper
396	Nedyus quadrimaculatus	A weevil
397	Halichondria panicea	Breadcrumb Sponge
398	Sylvia borin	Garden Warbler
399	Blastenia crenularia	A lichen
400	Caloplaca thallincola	A lichen
401	Lecanora carpinea	A lichen
402	Melanelixia subaurifera	A lichen
403	Opegrapha calcarea	A lichen
404	Parmelia sulcata	A lichen
405	Physcia adscendens	A lichen
406	Ramalina farinacea	A lichen
407	Kuehneola uredinis	A rust on Rubus
408	Rosellinia aquila	A pyrenomycete
409	Salix caprea	Goat Willow
410	Sorbus intermedia	Swedish Whitebeam
411	Dolichopus popularis	A long-legged fly
412	Helophilus pendulus	A hover fly
413	Hydrotaea dentipes	A muscid fly
414	Phaonia rufiventris	A muscid fly

Dalgety Bay - Bay of Spiders

A noiseless patient spider,
I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated,
Mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand,
Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,
Till the bridge you will need be form’d, till the ductile anchor hold,
Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.

- Walt Whitman

Segestria senoculata - a crevice hider

Araneus diadematus

Harpactea hombergi - nocturnal louse hunter on trunks

Nocturnal ramblings returned little by way of moths, but the spidering was good. Cleopus pulchellus was a welcome addition to my and the county's lists from a small patch of Scroph nodosa.

List additions:

347	Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus	A bug	hemiptera
348	Athous haemorrhoidalis	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
349	Cleopus pulchellus	A weevil	coleoptera
350	Tachina ursina	A tachinid fly	diptera
351	Ametastegia pallipes	A sawfly	hymenoptera
352	Formica lemani	An ant	hymenoptera
353	Ganoderma applanatum	Artist's Bracket	fungus
354	Araneus diadematus	A spider	spider
355	Harpactea hombergi	A spider	spider
356	Nuctenea umbratica	Walnut Orb-weaver	spider
357	Segestria senoculata	A spider	spider
358	Forficula auricularia	Common Earwig	dermaptera
359	Drepanosiphum platanoidis	Sycamore aphid	hemiptera
360	Cheilosia pagana	A hover fly	diptera
361	Platycheirus albimanus	A hoverfly	diptera
362	Platycheirus angustatus	A hoverfly	diptera
363	Suillia affinis	A heleomyzid fly	diptera
364	Odontopera bidentata	Scalloped Hazel	lep-moth
365	Myrmica ruginodis	Red Ant	hymenoptera

Dalgety Bay NT1783

The list is ticking on apace, with a few new additions to the Bay list and a fair chance of getting deep into the 400s by end of May. More or less managing to keep up with identification with a small bullpen for a rainy day.

272	Metellina merianae	A spider	spider
273	Parapiesma quadratum	Orache lacebug	hemiptera
274	Euophryum confine	A Weevil	coleoptera
275	Cydia ulicetana	Grey Gorse Piercer	lep-moth
276	Alca torda	Razorbill	bird
277	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Bullfinch	bird
278	Byssomerulius corium	Netted Crust	fungus
279	Bryum dichotomum	Bicolored Bryum	moss
280	Polytrichum piliferum	Bristly Haircap	moss
281	Drymus sylvaticus	A ground bug	hemiptera
282	Javesella discolor	A planthopper	hemiptera
283	Empis trigramma	An empid fly	diptera
284	Helina evecta	A muscid fly	diptera
285	Andrena scotica	Chocolate mining bee	hymenoptera
286	Isothecium myosuroides	Slender Mouse-tail Moss	moss
287	Microlinyphia pusilla	A Linyphiid spider	spider
288	Armadillidium vulgare	Common Pill Woodlouse	crustacean
289	Monalocoris filicis	Bracken Bug	hemiptera
290	Beris chalybata	Murky-legged Black Legionnaire	diptera
291	Cheilosia albitarsis	A hover fly	diptera
292	Myathropa florea	A flower fly	diptera
293	Ptychoptera lacustris	A crane fly	diptera
294	Tenthredo livida	A sawfly	hymenoptera
295	Pilosella officinarum	Mouse-ear Hawkweed	flowering plant
296	Stellaria media	Common Chickweed	flowering plant
297	Metellina mengei	A spider	spider
298	Cheilosia variabilis	A hover fly	diptera
299	Phytosciara flavipes	A sciarid fly	diptera
300	Rhagio scolopaceus	Downlooker Snipefly	diptera
301	Sarcophaga subvicina	A flesh fly	diptera
302	Tephritis neesii	Tephritidae	diptera
303	Carex otrubae	False Fox-sedge	flowering plant
304	Scrophularia nodosa	Knotted Figwort	flowering plant
305	Symphytum officinale	Tuberous comfrey	flowering plant
306	Larinioides cornutus	An orb spider	spider
307	Philodromus aureolus	A spider	spider
308	Tachycixius pilosus	A true bug	hemiptera
309	Apamea crenata	Clouded-bordered Brindle	lep-moth
310	Aphelia paleana	Timothy Tortrix	lep-moth
311	Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	lep-moth
312	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	lep-moth
313	Xanthorhoe montanata	Silver Ground Carpet	lep-moth
314	Ophion obscuratus	An ichneumonid wasp	hymenoptera
315	Perdix perdix	Grey Partridge	bird
316	Vulpes vulpes	Red Fox	mammal
317	Cytisus scoparius	Broom	flowering plant
318	Salix viminalis	Osier	flowering plant
319	Vicia sativa	Common Vetch	flowering plant
320	Larix decidua	European Larch	conifer
321	Anaspis maculata	A Tumbling Flower Beetle	coleoptera
322	Rhagonycha testacea	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
323	Palloptera quinquemaculata	A Pallopterid fly	diptera
324	Lecanora rupicola	A lichen	lichen
325	Plagiochila asplenioides	Greater Featherwort	liverwort
326	Atriplex glabriuscula	Babington's Orache	flowering plant
327	Rumex acetosella	Sheep's Sorrel	flowering plant
328	Patella vulgata	Common Limpet	mollusc
329	Rhagonycha limbata	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
330	Hilara discoidalis	An empid fly	diptera
331	Rhamphomyia pilifer	An empid fly	diptera
332	Fulmarus glacialis	Fulmar	bird
333	Spinus spinus	Siskin	bird
334	Dasysyrphus venustus	A hoverfly	diptera
335	Eupeodes luniger	A hover fly	diptera
336	Fannia lustrator	A lesser house fly	diptera
337	Limonia phragmitidis	A crane fly	diptera
338	Mydaea urbana	A muscid fly	diptera
339	Winthemia quadripustulata	A tachinid fly	diptera
340	Tenthredo mesomela	A sawfly	hymenoptera
341	Melampsora populnea	Dog's Mercury Rust	fungus
342	Geranium lucidum	Shining Cranesbill	flowering plant
343	Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus	A bug	hemiptera
344	Athous haemorrhoidalis	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
345	Ametastegia pallipes	A sawfly	hymenoptera
346	Formica lemani	An ant	hymenoptera

Dalgety Bay - Braefoot Update

Still keeps on being sunny and some time to play out didn't hurt. I was netting some empids from a seepage the other day when a weasel wandered down the path and we had a mustelid moment before it strolled off, apparently deciding that I was harmless enough.

Aiming for somewhere mid 400s by month end. Lifers haven't been coming thick and fast but I have a couple that hold promise.

Additions:

231	Sylvia communis	Whitethroat	bird
232	Rhopographus filicinus	Bracken Map	fungus
233	Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	flowering plant
234	Atriplex littoralis	Grass-leaved Orache	flowering plant
235	Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd's-purse	flowering plant
236	Cirsium vulgare	Spear Thistle	flowering plant
237	Cruciata laevipes	Crosswort	flowering plant
238	Lotus corniculatus	Common Bird's-foot-trefoil	flowering plant
239	Potentilla reptans	Creeping cinquefoil	flowering plant
240	Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup	flowering plant
241	Tanacetum vulgare	Tansy	flowering plant
242	Tripleurospermum maritimum	Sea Mayweed	flowering plant
243	Pteridium aquilinum	Bracken	fern
244	Helina impuncta	A muscid fly	diptera
245	Sarcophaga vagans	Sarcophagidae	diptera
246	Petrophora chlorosata	Brown Silver-line	lep-moth
247	Mustela nivalis	Weasel	mammal
248	Fumaria muralis	Common Ramping-fumitory	flowering plant
249	Honckenya peploides	Sea Sandwort	flowering plant
250	Plantago maritima	Sea Plantain	flowering plant
251	Poa annua	Annual Meadow-grass	flowering plant
252	Senecio sylvaticus	Heath Groundsel	flowering plant
253	Arion ater	A slug	mollusc
254	Cepaea hortensis	White-lipped Snail	mollusc
255	Heliophanus cupreus	A jumping spider	spider
256	Ommatoiulus sabulosus	Striped Millipede	millipede
257	Orchesella villosa	A springtail	collembola
258	Liocoris tripustulatus	A mirid bug	hemiptera
259	Lucilia caesar	Common Greenbottle	diptera
260	Lucilia sericata	A blowfly	diptera
261	Alauda arvensis	Skylark	bird
262	Linaria cannabina	Linnet	bird
263	Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	bird
264	Halichoerus grypus	Grey Seal	mammal
265	Atrichum undulatum	Common Smoothcap	moss
266	Bryum argenteum	Silver-moss	moss
267	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Sweet Vernal Grass	flowering plant
268	Metellina merianae	A spider	spider
269	Euophryum confine	A Weevil	coleoptera
270	Alca torda	Razorbill	bird
271	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Bullfinch	bird

Dalgety Bay - tiddly om pom pom

Not a contrail to be seen

Sometimes waking up super-early has its benefits, with some seaweeds still unidentified (forever, probably!). Still picking up routine birds and bees. And plants. And ... well there's a lot of "simple" stuff that I just have to find my way around the whole square for.

202	Chondrus crispus	Carrageen	alga
203	Dumontia cortorta	A red alga	alga
204	Fucus serratus	Toothed Wrack	alga
205	Ulva lactuca	Sea Lettuce	alga
206	Allium scorodoprasum	Sand Leek	flowering plant
207	Dactylis glomerata	Cock's-foot	flowering plant
208	Digitalis purpurea	Foxglove	flowering plant
209	Iris pseudacorus	Yellow Iris	flowering plant
210	Myrrhis odorata	Sweet Cicely	flowering plant
211	Quercus robur	Pedunculate Oak	flowering plant
212	Reseda luteola	Weld	flowering plant
213	Rubus idaeus	Raspberry	flowering plant
214	Symphytum x uplandicum	Russian Comfrey	flowering plant
215	Dynamena pumila	A hydrozoan	cnidarian
216	Cornu aspersum	Garden Snail	mollusc
217	Lanice conchilega	Sand Mason	annelid
218	Pagurus bernhardus	Hermit Crab	crustacean
219	Anurida maritima	A springtail	collembola
220	Coccinella septempunctata	7-spot Ladybird	coleoptera
221	Calliphora vicina	Common Bluebottle	diptera
222	Rhamphomyia crassirostris	An Empid fly	diptera
223	Tipula lateralis	A crane fly	diptera
224	Tipula oleracea	A crane fly	diptera
225	Bombus pascuorum	Common Carder Bee	hymenoptera
226	Panorpa germanica	A scorpion fly	insect-other
227	Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit	bird
228	Ardea cinerea	Grey Heron	bird
229	Regulus regulus	Goldcrest	bird
230	Sylvia communis	Whitethroat	bird

Dalgety Bay Braefoot - We 'ope it's chips, it's chips

Roads made of chips - marvellous!

Rugilus orbiculatus

Latest:

151	Primula vulgaris	Primrose	flowering plant
152	Acanthinula aculeata	Prickly Snail	mollusc
153	Cantharis decipiens	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
154	Otiorhynchus singularis	Raspberry Weevil	coleoptera
155	Philonthus decorus	A rove beetle	coleoptera
156	Pterostichus strenuus	A ground beetle	coleoptera
157	Rugilus orbiculatus	A rove beetle	coleoptera
158	Melanostoma mellinum	A hover fly	diptera
159	Neoascia podagrica	A hover fly	diptera
160	Neomyia cornicina	A muscid fly	diptera
161	Sepsis punctum	A sepsid fly	diptera
162	Aglais io	Peacock	lep-butterfly
163	Anthocharis cardamines	Orange-tip	lep-butterfly
164	Andrena fucata	Painted Mining Bee	hymenoptera
165	Dolerus gonager	A sawfly	hymenoptera

02/05

167	Fucus serratus	Toothed Wrack	alga
168	Fucus spiralis	Spiral Wrack	alga
169	Fucus vesiculosus	Bladder Wrack	alga
170	Laminaria hyperborea	Cuvie	alga
171	Ulva intestinalis	Gutweed	alga
172	Vertebrata lanosa	A seaweed	alga
173	Lichina confinis	A lichen	lichen
174	Pinus sylvestris	Scots Pine	conifer
175	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Wall-rue	fern
176	Actinia equina	Beadlet anemone	cnidarian
177	Cepea nemoralis	Brown-lipped Snail	mollusc
178	Gibbula cineraria	Grey Top Shell	mollusc
179	Dalopius marginatus	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
180	Meligethes aeneus	Common Pollen Beetle	coleoptera
181	Eristalis arbustorum	A hover fly	diptera
182	Eudasyphora cyanella	A muscid fly	diptera
183	Gymnocheta viridis	A tachinid fly	diptera
184	Hylemya vagans	A flower fly	diptera
185	Phaonia tuguriorum	A muscid fly	diptera
186	Phorbia fumigata	A flower fly	diptera
187	Pollenia rudis	Awkward Clusterfly	diptera
188	Scathophaga stercoraria	A fly	diptera
189	Lipophrys pholis	Shanny	fish
190	Pholis gunnellus	Butterfish	fish
191	C.ridibundus	Black-headed Gull	bird
192	Columba oenas	Stock Dove	bird
193	Cygnus olor	Mute Swan	bird
194	Dendrocopos major	Great Spotted Woodpecker	bird
195	Emberiza citrinella	Yellowhammer	bird
196	Tadorna tadorna	Shelduck	bird