Skye - End of May update

Well I fell far short of my required 73 new species over the final eight days of May, which would have landed me on 750. As it happened I barely managed to scrape across the 700 mark, adding just 26 new species in the end. Partly this is because I've been very busy at work, plus painting various folks' houses in my spare time, and I've had away days out of the square (and even off Skye on one occasion). 

The good news is that the weather is still glorious and I have tomorrow off work. The light trap has thrown a modest selection of moths my way, including five that were lifers for me. In May I increased my 1KSQ tally from 611 to 703 species and added 16 lifers (from NG3963) to my PSL. 

June needs to be an awful lot better than that! 

Tachypeza nubila - 4mm of sheer amazingness!

Whooper Swan - 1600mm of sheer awesomeness! 

No snazzy graphs and swanky visuals from me - so here's a dusty dry breakdown for you to yawn your way through instead :)

Algae - 44

Protists - 2

Lichen - 40

Fungi - 59

Bryophytes - 36 

Plants - 198

Sponges - 1

Cnidarians - 1

Molluscs - 29

Bryozoans - 2

Annelids - 7

Platyhelminths - 6

Arachnids - 19

Myriapods - 11

Crustaceans - 11

Springtails - 2

Bristletails - 1

Odonata - 1

Orthopteroids - 1

Hemiptera - 10 - laughably low

Hymenoptera - 6 - quite pathetic

Coleoptera - 21 - oh dear...

Diptera - 34 - must try harder

Butterflies - 1

Moths - 55

Insects RSO - 9

Echinoderms - 1

Fish - 4

Amphibians - 2

Birds - 83

Mammals - 5

Others - 1 (nemertean worm)

As can be seen, I really ought to start looking at stuff with six legs sometime soon. My predictions/plans are famous for always being wildly off the mark, but I'm going to say that I'll be over 900 by the end of June. Of course, I have some of the country's most talented PSLers visiting at the end of the month (oh, and Ali, Tim and Pete are due too..) so who knows where the true tally will end up after that. I'm massively looking forward to showing them some cool species, and I'm bound to be shown some lifers too, but realistically that's just a bonus side-effect to providing the guys with a memorable weekend. Hopefully for all the right reasons! 

Anyway, there's a Rose-coloured Starling playing hide and seek with me, found yesterday by another birder (as it flew through my square...grrrrrrr!) but I haven't relocated it yet. Full on adult too, proper Pink Stink rather than a grotty juv. Been a while since I saw an adult, over ten years in fact. I have my network of locals all keeping an eye out for it...

I'm not greedy, just one would do. Oh alright, so 60 would be kinda nice too :) 

Dalgety Bay - end of May - 872

I'll probably add one or two tonight but what the heck - I like these end of period summaries

Amazingly I found my 5th new hover fly for the month yesterday - 30th species of May. I can't wait to see what else might show up. There's a preponderance of new things for me associated with wetlands and alders, which reflects where I haven't been (I'm also looking forward to working a conifer area, where I also haven't really been!). Eumerus funeralis is my 88th hover out of a county fauna of 124 (70%)  so to add 5 new species in one month is way beyond expectations.

I'm expecting to finish tonigh on circa 875, way ahead of  a half-intended 800 after a 200 species leap in May which included 80 additional diptera. You can see from the graphic below where the numbers are coming from - unsurprisingly flying beasties and plants.

So, the question now is ... can I finish before Skye!

Eumerus funeralis

Numbers

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
Plants - Vascular	65	77	85	114	151
Diptera	15	24	38	61	141
Fungi	60	83	86	92	96
Vert - Birds	54	62	75	82	85
Lepidoptera	4	8	14	32	69
Plants - Bryo	46	52	55	61	61
Invert - Other	22	41	54	57	58
Lichens	27	31	35	38	38
Coleoptera	8	13	16	23	32
Arachnida	7	12	17	20	30
Mollusc	12	17	27	28	29
Algae	6	15	26	28	28
Hymenoptera	3	4	4	14	18
Hemiptera	4	5	7	9	17
Collembola	5	8	10	10	10
Vert - Other	3	5	5	7	8
	341	457	554	676	871
		116	97	122	195

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Graphic

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Dalgety Bay

A mixture of interesting things keeping things ticking along, including another new county calliphorid in Melinda viridicyanea. Since the moth trap's getting precious little I had to go out and find some in the bushes...

Acrobasis advenella

Green-brindled Crescent

Most amazing to me is that I've recorded 78 additional species of fly in May. Last year I had recorded total 86 by end of June. I'll almost certainly pass last year's year total of 161 in June.

Looking forward to Skye trip now and thinking we need to firm up some plans. Contemplating heading up Thursday night to make the most of it.

Numbers:

850	*	diptera	Limnophora olympiae	A muscid fly
851		lep-moth	Eupithecia assimilata	Currant Pug
852		mollusc	Cepaea hortensis	White-lipped Snail
853		diptera	Episyrphus balteatus	Syrphidae
854	*	aphid	Eriosoma ulmi	Elm-currant Aphid
855	*	diptera	Calliphora loewi	A blow fly
856		diptera	Coenosia tigrina	Muscidae
857		spider	Araniella cucurbitana	A spider
858	*	flowering plant	Veronica arvensis	Wall Speedwell
859	*	diptera	Melinda viridicyanea	A blow fly
860	*	spider	Neottiura bimaculata	A spider
861		lep-moth	Allophyes oxyacanthae	Green-brindled Crescent
862	*	lep-moth	Acrobasis advenella	A micro moth

Moths - slow but improving...

Getting to the productive period for this square, lots out there. The easiest group to add new species with little effort is moths, so it would be nice to lose these easterlies and get a warm gentle SW wind. A nice soldier fly in the garden this morning. A walk along the dyke yesterday produced an increase in dragonflies, including 10 Hairy Dragonflies and 5 Four-spotted Chasers.

the "Black Colonel", Odontomyia tigrina

1001	Melissa officinalis	Vascular Plants	Balm	27/05/2018
1002	Aphis fabae	Hemipteroids	Black Bean aphid	27/05/2018
1003	Tortrix viridana	Lepidoptera:moths	Green Oak Tortrix	27/05/2018
1004	Arge ochropus	Hymenoptera	Symphyta: Rose Sawfly	27/05/2018
1005	Pipistrellus pipistrellus	Mammals	Common Pipistrelle	27/05/2018
1006	Scopula floslactata	Lepidoptera:moths	Cream Wave	27/05/2018
1007	Crambus lathoniellus	Lepidoptera:moths	Hook-streak Grass-veneer	27/05/2018
1008	Rivula sericealis	Lepidoptera:moths	Straw Dot	27/05/2018
1009 *	Epermenia falciformis	Lepidoptera:moths	Large Lance-wing	27/05/2018
1010	Protodeltote pygarga	Lepidoptera:moths	Marbled White Spot	27/05/2018
1012	Blastobasis lacticolella	Lepidoptera:moths	London Dowd	27/05/2018
1013	Laspeyria flexula	Lepidoptera:moths	Beautiful Hook-tip	27/05/2018
1014	Myelois circumvoluta	Lepidoptera:moths	Thistle Ermine	27/05/2018
1015	Elachista argentella	Lepidoptera:moths	Swan-feather Dwarf	27/05/2018
1016	Xanthorhoe montanata	Lepidoptera:moths	Silver-ground Carpet	27/05/2018
1017	Celypha lacunana	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Marble	27/05/2018
1018	Plagodis dolabraria	Lepidoptera:moths	Scorched Wing	27/05/2018
1019	Lasiommata megera	Lepidoptera:butterflies	Wall Brown	28/05/2018
1020	Libellula quadrimaculata	Odonata	Four-spotted Chaser	28/05/2018
1021	Ischnura elegans	Odonata	Blue-tailed Damselfly	28/05/2018
1022	Oedemera nobilis	Coleoptera	Swollen-thighed Beetle	28/05/2018
1023	Falco subbuteo	Birds	Hobby	28/05/2018
1024	Merodon equestris	Diptera	Syrphidae	28/05/2018
1025	Philonthus laminatus	Coleoptera	Staph.	28/05/2018
1026	Eupeodes corollae	Diptera	Syrphidae	28/05/2018
1027	Dolichopus ungulatus	Diptera	Dolichopodidae	28/05/2018
1028	Pterostichus melanarius	Coleoptera	Carabidae	26/05/2018
1029	Sarcophaga dissimilis	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	28/05/2018
1030	Sarcophaga nigriventris	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	28/05/2018
1031	Artemisia vulgaris	Vascular Plants	Mugwort	28/05/2018
1032	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Vascular Plants	Sweet Vernal Grass	28/05/2018
1033	Carex otrubae	Vascular Plants	False Fox-sedge	28/05/2018
1034	Aelia acuminata	Hemipteroids	Bishop's Mitre Shieldbug	28/05/2018
1035	Cordylepherus viridis	Coleoptera	Malachiidae	28/05/2018
1036	Clubiona reclusa	Arachnids	Clubionidae	28/05/2018
1037 *	Sitona cylindricollis	Coleoptera	Weevil	28/05/2018
1038	Scoparia ambigualis	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Grey	28/05/2018
1039	Axylia putris	Lepidoptera:moths	The Flame	28/05/2018
1040	Donacia clavipes	Coleoptera	Chrysomelidae	28/05/2018
1041	Cantharis lateralis	Coleoptera	Cantharidae	29/05/2018

Dalgety Bay - 850 up

So advanced-revised target reached and topping up in preparation for the final hurdle. Who knows whether I'll make it in June. It is surely possible but time constraints, a bioblitz and a weekend away all contrive to  make a June finish a stretch. The moths may come back on stream though so who can tell? I'd be looking to finish up the next three days probably with another 20 or so species in the bag for that to happen.

Here are a couple of pics of new-to-county Rhaphium crassipes, my second Rhaphium of the campaign

Numbers:

834		diptera	Cheilosia impressa	A hover fly
835		insect-other	Panorpa germanica	A scorpion fly
836		diptera	Azelia cilipes	A muscid fly
837		diptera	Helina impuncta	A muscid fly
838		diptera	Pollenia griseotomentosa	A muscid fly
839	*	diptera	Rhaphium crassipes	A long-legged fly
840	*	diptera	Siphona maculata	A tachinid fly
841		hemiptera	Monalocoris filicis	Bracken Bug
842		lep-moth	Esperia sulphurella	A micro moth
843		lep-moth	Eupithecia tripunctaria	White-spotted Pug
844		lep-moth	Glyphipterix simpliciella	Cocksfoot Moth
845		spider	Philodromus aureolus	A spider
846		coleoptera	Cantharis cryptica	A Soldier Beetle
847	*	diptera	Limnophora maculosa	A muscid fly
848		lep-moth	Dysstroma truncata	Common Marbled Carpet
849		lep-moth	Ancylis badiana	Common Roller
850	*	diptera	Limnophora olympiae	A muscid fly
851		lep-moth	Eupithecia assimilata	Currant Pug

Gibbaranea gibbosa - 1000 up!

A mega recording day yesterday resulted in getting to species number 1000, a male Gibbaranea gibbosa

Gibbaranea gibbosa male

And a couple of great local records were Clouded Buff, a fantastic moth which I never dreamt I'd see here, plus a rare beetle, Ptinus sexpunctatus, with only a handful of Norfolk records.

Clouded Buff, new for garden

Ptinus sexpunctatus, lifer and new for square

The other additions were:

928	Timandra comae	Lepidoptera:moths	Blood-vein	23/05/2018
929	Eupithecia vulgata	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Pug	23/05/2018
930	Calliteara pudibunda	Lepidoptera:moths	Pale Tussock	23/05/2018
931	Cochylis atricapitana	Lepidoptera:moths	Black-headed Conch	23/05/2018
932	Agonopterix propinquella	Lepidoptera:moths	Black-spot Flat-body	23/05/2018
933	Chamerion angustifolium	Vascular Plants	Rosebay Willowherb	24/05/2018
934	Hemaris fuciformis	Lepidoptera:moths	Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth	24/05/2018
935	Vanessa atalanta	Lepidoptera:butterflies	Red Admiral	24/05/2018
936	Magdalis cerasi	Coleoptera	Curculonidae	24/05/2018
937 *	Andrena labiata	Hymenoptera	Andrenidae: Red-girdled Mining Bee	24/05/2018
938	Andrena scotica	Hymenoptera	Andrenidae: Chocolate Mining Bee	24/05/2018
939	Ancistrocerus trifasciatus	Hymenoptera	Caterpillar-hunting potter wasp	24/05/2018
940	Scatopse notata	Diptera	Scatopsidae	24/05/2018
941	Themira annulipes	Diptera	Sepsidae	24/05/2018
942 *	Paregle audacula	Diptera	Anthomyiidae	24/05/2018
943	Lomographa temerata	Lepidoptera:moths	Clouded Silver	24/05/2018
944	Drymonia dodonaea	Lepidoptera:moths	Marbled Brown	24/05/2018
945	Watsonalla binaria	Lepidoptera:moths	Oak Hook-tip	24/05/2018
946	Simyra albovenosa	Lepidoptera:moths	Reed Dagger	24/05/2018
947	Acronicta rumicis	Lepidoptera:moths	Knot Grass	24/05/2018
948	Epiblema cynosbatella	Lepidoptera:moths	Yellow-faced Bell	24/05/2018
949	Diarsia rubi	Lepidoptera:moths	Small Square-spot	24/05/2018
950	Abrostola tripartita	Lepidoptera:moths	The Spectacle	24/05/2018
951	Abrostola triplasia	Lepidoptera:moths	Dark Spectacle	24/05/2018
952	Grapholita funebrana	Lepidoptera:moths	Plum Fruit Moth	24/05/2018
953	Sarcophaga haemorrhoa	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	24/05/2018
954	Liophloeus tessulatus	Coleoptera	Curculionidae	25/05/2018
955	Gracillaria syringella	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Slender	25/05/2018
956	Cantharis cryptica	Coleoptera	Cantharidae	25/05/2018
957	Phryganea grandis	RSO	Caddis Fly	24/05/2018
958	Sarcophaga variegata	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	24/05/2018
959	Philaenus spumarius	Hemipteroids	Common Froghopper	25/05/2018
960	Sepsis punctum	Diptera	Sepsidae	24/05/2018
961	Sarcophaga incisilobata	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	24/05/2018
962	Sarcophaga subvicina	Diptera	Sarcophagidae	24/05/2018
963	Diacrisia sannio	Lepidoptera:moths	Clouded Buff	25/05/2018
964	Chrysoteuchia culmella	Lepidoptera:moths	Garden Grass-veneer	25/05/2018
965	Eurrhypara hortulata	Lepidoptera:moths	Small Magpie	25/05/2018
966	Spilosoma luteum	Lepidoptera:moths	Buff Ermine	25/05/2018
967	Hepialus lupulinus	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Swift	25/05/2018
968	Agrotis ipsilon	Lepidoptera:moths	Dark Sword-grass	25/05/2018
969	Sterna hirundo	Birds	Common Tern	26/05/2018
969	Cyclophora linearia	Lepidoptera:moths	Clay Triple-lines	25/05/2018
971	Persicaria maculosa	Vascular Plants	Redshank	26/05/2018
972	Dioctria rufipes	Diptera	Common Red-legged Robberfly	26/05/2018
973	Rhagio scolopaceus	Diptera	Downlooker Snipefly	26/05/2018
974	Malachius bipustulatus	Coleoptera	Malachite Beetle	26/05/2018
975	Taeniapion urticarium	Coleoptera	Weevil	26/05/2018
976	Grammoptera ruficornis	Coleoptera	Common Grammoptera	26/05/2018
977 *	Ptinus sexpunctatus	Coleoptera	Anobiidae	26/05/2018
978 *	Dolerus gonager	Hymenoptera	Symphyta: Selandriinae: Dolerus	26/05/2018
979	Cantharis rustica	Coleoptera	Cantharidae	26/05/2018
980	Cantharis nigricans	Coleoptera	Cantharidae	26/05/2018
981	Himacerus apterus	Hemipteroids	Tree Damsel Bug	26/05/2018
982	Ceutorhynchus obstrictus	Coleoptera	Curculionidae	26/05/2018
983	Bruchus rufimanus	Coleoptera	Bean Seed Beetle	26/05/2018
984	Neocoenorrhinus germanicus	Coleoptera	Strawberry Rhyncites	26/05/2018
985	Eupithecia centaureata	Lepidoptera:moths	Lime-speck Pug	26/05/2018
986	Silpha atrata	Coleoptera	Black Snail Beetle	26/05/2018
987	Hoplodrina ambigua	Lepidoptera:moths	Vine's Rustic	26/05/2018
988	Mythimna pallens	Lepidoptera:moths	Common Wainscot	26/05/2018
989	Lacanobia oleracea	Lepidoptera:moths	Bright-line Brown-eye	26/05/2018
990	Oligia fasciuncula	Lepidoptera:moths	Middle-barred Minor	26/05/2018
991	Conocephalus fuscus	Orthopteroids	Long-winged Conehead	26/05/2018
992	Leptopterna dolabrata	Hemipteroids	Mirid Bug	26/05/2018
993	Aphomia sociella	Lepidoptera:moths	Bee Moth	26/05/2018
994	Odontomyia tigrina	Diptera	Black Colonel	26/05/2018
995	Netelia infractor	Hymenoptera	Ichneumonidae	26/05/2018
996	Anaspis regimbarti	Coleoptera	Scraptiidae	26/05/2018
997	Byturus tomentosus	Coleoptera	Raspberry Beetle	26/05/2018
998	Donacia simplex	Coleoptera	Chrysomelidae	26/05/2018
999	Araniella opisthographa	Arachnids	Areneidae	26/05/2018
1000	Gibbaranea gibbosa	Arachnids	Araneidae	26/05/2018

Now I need a rest!

Update - here's a breakdown of the 1000 species ranked in taxa order, and including a breakdown of the species I've seen in my garden

	TG4523 all	Garden
Insects: Diptera	191	154
Insects: Coleoptera	187	143
Vascular Plants	140	42
Insects: Moths	122	113
Birds	103	92
Arachnids	61	51
Insects: Hemipteroids	52	36
Insects: Hymenoptera	48	38
Fungi/Lichens	22	9
Mammals	13	8
Insects: RSO	12	11
Insects: Butterflies	11	9
Molluscs	9	7
Myriapods	6	6
Springtails	6	6
Bryophytes	4	4
Insects: Odonata	4	4
Insects: Orthopteroids	4	2
Crustaceans	3	3
Fish	1	0
Reptiles	1	0
Algae	0	0
Cnidarians	0	0
Annelid Worms	0	0
Amphibia	0	0
Other Animals	0	0
Echinoderms	0	0
Grand Totals	1000	738
Totals since Oct 2013	2328	1874

Dalgety Bay - 833, The Number of the Beast

A couple of days ago I saw a spectacularly blue-black fly with a bright silver face and insanely long legs in the Clearing of Wonder (TM). I snagged it and pinned it but had not got around to keying it yet. Yesterday I saw another of the same and snagged it also, and it turned out last night to be a male (very late, since I had other stuff to do until about 11!).

Looking at it every single aspect of this fly was interesting. Its overall appearance was striking, like if you saw a black Ferrari in the car park at Aldi. Its legs were outrageous. The mid legs are incredibly long, and have an upturned spur on the apex of the femora. The hind femorae have a weird "peg" about half way along below and the hind tibia have long cilia dangling down. The front femora are like spiky shovels. They are just absurd. It would be interesting to know why all these things are as they are.

It was already my new favourite fly. And that was before I figured out it was Hydrotaea DIABOLUS. Cool fly, cool name. Apparently this is the 3rd Scottish record (NBN caveats...) and it certainly looks new to the county. Only worth one "point" in the 1KS scheme, but what a point!

Also I had my fifth new hover of the year in Chalcosyrphus nemorum - and before May's out!

Most stunnning addition of the day though I suppose has to go to Barn Swallow. My first hirundine of the year.

Numbers:

828	*	diptera	Syntormon pallipes	A long-legged fly
829		diptera	Argyra leucocephala	A long-legged fly
830		bird	Hirundo rustica	Barn Swallow
831		mammal	Erinaceus europaeus	West European Hedgehog
832	*	diptera	Chalcosyrphus nemorum	A hover fly
833	*	diptera	Hydrotaea diabolus	A muscid fly