Category Archives: Wildlife

Swarms of Migrants in Hastings Country Park.

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In the past couple of weeks there have been migrants lurking in the undergrowth wherever you looked. One of the large and brightly marked hoverflies, Scaeva pyrastri, has been seen on just about every umbel of hogweed in the hedgerows around the Country Park. It is a large black and white fly with comma shaped markings and a bulging face, making it easy to identify. It is not resident in Britain but is a very frequent summer visitor, with some years seeing huge numbers of migrants. This is one such year.

Batman visits Hastings Country Park.

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Among the myriad hoverflies that attend hedgerow flowers around the Country Park, some are more readily identifiable than others. There is one that has unmistakeable markings. Myathropa florea is a large and brightly coloured hoverfly whose distinctive pattern of markings on the thorax looks a bit like the Batman symbol. It is a widespread and abundant species that can be seen anywhere around the Country Park between April and November.

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Gatekeepers.

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After a slow start there has been a profusion of Gatekeeper butterflies around the Visitor Centre in the last couple of weeks. They are seen on the hedgerow next to the VC and on the field margin across the road. Such is their profusion that they frequently fly inside the VC and have to be ushered out by the volunteers.

Leafcutter Bees at the Visitor Centre.

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The wooden siding of the south wall of the Visitor Centre has a plethora of small knot-holes, splits and cracks, and a few of these have been adopted by Leafcutter Bees (Megachile spp.). It doesn’t take many minutes of watching before one may notice a bee flying toward the VC carrying a large piece of leaf beneath its body between its legs. The bee then squeezes its body and payload through the hole in the wooden siding. They cut leaves using their mandibles; rectangular pieces for the side walls of the cell and circular pieces for the end walls. The cells are then provisioned with a mixture of pollen and nectar for the larva to feed upon.

Butterflies today at Hastings Country Park

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A walk round The Firehills and Warren Glen today turned out to be a good day for seeing butterflies. Peacock, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Large and Small White, Gatekeeper, Comma, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Small/Essex Skipper and a Country Park first for me White Admiral. Gatekeepers are everywhere, a really good year for them and a good day for me.Small_cop                                                            Small copper