Tiger (Moth) Time

Scarlet Tiger moth, Anglesey Abbey, Cambs.

We have been to the water mill at Anglesey Abbey on many occasions. We have often watched swans, dragonflies and damselflies. This time our eyes were averted by a fluttery flash of red: a Scarlet Tiger moth in flight. I have never seen these magnificent insects in the east of England before, and my Cornish sightings have been few and far between. 

I loaded a photo on to iSpot, and one of the other contributors to the site suggested I contact the County Moth Recorder for Cambridgeshire. I have now had the ID confirmed (not that I was really in any doubt on this occasion), but I have also learned that this species appears to be moving east and that the predominant moth on a relatively nearby fen was in fact the Scarlet Tiger. What a magnificent creature to find in National Insect Week!

Scarlet Tiger

Small Eggar (Eriogaster lanestris) larva, Anglesey Abbey

Our next sighting was less showy, but interesting nonetheless. The moth larva in the photo above floored me somewhat in terms of an ID. As you can see, it was on a pathway with pebble-sized stones, quite close to the Visitors' Centre. The photo fails to show the conifers that towered above the path. 

I had imagined that the 'blanket-stitch' edging would aid identification considerably, but I drew a blank. Once again the folk on iSpot came to my rescue, suggesting an ID of Small Eggar, a 'Nationally Scarce' category B species. I see it usually turns up in the west but that there have been sightings in Norfolk. 

Water mill on the lode at Anglesey Abbey

 

Updated Garden List of Species, 2024

 

Taken: 1 May 2024

Those who have visited my blog before will know that I have been keeping a list of the wildlife I see in our suburban Suffolk garden since 2014. For a creature to be counted, it must be seen within, underneath or above our boundary. Some years ago I began keeping an eye on the wildflowers (see here for the most recent list ... and also here) that we noticed in the garden. I may decide to combine the two lists at some point.

* = an identification given via iSpot. 

Trailcam: this has given us photos of a fox, various mice and birds and the hedgehog. The hedgehog comes (for water and Yora insect-based food) nearly every night now that the hibernation season is over. 

[R] = a regular visitor

[O] = an occasional one.  

Incidentally, the Migrant Hawker sightings in the list below inspired one of the poems in my 2021 poetry collection, Driftwood by Starlight, which is is now available in the online shop for The Seventh Quarry Press. Do take a look here. 

And now to my updated list...

Avian sightings

• HPb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker [O]  [early March, June, Aug 2020]early Mar., 17 June 2021, 17 April 2022 Jan 20232024
• HPb2   Great tit [R] 20202021202220232024
• HPb3   Long-tailed tit [R] 20202021202220232024
• HPb4   Blackbird [R] 20202021, with young202220232024
• HPb5   Song Thrush  [27 April 2019 - a pair] [27 March 2020]20222024
• HPb6   Blue tit [R] 20202021, with young202220232024
• HPb7   Robin  [R]  20202021, with young202220232024
• HPb8   Magpie [R] 20202021202220232024
• HPb9   Wood Pigeon  [R] 20202021202220232024
• HPb10 Dunnock [R] 20202021202220232024
• HPb11 Starling [R] 20202021, with young202220232024
• HPb12 Carrion Crow [R] 2020202120222024
• HPb13 Goldfinch [R] 20202021, with young202220232024
• HPb14 Jay [O] 2020  Mar. 2021 (two)2022 20232024
• HPb15 Green Woodpecker [O] seen in passing [May 2020]
• HPb16 Wren [O] [27 March 2020]2021202220232024
• HPb17 Bullfinch [19 January 2017] 2020
• HPb18 Sparrowhawk [June 2020] [25 Feb 2021]20222024
• HPb19 Mallard 
• HPb20 House Sparrow [1 June 2019] [June 2020] Mar. 2021202220232024
• HPb21 Chaffinch 2020 Mar. 2021
• HPb22 Grey Heron [18 and 26 Feb 2020] early May 202120222024
• HPb23 Collared Dove [R] 2020 202120222024 (nesting)
  
• HPb24 Coal tit 202120222024
• HPb25 Redwing [20 January 2017] Feb 202120222023
• HPb26 Kestrel  [8 June 2017] 4 June 20212022 
  
• HPb27 Blackcap [Feb 2020] 28 Feb, 7 Mar 2021 18 Apr 2022 Jan 20232024
• HPb28 Greenfinch [6 Feb 2020]29 Jan 2023June 2024
• HPb29 Swift [15 July 2020]16 June 20212022June 2024
• HPb30 Buzzard [Sept 2020] 16 June 202120222024
• HPb31 Fieldfares [a flock, garden first, February 2021]
• HPb32 Common Gull Mar. 2021
• HPb33 RedKite 2022 30 Jan 2023
• HPb34 Redpoll  11 Feb 2023 
• HPb35 Black-backed gull 2024
• HPb36 House Martin 2024

• Cuckoo - not listed as such because it just missed our garden, but for only the second time since we moved here nearly a decade ago, I not only heard one calling but also caught sight of it. [2 June 2021]

 

Mammal sightings

• HPm1 (?Wood) Mouse Mar. 202120222024 Trailcam
• HPm2 Bat [1st 2015 sighting 7 May 2015] [Apr/May 2015]  [22 Jan 2017]  [Aug 2018]  [8 Aug 2019] [May, 17, 25 July 2020] 18 May, 15 June, 26 Aug 202112 July 202220231 May 2024
• HPm3 Shrew 2x 2024
• HPm4 Grey Squirrel [R] and now [O] 2020 15 Mar, Aug 2021202220232024
• HPm5 Stoat
• HPm6 Hedgehog  [9 Aug 2018] [1 June 2019]Aug, Sept 202220232024 Trailcam
• HPm7 Fox  June 2022 Trailcam

Amphibian sightings

• HPam1 Common Frog [26 May 2019] 12 July, 27 Aug 202220232024, 2nd June: two frogs
• HPam1 Common Toad 2 Aug 2022 

Reptile sightings

• HPr1 Common Lizard (two. A new species for the garden!) [1, 8 August 2020]
• HPr2 Grass Snake (A new species for the garden!) 8 August 2023
• HPr3 Slow worm (A new species for the garden!) 25 July 2024

Insect sightings 

• HPi1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly [March 2014] [27 Feb 2017] three, Aug 202120222023
• HPi2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee [March 2014] [Jan/Feb 2016] [Mar/Apr 2016] [2017] 20202021202220232024
• HPi3 Brimstone butterfly [April 2014] [5 June 2019] 202020212022
• HPi4 7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [Oct 2014] [2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] 20202021202220232024
• HPi5 Small Skipper butterfly [July 2014] [26 July 2019] [20,21 June 2020]202120222023
• HPi6 Meadow Brown butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [12 June 2020, six!]2021202220232024
• HPi7 Large White butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2016] [21 June 2020]7 June 2021202220232024
• HPi8 14-spot Yellow Ladybirds [July 2014] [May 2019] [1 July 2020]2024
• HPi9 Small White butterfly [May 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 - larvae] [2 May 2019] 20202021202220232024
• HPi10 Orange tip butterfly [May 2014] 2020 11 May 2021Apr 202220232024
• HPi11 Harlequin ladybird  [May 2014] [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015] [1 April 2019, N.B. spotless] 2024
• HPi12 Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) [June 2014] [June/July 2016] [18 May 2018] 2024
• HPi13 Ruby-tail Wasp [June 2014] [May/June 2015] [May/June 2016] [21 May 2017]  [May 2020]
• HPi14 Blackfly [R]  202020222024
• HPi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Jul/Aug 2016] [20 June 2020]20222024
• HPi16 Gorse Shield bug [27 March 2020]
  
• HPi17 Migrant Hawker dragonflies [July 2014]2021Aug 2022
• HPi18 Gatekeeper butterfly [Jul/Aug 2016] [9 Aug 2019] 2020202120222023
• HPi19 Comma butterfly [August 2014] [June/July 2016] [2017] [8 Aug 2019] 20202021202220232024
• HPi20 Red Admiral butterfly [August 2014] [October 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [14 June 2020]Aug 2021 16 May 202220232024
• HPi21 Peacock butterfly [August 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Nov/Dec 2015] [8 Aug 2019] [27 March 2020] [two on 25 March 202110 Mar 202220232024
• HPi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015] 2020202220232024
• HPi23 Ants [R] [27 March 2020]2021202220232024
• HPi24 Squashbug aka Dock Bug, (Coreus marginatus ) [August 2014] [May 2018, mating]July 2024
• HPi25 Birch Shieldbug (late instar?) [September 2014]
• HPi26 Lacewing [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015]  [14 June 2020]
• HPi27 Cereal Leaf Beetle [Apr/May 2015]
• HPi28 Painted Lady [2018] [8 Aug 2019]three, Aug 202127 May 20222023
• HPi29 Rosemary Beetle [[Sept/Oct 2015] [May/June 2016 - four] [May 2017]
• HPi30 Hawthorn Shieldbug [May/June 2015] 
• HPi31 Forest Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) [Sept/Oct 2015] 
• HPi32 *Early Bumblebee [Mar/Apr 2016] 20212024
• HPi33 *Species of Miridae [Mar/Apr 2016]  
• HPi34 Cranefly [R]  20202021202220232024
• HPi35 Crossocerus, wasps family Crabronidae [May/June 2016] 
• HPi36 Wasp Beetle (Clytus arietis) [May/June 2016]
• HPi37 Tree Bumblebee (Bombus (Pyrobombus) hypnorum) [May/June 2016] 
• HPi38 Moth Least Black Arches (Nola confusalis) [May/June 2016] 
• HPi39 Holly Blue Butterfly  [26 May 2017]  [27 April and 6 June 2019] 202026 May 2021 2 May 202220232024
• HPi40 Dark Bush Cricket (nymph) [18 May 2017] [10 June 2019] [10 June 2020] 25 May 202220232024
• HPi41 Common Cockchafer  [18 May 2017]   [14 June 2019]  [10 June 2020]5 June 202120222023
• HPi42 Scorpion Fly [May2017] [23 May 2017]  8 June 202126 May 2022
• HPi43 Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica)  [2017] [13 May 2018][2019] 202020222023
• HPi44 Cabbage Bug (Eurydema (Eurydema) oleracea)  [2017]  [9 June 2017]  
• HPi45 Light Brown Apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana) [2017] [23 May 2017] 
• HPi46 Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) [9 May 2018]1 May 2024
  
• HPi47  Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus)   [11 May 2018] 2020202116 July 2022
  
• HPi48  Speckled Wood butterfly (Pararge aegeria)   [15 May 2018] 2020 24 May 2021 20 April 20222023
• HPi49  Ruby Tiger moth (Phragmatobia fuliginosa)   [18 May 2018] 2020
• HPi50  Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata)   [24 May 2018]  [2019] 202015 June, 27 Aug 2021202220232024
• HPi51  Mullein Moth larva (Cucullia verbasci)   [14 June 2018] 
• HPi52  Silver Y moth [two - August 2018] 14 July 2020Aug 2021 26 May 20222023
• HPi53  Rove Beetle (Platydracus stercorarius)   [September 2018] 
• HPi54 *Green Long-horn moth 13 May 202120222023
• HPi55 Fire bug nymph [17 April 2019]2022
  
• HPi56 Pine Ladybird [1 April 2019]  202020212022
• HPi57 Cinnabar moth [4 and 5 April 2019] [21 June 2020]2022 
• HPi58 Small Red Damselfly [20 May 2019]  20202024 
• HPi59 *Tortoise Bug [3 June 2019]   
• HPi60 *Cryptolaemus montrouzieri [6 June 2019] 
• HPi61 *Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthrenus (Nathrenus) verbasci)  [6 June 2019] 202020222024
• HPi62 *Empis tessellata [31 May 2019] 
• HPi63 *Macrophya [22 May 2019] 
• HPi64 *Bagworm moth case (Psychidae: Common Sweep, Psyche casta) [31 May 2019] 22 May 2022 20236 May 2024 (with larva emerging)
  
• HPi65 *Greater Bulb-Fly (Merodon equestris) [22 May 2019]  2020
• HPi66 *Figwort Weevil larva (Cionus scrophulariae) [22 May 2019] 
• HPi67 *Arge Sawfly (Arge cyanocrocea) [22 May 2019]  2020
• HPi68 *Sarcophaga [16 May 2019]
• HPi69 *Juniper Shield Bug (Cyphosthetus tristriatus) [16 May 2019] 
• HPi70 *St Mark's Fly (Bibio marci) [28 April 2019] 19 May 202120222023
• HPi71 Fairy Longhorn moth (Adela) [9 May 2019]20212022202310 May 2024
• HPi72 *Dagger Fly (Empis Tessellata) [13 May 2019]  
• HPi73 *Honey bee (Apis mellifera) [31 May 2019]  20202021202220232024
• HPi74 *Rutpela maculata [14 June 2019] 
• HPi75 *Soldier Fly (Stratiomyidae) [12 June 2019] 
• HPi76 *Small Dusty Wave moth (Idaea seriata) [31 May and 5 Sept 2019]
• HPi77 *Planthopper (Issus Coleoptratus) [18 June 2019]  
• HPi78 Sexton (Burying) Beetle [7 Aug 2019] 
• HPi79 Small Copper [3 Aug 2019]  [10 May 2020] 2 June 2021 26 May 202220232024
• HPi80 *Speckled Bush Cricket [3 Aug 2019], nymph, July 2024
  
• HPi81 Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombylius major) [24 Mar 2020]20222024
• HPi82 *Rhyparochromus vulgaris Ground bug [2 April 2020] 13 Mar 2021
  
• HPi83 *Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena (Andrena) fulva) [11 April 2020] 27 May 20212024
• HPi84 *Dolichovespula media [19 April 2020] 
• HPi85 Mother Shipton moth [May 2020]
• HPi86 Green Hairstreak [May 2020] 12 May, 9 June 2021
• HPi87 *Angle Shades moth [25 May 2020] 
• HPi88 Green-veined White [Apr 2020]2024 
  
• HPi89 Malachite beetle [June 2020]   
• HPi90 Thick-legged Flower Beetle [June 2020]202220232024  
• HPi91 Common Froghopper [12 June 2020]     
• HPi92 Small Heath [13 June, 18 July 2020]    
• HPi93 Stag Beetle (female) [13 June 2020]20222023
• HPi94 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius, m & f) [18 June 2020]2022    
• HPi95 Long hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta [18 June 2020]    
• HPi96 Blue-tailed Damselfly [14 June 2020]2024    
• HPi97 Common White Wave moth [13 June 2020]    
• HPi98 Ringlet butterfly [25 June 2020] 202120222024
• HPi99 Leaf-cutter bee (Megachile centuncularis)  [26 June 2020]20222024  
• HPi100 *Lesser Stag Beetle (Dorcus parallelipipedus) [27 June 2020]2023 May, 3 June 2024
• HPi101 Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (see here) [3 July 2020]   
• HPi102 Ichneumon Amblyteles armatorius [10 July 2020]  
• HPi103 Emperor Dragonfly [16 July 2020]16 July 2022
  
• HPi104 Swallowtail moth [16 July 2020] 
• HPi105 *Brown Argus (a first for the garden!) [18, 24 July 2020] 202120222023
• HPi106 *White-point moth (another first for the garden!) [18 July 2020]24 May 2022
• HPi107 *Hairy-legged Mining Bee, aka Pantaloon bee (Dasypoda hirtipes) (a first for the garden!) [18 July 2020] 
• HPi108 White Plume moth (and another first for the garden!) [25, 27 July 2020]2022
• HPi109 *Southern Hawker (female, and another first for the garden!) [8 Sept 2020]
• HPi110 Field Grasshoppers [Aug and Sept 2020]2022
• HPi111 Purple Hairstreak (a first for the garden!) [3 Aug 2020]  
• HPi112 Rove Beetle (Ocypus olens)  Aug 2022
• HPi113 Meliscaeva auricollis. [25 March 2021]
• HPi114 * Nomada marshamella [30 April 2021]
• HPi115 Rhopalid/Cinnamon bug Corizus hyoscyami [30 May 2021]1 May 2024
  
• HPi116 Muslin moth [9 June 2021]
• HPi117 Banded Demoiselle [15 June 2021]
• HPi118 Box-tree moth [Aug 2021]larvae, April 20222023
• HPi119 Hummingbird Hawk-moth  [3 September 2021]20222023
• HPi120 Kite-tailed Robber Fly [July 2021] 
• HPi121 *Agriotes lineatus March 2022
• HPi122 * Early Thorn moth Selenia dentaria  17 April 2022 
• HPi123 * Turtle (shield)bug Podops inuncta 6 May 2022 
• HPi124 Grayling butterfly 6 August 2022
• HPi125 Clouded Yellow butterfly (a first for the garden!) 13 September 2022
• HPi126 * Oedemera lurida (similar to Oedemera nobilis)2023
• HPi127 Common Blue Damselfly 29 May 2024
• HPi128 Yellow Shell moth (two) June 2024
• HPi129 Elephant Hawk-moth (adult) 26 July 2024

Molluscs

• HPm1 Brown Lipped Snail (Cepaea (Cepaea) nemoralis) [May/June 2016] 20202021202220232024
• HPm2 Field Slug (Deroceras) [May/June 2016] 2021

 

Arachnids

• HPa1 Zebra Spider [Apr/May 2015] [May/June 2015] [Mar/Apr 2016] [May 2018] 20202022202311 May 2024
• HPa2 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) [May/June 2015] [27 April 2019] 2022
• HPa3 *Cucumber spider (Arianella) [31 May 2019]  
• HPa4 *Jumping spider (Heliophanus) [22 May, Sept 2019]  
• HPa5 Crab spider, with pink stripes, aka 'White Death' (Misumena vatia) [9 Aug 2019]   
• HPa6 Nursery Web spider (Heliophanus) [22 Mar 2020] (Spiderlings hatch: 27 June 2020) 2021202211 May, 27 July 2024
• HPa7 *Noble False Widow 23 June 202120228 July 2024
• HPa8 Wasp spider [new! four, 5-9 Sept 2020] three, Aug 2021202227 July 2024

- - - 

Unusual sightings

These strange Psyche casta cases make me think of the Caddisfly larva I have seen, but they are actually made and eventually shed by a moth.

Unusual residents include the False Widow spider (see here) and the Wasp Spider. I definitely prefer sharing a garden with the latter (see here)! You can just make out the beautiful egg-sac.