East Lothian Sightings May 2017

[georgehogg]

Tried Saltoun Big Wood for Green Hairstreak and Green Tiger Beetle..nil.
Did get a Red Admiral , a Large White, 2 Small Heath, min 1 GV White and several Orange Tips.
Mating Palmate Newts and Large Red Damsels saved the day !

[georgehogg]

Tried Linn Dean for Green Hairstreaks and NBA, found neither.
GV White , Orange Tip and Small Heath common.
c4 Small Coppers.
1 Red Admiral
1 Latticed Heath moth.
Best was a Narrow Bordered Bee Hawkmoth, my first ever.

[IAC]

Best was a Narrow Bordered Bee Hawkmoth, my first ever.

That, George lad..is quite simply the find of the season. Im gobsmacked. If I had found that I would be cartwheeling from now till Christmas. That has to be a first for the VC and the furthest east they have been seen to date. I remember a single sighting in Lanarkshire last year caused abit of a stir, but this trumps that. Has Mark Cubitt seen this.? Astounded. I think we need to get down Soutra way for a Borders record now.

Congrats George!!

Iain.

[georgehogg]

Think the trick is to chase after every queen or otherwise large carder bee and grab a pic or two.
Only in the pic can you see it isn't a bee at all !
Think the next job is to check out devils bit scabious in the area for eggs/larvae.
Having seen how much it resembles a bee , I suspect it is probably going under recorded

[IAC]

Certainly makes you think George. I was in a spot yesterday where I know there are large areas of Devils Bit Scabious....there were Common Carders everywhere among the Bugle...what if...hahaha... Under recorded...you have that right I think, but its still an eyepopping find.

[jpgn]

Wall, Painted Lady,Red Admiral, Large White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip and a male Common Blue at Torness/Skateraw during a morning (31st) trip to see the Yellow Wagtails

Jim & Ali

[georgehogg]

Hi Jim, Great to know you are getting down to Torness. Could you get me Large Skipper and Comma for this year's report please !

[IAC]

Hi all, especially George.
It would be getting close to the time to look for any more evidence of those Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth about Linn Dean. I will very likely attempt a sweep of Linn Dean at some point soon. Does anybody else have plans to do so, or is it not really a priority.? I would ask George if you could get me an accurate grid for that sighting to give me an idea of where to look as I don't know Linn Dean at all.

Many thanks,

Iain.

[ricowells]

Hi Iain
I plan to go to Linn Dean tomorrow for a general wander about so will keep an eye out for this rarity while there.
Richard

[IAC]

Good luck then Richard. Such an exciting species, and beautiful species. One if glimpsed I would happily chase all day. Looking at George's Amazing photos from last year I tended to think this was a female egg laying as the plants below the insect are Devil's Bit Scabious...the foodplant!! No doubt everyone else came to that conclusion. If that spot could be a breeding area...that is where I would start looking I guess. I must try and get hold of a grid for the sighting though. Look forward to hearing what you find at Linn Dean.