July/August Hoverflies

That time of year again when things are extremely quiet on the bird front and time to resort to other bits and bobs. Hopefully I've got most of these correctly identified? Thanks to Tom Gittings, Brian Nelson Stuart Dunlop on the Insects/Invertebrates of Ireland Facebook page for their help with some of the trickier ones.

 

Leucozona lucorum

Platycheirus albimanus



Arctophila superbiens



Sericomyia  silentis

Cheilosia sp.

Didea fasciata

Eristalis tenax

Helophilus pendulus

Meliscaeva cinctella

Rhingia campestris

 

Ferdinandea cuprea

 

Eupeodes luniger

 

Macros, macros, macros

A big selection of shots of insects, flora, landscapes, etc. taken with the new Tamron Macro 90mm f2.8 lens during my travels during the last week. Again any ideas on some of the species would be appreciated.

Bombus muscorum variation allenellus, Inis Meáin, this form is only found on the Aran Islands.

Bombus muscorum, Inishbofin, the normal form.

Chrysotoxum festivum, a hoverfly that mimics a wasp.

Episyrphus balteatus Marmalade Hoverfly, Inishbofin.



Eristalis sp. - nemorum?

Eristalinus sepulchrais, the lower hairy eyes are a clincher

Eristalinus sepulchrais

Helophilus pendulus, Knockboy.

Xylota segnis

Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonchya fulva

Chloromyia speciosa

Chloromyia formosa

Syritta pipiens

Syrphus torvus/vitripennis

Cinnabar moth on Ragwort.

Dark Green Fritillary, Inis Meáin.

Tachina grossa

Wild Honey-bee.

Larvae Ladybird, looks like it came straight out of the set from Men in Black.

Beetle/Weevil sp.?

Irish Moiled Cow, Inish Meáin, traditional Irish breed.

Meadow Brown

Inis Meáin

Mweenish Island with the Twelve Bens in the background.

Mweenish Island

Sea Bindweed

Peacock caterpillars feeding on Nettles.

Ectemnius sp.

Ectemnius sp.

Back in action

My camera and lens finally arrived back on Tuesday six weeks after being with Image Supply Systems/Canon UK. I was told they would be fixed within ten working days when I dropped them in, didn't quite live up to their promise...

I didn't miss a huge amount on the bird front here anyway unlike the UK. We just finished up doing the Golden Plover survey in Roundstone Bog (got roughly 16 pairs between 12 one kilometre random squares) and ringing Kestrel chicks (eight clutches I think). Just one Merlin nest with young chicks still in it. We had a clutch fledging nearly two weeks back and we were being to believe this late clutch may never have hatched). We managed to find four Merlin nests this year, up from three from the last year. There could easily be another four or even more nests that we missed due to their incredibly secretive nature and the nature and size of the blanket bog out here. In Roundstone Bog alone I estimate there are at least 136 suitable lough islands for Merlin which could keep one occupied for some time to say the least!

While the camera body and the 400mm lens was away I picked up a Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro lens and yesterday was the first opportunity I had to try it out down around the Mannin Beg and Truska area. I've had to fall back on insects and flowers as it's pretty much dead for birds at the moment especially with this oppressive heat we've been experiencing lately. A few question marks to the id of some the species below, any corrections appreciated.

Volucella bombylans (hoverfly species that mimics red-tailed Bumblebees).

Eristalis arbustorum?

Bombus hortorum above and below, note the tongue in the bottom right shot.

Six-spot Burnets

Male Keeled Skimmer showing black blotching to the tail tip!

Common Field Grasshopper

Thistle aphids?

Traditional meadow, a far cry from the "green deserts" found in most parts of modern rural Ireland.

The heat was getting to everyone!



Fragrant Orchid, of which sub/species I'm not 100% sure.

Pyramidal Orchid only just starting to appear now.

A late Early Marsh Orchid (forget which subspecies).

Common spotted Orchid

Common Twayblade, just "gone over".

Marsh Helleborine

Frog Orchid