off Millgate-The Wiend today, on Believe Square, Common Spotted Orchid in a bed of amenity planting by front of library, where there were Tree Bumblebees and a White-Tailed Bumblebee feeding on Kniphofia/Red Hot Poker. Several beetles feeding on Lavender looked like Chrysolina americana, Rosemary Beetle
-- Edited by dave broome on Friday 17th of June 2016 08:37:42 PM
Very few butterflies active on Parson's Meadow in bright weather around mid-day, as per the general lack of butterflies and moths at the moment. 8 Common Blue noted across what is a large site, 3 Speckled Wood, 2 Small White, 1 Brimstone and 1 Skipper sp. Also a lack of day-flying moths among the grassland, 1 Silver Y, 1 Cinnabar and very few of the smaller spp disturbed from grass. Female Banded Demoiselle near the River Douglas
I haven't heard of rats doing that either but at least it gives some benefit of the Himalayan Balsam being there, it's still a bad invasive but in some areas there isn't any control so it's nice to see it being utilised by British Wildlife in some ways.
I'd rather the balsam wasn't there, but the flowers do provide a good nectar source for my bees at the end of summer. I even saw some of my bees working Japanese Knotweed in Stalybridge Country Park last week!! I still loathe the plant.
It does seem to be a really good year for Migrant Hawkers this year, Dave
I haven't heard of rats doing that either but at least it gives some benefit of the Himalayan Balsam being there, it's still a bad invasive but in some areas there isn't any control so it's nice to see it being utilised by British Wildlife in some ways.
A Migrant Hawker flew up King Street this afternoon. Earlier this week a Brown Rat on the bank of the R Douglas in Scholes was climbing up Himalayan Balsam stems and eating the seeds. Can't remember seeing one doing that before.
Brimstone today on open space between Riverway and the River Douglas, by the Scholes end of Millgate, with several Green-Veined White among an unmown strip of grass where daffodils have been left
Peacock this afternoon alongside the River Douglas by Wigan Little Theatre, the footpath sheltered and warm in the sun. Also along the river, an impressive show of Snowdrops opposite the Oak Hotel and plenty of Lesser Celandine in flower between Tesco and Coppull Lane
50 Peacock today on and around Buddleia in the environs of the railway along the Wigan North Western to King St footpath. Much more buddleia further down the line presumably holding more. Also singles of Red Admiral and
Comma, 4 Small Tortoiseshell and several Small White
A large pale Mayfly species was out in modest numbers today on the River Douglas between Central Park Way and Greatacre, though only on sections which were faster flowing. Anybody know much about these critters?
A large male Three-Spined Stickleback in full technicolour breeding colour was in the margins of the River Douglas, by the lift to Tesco, today. Vast numbers of a small, dark Mayfly species swarming over the river surface. 2 Large White along the canal at Ince/Scholes
a decent clump of Wood Anemone on the banks of the River Douglas between Central Park Way and Coppull Lane today, plus a couple in the floodwater channel at the side of Tesco
River Douglas Way (Central Park Way to Coppull Lane) today: Opposite-Leaved Golden Saxifrage, Lesser Celandine and Bluebell in flower, lots of Garlic Mustard - some on the brink of flowering, lots of emerging Himalayan Balsam and some Japanese Knotweed
6th March: about a dozen Coltsfoot flowers had opened up on the derelict former Town Hall site during the day - only one visible as I walked past in the morning
and some Japanese Knotweed 