NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

Time in the field has been reduced of late, and my mind is largely elsewhere, so here are a few snapshots of inverts that have come my way rather than having been hunted down. Privet Hawk-moth, Banstead. My second in the garden this summer. Waved Black, Banstead. A smart moth, not annual here. Scorched Wing, Banstead. I don't see too many of these moths, and hadn't noticed the purple staining on the underwing before. Rose Chafer, Banstead Downs. I hadn't seen this large beetle until last month, now another comes along. Smart! Stag Beetle, Banstead. This female was wandering along the pavement outside our house.

With the Met Office promising 'my' part of the south of England 'biblical rain' by lunchtime, I did the MV trap with speed so as to get in a small amount of time looking for Purple Emperor butterflies in Banstead Woods. The males are meant to have a morning spell in which they come down from the tree-tops to feed at lower levels. I was on site between 10.00 -11.15 but drew a blank. I had a pleasant time though, and walking back along the open southern flank of the woods revealed a fair number of butterflies on the wing, including several Chalkhill Blues and Marbled Whites. Back to the garden moths. Two highlights were the garden's fifth Waved Black (top photo) and eighth Rosy Minor (bottom photo).