Emmington - Oxfordshire

Two surveys down for June and one to go! Over lunchtime today I completed a Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey on my BTO BBS 1km square SP7402 at Emmington in Oxfordshire. During the survey the following butterflies were seen and recorded on the WCBS website - http://www.ukbms.org/wcbs.htm:

• Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina); 83

• Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta); 1

• Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae); 28

• Peacock (Inachis io); 1

• Large Skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus); 32

• Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria); 2

• Marbled White (Melanargia galathea); 1

• Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus); 13

Only one additional adult butterfly was observed outside of the survey:

• Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus); 1

However, I did find some caterpillars of the Peacock (Inachis io) butterfly in one of the many Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) patches on the survey route.

And, finally for today, a good confirmed breeding record for Whitethroat (Sylvia communis); one bird carrying food (insect) in its beak.