(2470) Small Purple-barred (Phytometra viridaria) (26792025860)

Description:

Summary[edit] Description: Hexton day-time Hello all. I had an hour's mooch around Hexton Chalk Pit and was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of Lepidoptera on the wing in the warming sunshine. The temperature was around 16 degrees but somehow felt warmer out of the stiff NE breeze. I scoured all over the small reserve and saw plenty flying, but the hard bit was going to be photographing them! I noted Dingy Skipper everywhere, they were the commonest Lepidoptera flying with Small Purple-barrred and Pyrausta nigrata a close 2nd and 3rd. I also saw my first ever Green Hairstreak, my god they are hard to photograph. Also Burnet Companion, Pyrausta aurata and Elachista argentella were found but no Mother Shipton noted today, which I have seen here before. Other Butterflies included Red Admiral, Orange-tip and Brimstone. On the Bug and Beetle front there were lots of Bishop's Mitre Shield-bugs and some lovely large Elateridae, Agrypnus murinus. All in all a blooming successful walk around! Records below Butterflies Dingy Skipper 25+ Green Hairstreak 1 Red Admiral 1 Orange-tip 3 Brimstone 5 Moths Pyrausta aurata 2 Pyrausta nigrata 20+ Burnet Companion 10+ Small Purple-barred 20+ Elachista argentella 3. Date: 16 May 2016, 13:55. Source: [2470] Small Purple-barred (Phytometra viridaria). Author: Ben Sale from UK.