Page 9 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

WILD AUGUST

ALSO LOOK
Q CLOUDED YELLOW
GOLD RUSH? OUT FOR…
Are we overdue a mass invasion of this golden-
winged beauty from southern Europe? Apart PURPLE PATCH
from the brimstone, it is the only mainly yellow Sea aster, which resembles
butterfly seen in Britain. Since 1970 there has a Michaelmas daisy, turns
been a trend towards more “clouded yellow saltmarshes purple in
summers,” says Richard Fox of Butterfly August. It’s a valuable
Conservation, though the migrant remains late-season nectar source
much rarer and less predictable here than for insects. Boost
fellow long-distance travellers such as the your wildflower
red admiral, painted lady and hummingbird know-how at
hawkmoth. The last really big influxes were in www.plantlife.
2013, 2006, 2000, 1996 and 1983. org.uk/wild
GET INVOLVED Add sightings using the iRecord app flowerhunt
or website: www.brc.ac.uk/irecord
POX ALERT
Avian pox is sadly
most prevalent in late
summer and early autumn,
particularly in great tits
and greenfinches. In the
latter species the disease
may be causing local
population declines. Find
out how you can help: www.
gardenwildlifehealth.org

CURLED-UP CATS
Late August is a good time
to search for maturing red
admiral caterpillars, which
like to form balls on nettle
Q NOCTULE BAT foliage. They are black and
spiky-looking. A good reason
SUNSET SORTIES not to dig up nettles!
Identifying bats without a detector is tricky,
but the noctule offers a few visual clues. CRICKET SEASON
Usually the first species to emerge at sunset, Numbers of adult crickets
it flies high – often above treetops and roofs – peak now. Two common
and has a dashing flight style, making sudden species to look for in
twists and dives to chase prey. It’s also a big hedgerows and gardens
bat with a wingspan of up to 40cm – dwarfing include the bright-green
pipistrelles, for example. At dusk you might speckled bush cricket
see noctules sharing airspace over ponds with and the dark bush cricket,
late-flying martins, swallows or swifts, ready to which is greyish-brown.
take their place in the night sky.
FIND OUT MORE Bat Conservation: www.bats. BEES ABOUT
org.uk/pages/about_bats.html Orange-legged furrow bees
are on the wing all summer.
Females have a tell-tale tuft
of gingery hair behind their
head, pale yellow stripes
and, as their name suggests,
egs
orangey legs.
Report your
sightings
to the
Solitary
Bee
Project:
http://
bit.ly/2rW Wubet