Lots of Legs

Saturday, June 10th 2023

It finally warmed up on Thursday, nearly. Some butterfies were on the wing and after careful stalking a photograph of a Common Blue butterfly was able to be taken. Three legs of six and striped antennae can be plainly seen. This butterfly likes Common Bird's-foot Trefoil.

Another butterfly that was watched as it flew this way and that was, when it eventually settled, a Wall. We do not see many of these on the reserve and the distribution map shows them just possibly in North Yorkshire. The adults feed from a range of flowers including Ragged Robin and Daisy both in flower, Fleabane which flowers in late summer and Common Knapweed nearly ready to come into flower. The caterpillars feed on grasses especially Cock's foot and Yorkshire Fog.

When emptying the moth traps the white sheets that they stand on have to be carefully checked as moths and other invertebrates often hide on it and under it. This week was a beautiful (not everyone would say that!) spider, Pisaura mirabilis. Once the female has her egg sac she will build a tent nest to put it in and then she cares for her young once they are hatched. You can quite clearly see all eight legs!

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