BUTTERFLIES
 DRAGONFLIES
 HOVERFLIES
 BUMBLEBEES

Bumblebees
Hoverflies
Butterflies
Solitary Bees
Adur Bees, Wasps & Sawflies
Flies
Ladybirds
Beetles
Moths
Grasshoppers & Crickets
Damselflies & Dragonflies
Spiders

30 April 2012
A bright turquoise-blue sky showed in the north and east on a breezy unpromising day, but the sun and some of butterflies came out in the afternoon. I checked out the lower slopes of Mill Hill where my first of 14 Dingy Skippers flitted between the thousands of Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, flowers. I also spotted by first Small Heath Butterfly of 2012. 
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Skippers

Green-winged Orchids were in flower on the southern (north-facing) slopes of Anchor Bottom.

27 April 2012
A turquoise-blue sky appeared as the clouds blew away in the afternoon and the sun and butterflies came out on an unpromising day. On the outskirts of Shoreham I recorded four Orange-tips (including one female), at least six Speckled Woods, at least three Brimstone Butterflies, at least six Peacock Butterflies, two Small Whites, one Green-veined White, my first Large White of the year and my first Holly Blue of the year. Eight species of butterfly (the most in a single day so far) were spotted without visiting the downs. 
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Butterfly List 2012

A Short-eared Owl was mobbed by gulls early in the morning (8.30 am) in the field on the east side of the River Adur immediately north of the flyover. Three Whimbrel were on the adjoining river too.

24 April 2012
 

This Fire Bug,Pyrrocoris apterus, was photographed at the end of April in Sompting, under the Mallow plants beside the A27 just on from Lyons Farm. They were mating. Report and Image by Su Reed on facebook Wild Flora & Fauna of England  Adur Bugs British Bugs (UK Hemiptera)

Hawthorn was now beginning to flower (notably at Cuckoo's Corner). Blackthorn was still in flower along the Coombes Road but on Mill Hill (viewed from the Adur Levels) the flowers had diminished.
 

23 April 2012
Just below the car park on Mill Hill I found a Small Copper Butterfly, my first of the year.

22 April 2012
I saw what was probably a Swift (possibly a Swallow) over Shoreham Beach at about 6:00 pm. It came by so close and fast all I could see was the fork tail. This is the first local report of the year.

16 April 2012
On a Cumulus day too cool for butterflies, a visit to Mill Hill was only entertained because the forecast for later in the week was worse. On the lower slopes the first flowers of Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, appeared with another prostrate downland herb Milkwort. The tiny black pollen beetles Meligethes scrambled over the flowers on the bank, especially on Horseshoe Vetch, Dandelions and on a few of the violets. Dog Violets predominated with thousands still scattered over the slopes. Occasionally, a skipper (butterfly) rose from the ground and fluttered rapidly to a new resting place. The only one positively identified was a fresh Grizzled Skipper. 
Adur Violets
Adur Butterfly List 2012
 

Horseshoe Vetch	Grizzled Skipper

Blackthorn was flowering near its peak on the top part of Mill Hill and in the scrub. 
Blackthorn has flowers before leaves. Hawthorn has leaves before flowers. 
What’s the difference between Blackthorn and Hawthorn?. 

10 April 2012
On a sunny day with a cold wind, the male Adders performed their dominance dance a black snake and a normal patterned one intertwining and raising their heads and front part of their bodies above the flora on the lower slopes of Mill Hill down by the scrub at the bottom (west side). The black Adder discovered a female underneath the Brambles. 

6 April 2012
Dingy Skippers, a Small Heath and a Green Hairstreak Butterfly were all seen for the first time this year on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, with Grizzled Skippers, a Speckled Wood, a Green-veined White and a Peacock Butterfly. Four Adders and a green Common Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, completed a very satisfying afternoon. 

4 April 2012 Ivy was still in berry next to the twitten (railway bank) between Ropetackle and Victoria Road, Shoreham town centre. No butterflies were seen on a cool day.

1 April 2012
I visited Mill Hill again to conduct a butterfly transect. Unfortunately due to the cold wind I only recorded three butterflies - a Speckled Wood, a Peacock and a Grizzled Skipper. However, the dearth of butterflies was compensated for by the excellent Adder sightings, all along the bottom of the hill by the bushes. First I saw a black Adder, then two grey ones, which slithered along the bush line in their hunt for food. One moved fast at about about 15 metres per minute and I was able to keep getting ahead of it to take photos as it approached. However, it was too fast to get the shots I was after.

April 2011

Adur Nature Notes 2011