BUTTERFLIES
 DRAGONFLIES
 HOVERFLIES
 BUMBLEBEES

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

31 October 2006
One sign of the imminence of winter is the arrival of the Pied Wagtails to the streets of Shoreham. As dusk approached, a spectacular flock of over a hundred Pied Wagtails congregated on the roof of the closed Furnitureland warehouse and chattered in the small tree on the corner, on the other (northern) side of Ham Road to the Hamm, Shoreham. This may be a collection point rather than a roosting site, as in previous years the flock has been seen to fly off in a north-easterly direction.

30 October 2006
The first young and small Wood Blewit (mushroom), Lepista nuda, of the year appeared under Field Maple.

29 October 2006

Paul Graysmark rescued a caterpillar of the immigrant Convolvulus Hawk-moth, Agrius convolvuli, from being squashed as it slowly crawled across Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham. This specimen was the green variant. The caterpillars feed on Common Bindweed, but they cannot survive a British winter in the wild. 
It hatched into the adult on moth in late April 2007.
Picture Report
Adur Moths

Four species of mushroom were recorded on horse dung north of Old Shoreham.
Picture Report

Adur Fungi: 26 October 2006

20 October 2006

A young Hedgehog wondered over the wet grass of a back garden in Corbyn Crescent in the middle of the day (1:00 pm). 

18 October 2006
An extraordinary white variety of the Clouded Yellow Butterfly was seen by the Ricardo Engineering Works settled on the edge of the towpath at the west end of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham. This was an all-white butterfly with one pale yellow and one white underwing and black wing edges to its upperside wings. There is a variety called 'helice' which is much paler, although it is not usually shown as all white.  I think it was most likely to have been Colias croceus f. helice.
Detailed Report

15 October 2006
Harlequin Ladybirds, Harmonia axyridis (larvae and adults, colour forms succinea and spectabilis), were discovered in large numbers in Portslade. Although only ten were actually seen, there could have been hundreds or even thousands in the trees and bushes on Portslade Recreation Ground (TQ 258 056). 
 

The Harlequin Ladybird is an alien invasive species that has spread across England from the south-east since 2004, when it was first recorded in Sussex. 

Six species of butterfly were seen on the outskirts of Shoreham (excluding the downs). 
Full Butterfly Report

13 October 2006
In the sunshine at a temperature of 18.7 °C, a surprise bright yellow Brimstone Butterfly fluttered over the hedgerow by the A27 Flyover on the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham.
Full Butterfly Report
Shoreham Weather Reports 2006

12 October 2006
Under the midday sun a remarkable air temperature of 16.6 °C was attained which brought seven species of butterfly out: Red Admirals (26), Comma (2), Large White (1), Clouded Yellow (3), Meadow Brown (9+), Common Blue (3) and a Peacock Butterfly (1). This was the first ever record of a Peacock Butterfly during the month of October recorded on these Nature Notes. All the butterflies were seen in just over an hour on Mill Hill and the approaches to this small public open space nature reserve north of Shoreham-by-Sea. 
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
Adur Sheep

4 October 2006
Two Shaggy Parasol, Macrolepiota rhacodes mushrooms were seen in the pile of leaves next to the twitten between Corbyn Crescent and Adelaide Square, Shoreham, on the edge of the Middle Road allotments. These mushrooms are found here every year, at least for the last three years.
Adur Fungi 2006

3 October 2006
After the gales and the rain, a probable orange-brown Vapourer Moth flew strongly over Dolphin Road, Shoreham, although it did not settle I saw it clearly enough to be sure it was not a Painted Lady or Small Copper being between these two in size. 

Nine species of butterfly were seen during about an hour during the day and these included one pristine third brood male Holly Blue in the Ivy in the Butterfly Copse, 18 Meadow Brown Butterflies all on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, and in Shoreham town, one each of the immigrant butterflies, Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow. The other species were Red Admirals, Common Blues, Large Whites, one Comma and one Small Copper. 
Full Butterfly Report

1 October 2006
A variable weather day that after dusk  (8:15 pm >) was punctuated by very heavy showers of short duration, thunder and lightning and Fresh Gale Force 6 winds gusting to Force 7.

Shoreham Weather Reports 2006