Dusking on the Dunes

I had a pleasant hour yesterday evening (26/5)  with a sweep net on the dunes and upper saltmarsh at the North Dock (Llanelli) dunes LNR. The highlight was the presence of quite a decent number of grass eggar caterpillars, swept from coarse vegetation.  Plenty of the little white Elachista argentella and several green carpets were also noted. Several Crambus lathoniellus were netted and a single Aspilapterix tringipennella.

       Above: the site with dunes (on left), saltmarsh to the right, looking north (inland).

       Above: having a rest for the night, a `roosting` common blue in its bedtime position.

                                              Above: one of the grass eggar caterpillars.

Above: an aggregation of lackey moth caterpillars on their nest at the edge of a stunted blackthorn.

                                           Above: the grass-moth Crambus lathoniellus.

Above: for those who are interested, Acrosanthe (Thereva) annulata, a duneland stilleto-fly in this part of the world. The much rarer (browner and larger) Thereva cinifera also occurs on the North Dock dunes LNR.