My annual pilgrimage to Slade Wood today was an absolute joy! Only 2 White admirals seen (only 1 photographed) but Silver-washed fritillaries were well in to double figures - more than I've seen there before. 15 butterfly species in total. #SothWalesButterflies

Rather a contrast between the battered Small tortoiseshell & the pristine Clouded yellow seen during this morning's walk around Cosmeston but both real highlights as both uncommon locally. An impressive 18 butterfly species in total! #SouthWalesButterflies

I love that every day's a school day. I didn't know until today, when identifying this spider I spotted on my walk, that male crab spiders (Misumena vatia) aren't like the pale colour-changing females. This little dude, missing a leg, was still intent on waving his remaining limbs around. #arachnids

Fifteen species of butterfly at Lavernock NR earlier, including 2 Marbled white, likely blown across the Bristol Channel during the heatwave (locals had seen 6 in one day!), and several Purple hairstreaks showing in the Oaks opposite the reserve. Magic! #SouthWalesButterflies

Also from Cosmeston today: my first Gatekeeper of the year, and a stunning second generation Small copper. I love 'em! Eleven butterfly species in total. #SouthWalesButterflies

I keep seeing reports of this dragonfly in my local WhatsApp group & I've been looking but today, at Cosmeston, I finally found one ... and it was perched, not zooming past at the speed of light ... so, this was my best ever view of a Lesser emperor (Anax parthenope). #odonata

Grangemoor Park today: an abundance of little skippers, mostly Small but a few Essex, this one a real little poser - 2nd pic with the macro function on my TG-5 so about 2 inches away! Also, lots of second brood Holly blues, enjoying minerals from poo & other goodies! #SouthWalesButterflies

Dragon-spotting along the Ely at Grangemoor Park this morning didn't produce any Lesser emperors as an Emperor was patrolling close to shore (caught it perched later) but it was great to get close views of my first Small red-eyed damsels of the year. #odonata

Still sizzling here in south Wales, despite the supposedly cooler temps today. The heat has blown in another wave of Painted ladies, this 1 of many seen this morning at Cosmeston, and I finally found my first Essex skipper of the year. #SouthWalesButterflies

Went looking for dragonflies along the Ely this morning, hoping for Lesser emperor but only managed to spot a pair of Emperors and lots of Blue-tailed damsels, including a newly emerged little beauty that sat on my arm for quite a while. #odonata

As a wise person once said, 'there's never nothing to see'. So, even though today's walk was very short, I still somehow managed to find a new-to-me species as I walked through my nearest park, the galls of the mite Cecidophyes nudus on Geum urbanum, uncommon but probably under-recorded.

Already sweltering despite a sea breeze ...

I'm trying to work out which damselfly species this is @britishdragonflies.bsky.social. I'm thinking teneral female Small red-eyed perhaps? Both Red-eyed & Small red-eyed at this location. Red-eyed first seen locally (River Ely, Cardiff) on 24/5 so Small red-eyed now emerging seems more likely?

A hot weather combination: constantly rumbling thunder and a family party of Swifts screaming overhead. My early morning walk produced Banded demoiselles along the Taff and the Ely. #odonata

It's that time of year when I check every Small skipper in case it's an Essex. None I saw this morning at Cosmeston were Essex skippers but I did spot a couple of egg-laying females & so carefully took the opportunity to see my first Small skipper eggs within a grass sheath. #SouthWalesButterflies

Another day, more White-letter hairstreaks, two more locations, all still distant. First in Dingle Park, where the butterfly was on top of a leaf hence the side-by-side comparison. The second colony, by Llandough Hospital, was found by a local birder earlier this week. #SouthWalesButterflies

Saw my first White-letter hairstreaks of the year this morning at a new site on the edge of Sully, where I'd previously noted the numerous Wych elms & wondered if they might be there. Only tree top photos but I'll head back when the weather's better. #SouthWalesButterflies

Leaf-fossicking finds from a grey morning, all new to me: Lagria hirta, judging by its hairiness; a sawfly Abia fasciata, uncommon here; the larva of a 10-spot ladybird (Adalia decempunctata); & a Tree slug (Lehmannia marginata). An interesting mix!

How sweet is this little Robin fledgling? 💚 #BirdingWales

I didn't expect much in today's grey conditions so was pleasantly surprised to find a few butterflies, including this Small skipper & my first couple of Ringlets, as well as this stunning Four-spotted chaser. #SouthWalesButterflies #odonata

Lovely day with a friend at Aberbargoed grasslands & up the tip. Too late for the frits: a single Small pearl-bordered fritillary, no Marsh. My first couple of Small heath for 2026. Dismayed to see the damage being done by heavy machinery in the area of the Grayling colony. #SouthWalesButterflies

When I stop to check out what's flying round the dragonfly pond but the small black feathered ones think I'm getting my priorities all wrong and really I should be handing out their mealworm-flavoured suet pellets! 😍 #birdingWales

Some 2026 firsts from this morning at Cosmeston: a Small skipper with an obvious liking for orchids (it had pollinia stuck to its proboscis); very chuffed to see this Red-veined darter (& actually get a photo, as distant); & a Black-tailed skimmer (sadly a bit squished). #Butterflies #odonata

Also from today's walk: I was a bit confused when I saw these 2 mayflies on the fencing around a building site by the River Taff, as the lower one doesn't have any wings. Then it occurred to me that maybe that the Green drake (Ephemera danica) had just moulted & the lower is the shed skin ... maybe?

It might have been looking a bit jaded but I was still delighted to find this Clouded yellow during today's wander. I don't usually see them until later in the summer but I guess it was blown in during the recent heat wave. #SouthWalesButterflies

A mishmash of finds today: a Marsh snipe fly (Rhagio tringarius); a Swollen-thighed beetle on Common Knapweed; a quartet of Marmalade hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus); and one of many Orange-tip caterpillars seen on Garlic mustard plants.

The weather wasn't great for butterfly spotting today so I was really pleased, during the odd sunny spell, to see my first Meadow browns of the year. Also flitting about this local field: a Large skipper, a male Common blue and a tatty Small copper. #SouthWalesButterflies

I went down to Penarth Pier this morning to get some photos of the paddlesteamer Waverley as she set off on an all-day cruise to various places around the Bristol Channel. She's in the area for another week so there may be more ...

From my walk in to Cardiff today: 1 of 2 Garden chafers & a Red-eyed damsel in Hamadryad Park; & 3 of many (20+) Red-eyed damsels on one of the canals.

El galeon Andalucia in Cardiff's Roath Basin.

I'm sure passers-by think I'm a nutter when they see me chasing tiny insects along house walls & park railings trying to get photos, & they're probably right, but it's fun, if frustrating. Today's beasties: a Southern pill woodlouse (I think) & a Black-clouded longhorn beetle, both firsts for me.

Well-grown fledglings hiding in greenery today, a Carrion crow and the Tawny owl. #birdingWales

A galling kind of day: what I assume is the start of the fungal gall Gymnosporangium clavariiforme on a Hawthorn berry (but do correct me if this is wrong); Eriophyes similis on Blackthorn leaves; & Colomerus vitis on Grape leaves. #galls

Good to see more Large skippers on the wing in the coastal fields this morning. At Lavernock, several Brown argus & Painted ladies among the 9 species seen & a solitary Marsh fritillary in the field closest to St Mary's Well Bay. Nice catch up with @pgdenning.bsky.social too. #SouthWalesButterflies

Paddle steamer Waverly just heading up channel past penarth

From this morning's walk: Common blues in cop, and some firsts for 2026: two Brown argus and a Four-spotted chaser. #SouthWalesButterflies #odonata

Sound up and enjoy! youtu.be/MzzpPfPSs5o

Visited Lavernock NR this a.m. before it got too hot, thinking I'd get more photos of the Marsh fritillaries but not a single Marsh frit seen - no idea why. Painted ladies abundant (20+) plus small numbers of Dingy skipper, Common blue, Small copper, Red admiral, Large white, Brimstone. #butterflies

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An early morning walk to try to avoid the worst of the heat ... Thought I'd check the coastal path from Penarth to Lavernock where I found my first Large skipper last year and bingo! Not the exact same place but close. #SouthWalesButterflies

Yesterday's prediction about seeing more Painted ladies in the coming days certainly came true today, with 7 seen as I wandered around Cardiff's Grangemoor Park. And I was chuffed to find my first local Red-eyed damselfly of 2026.

Slowly, slowly the different orchid species are emerging. At Grangemoor today, my first Pyramidals of the year, quite a lot of Bees, an actual (rather than hybridised) Southern marsh, and several Common spotted-orchids. Glorious!

My first Bee orchid of the year spotted today, & one of a couple of Painted ladies. I imagine we might see a few more of those in the coming days.

This gorgeous Spotted flycatcher, my first of the year, has been dotting around the trees in the garden this evening. Magic!

Found my first Marsh fritillaries of the year today, some of the illegally introduced population at Lavernock NR. Only saw 5 but I'm sure the heat of the next few days will see numbers rise. 12 butterfly species seen in total. #SouthWalesButterflies

Britain's native orchids are lovely but I find them very confusing. I think, in theory, these, at Cardiff's Grangemoor Park, should be Southern marsh-orchids but I wonder if there's some hybridisation happening & at least some have crossed with Common spotted-orchid. Any orchid experts out there?

I got soaked during today's walk but it was totally worth it when I got to see this gorgeous creature, the first time I've seen a recently fledged Tawny. (Pics taken quickly, as it was pouring & also so as not to disturb.)

At this time of year it's easy to overuse the word 'cute', but how better to describe the fluffy beauty of young cygnets? These five were with their parents along the River Ely this morning. #BirdingWales

Now that the Ash trees have sprouted, the Grey Guzzlers (aka Woodpigeons) are out en masse, filling up on spring greens by pecking snippets from all the young leaves. This is one of six plumpsters currently feasting in the two small Ash trees opposite my window. #BirdingWales

I went to Lavernock NR too early today (Marsh frits were seen later in the day, after the weather had improved) but I had a nice walk, featuring an early Common spotted-orchid, my first local Common blue butterflies, & this cracking little Small copper.