Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - October 2001 - No 67
Barry Stewart
Leader Barry Stewart
About a dozen members turned-out for this meeting on a warm, sunny September afternoon. The main purpose of the meeting was to generally survey that part of the Llanelli Millennium Coastal Park west of Pwll – the disturbed ground along pathways and the new or extended ponds especially to look for Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), particularly leaf-mining species. The search yielded relatively few leaf-mines, indicating perhaps, that colonisation of the newly planted areas was slow by these minute moths. However, mines of Phyllonorycter tristrigella were found to be frequent amongst a well-established stand of elm (Ulmus sp.) suckers at the start of the walk at SN473008. P. ulmifoliella, rather conversely, was not found on the elms, but on young birches (Betula sp.), along with the mines of Lyonetia clerkella, Stigmella lapponica and the agromyzid fly Agromyza alnibetulae. Other leaf mines of moths recorded included those of Emmetia marginea, Caloptilia stigmatella, P. rajella, P. salicicilella and the parsnip-feeding agromyzid fly Phytomyza spondylii.
Several larger lepidopteran larvae were swept from Fat Hen (Chenopodium album) including six Nutmeg (Discestra trifolii), two Bright-line Brown-eye (Laconobia oleracea) and two Dark Spinach (Pelurga comitata), the latter being particularly scarce in Wales. That the late summer had been good for migrants was borne out by the presence of three Clouded Yellows (Colias croceus), three Painted Ladies (Vanessa cardui), Large White (Pieris brassicae), 10+ Silver-Y (Autographa gamma) and many Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) moths.
Of botanical interest, was the discovery of Black-eyed-Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), (with entire leaves) at SN466011, recorded by Teifion Davies and Tony & Viv Lewis. Also of note was Annual Wall-rocket (Diplotaxis muralis) found by Tony Lewis at SN473008. On the shingle ridge at Cefn Padrig (SN462003) other plant species recorded included Prostrate Toadflax (Linaria supina), Yellow Horned-poppy (Glaucium flavum), Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima) and Sea Wormwood (Seriphidium maritimum). The vegetation by the bridge at SN473007 included Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare ssp. purpurascens), Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris), and again Annual Wall-rocket. Botanical interest around the new pond east of the Ashpits Pond (at about SN464011) included Spear Mint (Mentha spicata) and Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea). The invertebrate highlights here were undoubtedly the superb Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator) and the more localised Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta). A pair of Mute Swans with eight young were seen on the Ashpits Pond and the presence of juvenile Coot showed proof of breeding, however, only adult Great Crested Grebes were observed.
Amongst the extensive plantings, which were largely dominated by Common Alder (Alnus glutinosa), willows (Salix spp.) and birches, occasional Alder Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) and False-acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) were noted. It was here that other lepidopteran larvae were recorded from a range of different foodplants. The list of species recorded included Latticed Heath (Chiasmia clathrata), Peppered Moth (Biston betularia), Common Wave (Cabera exanthemata), Eyed Hawk-moth (Smerinthus ocellata), Garden Tiger (Arctia caja), Yellow-tail (Euproctis similis), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) and Grey Dagger (Acronicta psi)
The gentle walk back in the afternoon sun produced sightings of several common butterfly species with resplendent Small Tortoiseshells (Aglais urticae) and Common Blues (Polyommatus icarus) showing themselves off on Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii) and Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) respectively.
