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Castle Hill, Brighton
Castle Hill is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the eastern outskirts of Brighton in East Sussex. It is a Special Area of Conservation and Nature Conservation Review site. The northern half is a national nature reserve This is chalk grassland, which is a nationally uncommon habitat. It is rich in flowering plants and there are areas of scrub which are valuable for breeding birds. There are often early spider orchids in springtime, when the cowslips are still in flower. In June there are burnished green-and-copper leaf beetles nestling in the yellow heads of hawkbit. In a good summer the hillside is dusted pink with fragrant, pyramidal, bee, burnt tip and spotted orchids and sometime our rare endemic early gentian. There is much that is rare and special here including the plants: Nottingham catchfly, dodder and field fleawort; the butterflies: adonis, small and chalkhill blue, clouded yellow and dark green fritillary; the moths: small purple-barred, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Site Of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle of Man. SSSI/ASSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in the United Kingdom are based upon them, including national nature reserves, Ramsar sites, Special Protection Areas, and Special Areas of Conservation. The acronym "SSSI" is often pronounced "triple-S I". Selection and conservation Sites notified for their biological interest are known as Biological SSSIs (or ASSIs), and those notified for geological or physiographic interest are Geological SSSIs (or ASSIs). Sites may be divided into management units, with some areas including units that are noted for both biological and geological interest. Biological Biological SSSI/ASSIs may ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dodder
''Cuscuta'' (), commonly known as dodder or amarbel, is a genus of over 201 species of yellow, orange, or red (rarely green) parasitic plants. Formerly treated as the only genus in the family Cuscutaceae, it now is accepted as belonging in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae, on the basis of the work of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. The genus is found throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the world, with the greatest species diversity in subtropical and tropical regions; the genus becomes rare in cool temperate climates, with only four species native to northern Europe. Folk names include: strangle tare, scaldweed, beggarweed, lady's laces, fireweed, wizard's net, devil's guts, devil's hair, devil's ringlet, goldthread, hailweed, hairweed, hellbine, love vine, pull-down, strangleweed, angel hair, and witch's hair. Description Cuscuta can be identified by its thin stems appearing leafless, with the leaves reduced to minute scales. In these respects it closely r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dark Bush-cricket
The dark bush-cricket (''Pholidoptera griseoaptera'') is a flightless species of European bush-cricket; it is the type species of its genus with no subspecies. Description ''Pholidoptera griseoaptera'' can reach a body length of 11 to 21 mm (males) and 15 to 20 mm (females), much smaller than the similar '' Pholidoptera aptera''. The sickle-shaped and upward curved ovipositor of the females is 8 to 10 mm long, while the males have two short cerci. The antennae and the hind legs are quite long. The rounded brachypterous wings of the males are brown with light brown to ochre-coloured edges and are about 5 mm in length (about as long as the pronotum). The females are almost wingless or have half-round, grey-brown fore-wings that are 1-2 mm long. Long-winged (macropterous) forms are not recorded. Distribution and Biology This species can be found in Europe from northern Spain up to Crimea, Caucasus and the Near East. It is fairly common in Great Britain, but not recorded ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wart-biter
The wart-biter (''Decticus verrucivorus'') is a bush-cricket in the family Tettigoniidae. Its common and scientific names derive from the eighteenth-century Swedish practice of allowing the crickets to nibble at warts to remove them. Description Adult wart-biters are , with females being significantly larger than males. They are typically dark green in colour, usually with dark brown blotches on the pronotum and wings (a dark brown morphotype also occurs). The female has a long and slightly upcurved ovipositor. The wart-biter has a song consisting of a rapidly repeated series of short bursts of clicks, sometimes lasting for several minutes. Wart-biters normally move about by walking; they rarely fly, except when frightened. Most can only fly at a time. Subspecies The ''Orthoptera Species File'' lists: * ''D. verrucivorus assiduus'' Ingrisch, Willemse & Heller, 1992 * ''D. verrucivorus brevipennis'' Götz, 1970 * ''D. verrucivorus crassus'' Götz, 1970 * ''D. verrucivorus grac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Burnet Companion
The burnet companion moth (''Euclidia glyphica'') is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in most of the Palearctic realm, from Ireland in the west to Mongolia and Siberia in the east and south to the Mediterranean and North Africa. Technical description and variation Forewing pale grey suffused with pale brown or uniform pale brown; the shadings dark olive brown; inner line pale, oblique and waved, followed by a brown band; outer line whitish, vertically waved, preceded by a brown band, the inner edge of which is the median line; at costa the outer line is excurved and accompanied by pale scales on each side; submarginal line obscure, followed by a darker diffuse band, forming a black blotch on costa: hindwing orange, the veins dark; base and inner margin fuscous; a blackish submarginal band, outwardly toothed at costa and middle; a dark terminal shade running up along veins. The more uniformly dark brown examples constitute the ab. ''suffusa'' Spul., the usual form in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mother Shipton Moth
''Callistege mi'', the Mother Shipton moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. It was classified by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759, and is also known under the name of ''Euclidia mi''. In Finnish it is known as ''piirtoyökkönen'' and in German as ''Scheck-Tageule''. Variations Variations include: *''Callistege mi'' ab. ''ochrea'' Tutt has the ground colour of hindwing yellow; this is the usual form in Britain, where sometimes the forewing also is tinged with yellowish: the underside of both being yellow; *''Callistege mi'' ab. ''illuminata'' ab. nov. arrenis a paler form of the type in which the dark areas are restricted by the amplification of the pale spaces, the underside yellowish white; in litterata Cyr. from Italy the white is pure, the underside bluish white; but the white spots of the upperside are restricted in size; *''Callistege mi'' ab. ''extrema'' B.-Haas from Amurland and Central Asia, the white predominates still more over the black than in ''illuminata'', the un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forester Moth
The Zygaenidae moths are a family of Lepidoptera. The majority of zygaenids are tropical, but they are nevertheless quite well represented in temperate regions. Some of the 1000 or so species are commonly known as burnet or forester moths, often qualified by the number of spots, although other families also have 'foresters'. They are also sometimes called smoky moths. All 43 species of Australian zygaenids are commonly known as foresters and belong to the tribe Artonini. The only nonendemic species in Australia is ''Palmartona catoxantha'', a Southeast Asian pest species which is believed to be already present in Australia or likely to arrive soon.Tarmann, G.M. "Zygaenid moths of Australia. A revision of the Australian Zygaenidae". Description Larvae Larvae are stout and may be flattened. A fleshy extension of the thorax covers the head. Most feed on herbaceous plants, but some are tree feeders. Larvae in two subfamilies, Chalcosiinae and Zygaeninae, have cavities in which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Purple-barred Yellow
''Lythria purpuraria'', the purple-barred yellow, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from western Europe to Siberia, Russia, Ukraine, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. ''L. purpuraria'' generally have two red-purple transverse lines in their green-yellow forewings. They are often confused with ''L. cruentaria'', a sister species in the same family. This is because they are both available in a variety of sizes with multiple wing patterns. ''L. purpuraria'' and the other four species within the ''Lythria'' family have a very difficult genitalia structure, which is complicated to analyze and study. Adults are on wing from April to June and again from July to September. It is a day-flying species. There are two generations per year. The larvae feed on prostrate knotweed, also known as ''Polygonum aviculare ''Polygonum aviculare'' or common knotgrass is a plant related to buckwheat and dock. It is also called prostrate knotweed, birdweed, pigweed and lowgras ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Small Purple-barred
''Phytometra viridaria'', the small purple-barred, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759. It is found in central and southern Europe, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and further east across the Palearctic to southern Siberia. Technical description and variation The wingspan is 19–20 mm. The length of the forewings is 9–11 mm. Forewing olive brownish; the costa at base, and an outer and terminal fascia deep rosy purple; the outer band varying in width; a pale line of ground colour between them; hindwing olive with a median and terminal darker band more or less tinged with purple; in ab. ''fusca'' Tutt the purple tints are replaced by dark brown; —ab. ''aenea'' Hbn. the ground colour is olive grey or fuscous instead of green; ab. ''suffusa'' Tutt is a rare form, blackish fuscous with a still darker terminal border.Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 ''Die Großschmet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dark Green Fritillary
The dark green fritillary (''Speyeria aglaja'') is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. The insect has a wide range in the Palearctic realm - Europe, Morocco, Iran, Siberia, Central Asia, China, Korea, and Japan. Description in Seitz The large fritillary is fiery reddish yellow above, the basal area of the male being always duller. The markings are constant: a black margin, a row of deep black but thin marginal arcs, a very straight, central row of dots, of which only the last one of the forewing is shifted distad; between this row of dots and the base there are six thin black transverse bands extending from the subcostal vein into the wing. The underside of the hindwing is characteristic; it bears numerous silver-spots on a partly verdigris partly leather-yellow ground, but never a row of ocelli in the marginal area, as is the case in the forms of the Niobe fritillary (''Fabriciana niobe'') and high brown fritillary (''F. adippe''). Seitz. A. in Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clouded Yellow
''Colias'' is a genus of butterflies in the family Pieridae. They are often called clouded yellows; the North American name "sulphurs" is elsewhere used for Coliadinae in general. The closest living relative is the genus ''Zerene'', which is sometimes included in ''Colias''. This genus occurs throughout the Holarctic, including the arctic regions. They are also found in South America, Africa, China and India. Their caterpillars feed on certain Fabaceae, for example vetches (''Vicia''). While most are thus beneficial by keeping weeds at bay, some occasionally become nuisance pests on crops like alfalfa. In some species, the wings of males have brilliant ultraviolet reflection, while those of females do not. Adults of both sexes have various colour forms. Most if not all species of this genus, as usual for Coliadinae, do not sequester toxins or other noxious compounds from their food plants. They are therefore a well-loved prey item of insectivores as compared to ''Pieris'' of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chalkhill Blue
The chalkhill blue (''Lysandra coridon'') is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is a small butterfly that can be found throughout the Palearctic realm, where it occurs primarily in grasslands rich in chalk. Males have a pale blue colour, while females are dark brown. Both have chequered fringes around their wings. Subspecies Subspecies include: * ''Lysandra coridon coridon'' * ''Lysandra coridon borussia'' (Dadd, 1908) – (Urals) * ''Lysandra coridon asturiensis'' (Sagarra, 1922) – (Spain) Ecology Description ''Lysandra coridon'' has a wingspan of .Simon CoombeCaptain's European Butterfly Guide/ref> These small butterflies present a sexual dimorphism. The males having pale silvery-blue upperside of the wings with a submarginal line of grey spots on the hindwings and a thin brown and white chequered fringe. Females have dark brown upperside of wings, with marginal orange spots and also with chequered fringes. The underside of the wings show a light ochre colouration, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
_coridon_-_Aberrant_male.JPG "Click for more on -> Chalkhill Blue")