Cheshire 2022

Styal Country Park - May

The proximity of Manchester makes this park popular so I find it best to visit on a weekday. The site has a lot to offer mainly in the insect area, but there is also some interesting flora.

Images - Cauchas rufimitrella, Chequered Weevil, Dock Bug, Grey Sailor Beetle, Common Leaf Weevil, Two-spotted Carpet Beetle, Esperia sulpherella, Cocksfoot Moth, Nettle Groundbug, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Dark Ash Bud Moth, Rhingia campestris, Rhinoncus pericarpius, Tingis ampliata, Tipula lunata.

Jacksons Brickworks - May

This is a small site near Poynton consisting of a series of small pools on the site of an old brickworks, mostly insect habitat noted for the commoner dragonflies.

Images - Azure Damsefly, Braken Bug, Urophora jaceana agg, Potato Capsid, 5 Spot Burnet Moth, Leptopterna dolabrata, Latticed Heath, Herina frondescentiae, Pipiza species, Ragged Robin (white form), Sphaerophoria rueppelli.

Paddington Meadows - Sept

Paddington Meadows is nestled in a loop of the River Mersey at Warrington. A site, as is evident in the name, of meadows and sections of woodland, inhabitants are as expected varied and numerous from Seals that sometimes venture up the river to Barn Owls. This site is always worth a visit.

Images - 22 Spot Ladybird, Andricus gemmeus (gall on Oak), Black Nightshade, Cinnamon Bug, Diplolepis nervosa ("Sputnik Gall" on rose), Emerald Damselfly, Eristalis intricaria, Peach Blossom Moth (caterpillar), Rhagoletis meigen, Sloe Shieldbug, Vervain, White Melilot.