Derbyshire 2022

Monks Dale - May & June

In my view Monks Dale is a bit confusing, it's just one long dale (3m) but is sectioned into Monks, Peter’s and Hay Dales along its length. I have combined all 3 for the purpose of listing. A great area for everything wildlife plenty of everything you could wish for.

Images - Brown Argus, Early Purple Orchid (white form), Small Heath, Rhogogaster viridis, Green Hairstreak, Wasp Beetle, Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis, Stenocorus meridianus, Nottingham Catchfly x2, Capsus ater, Stenodema holsata.

Torside - May

I am listing this as Torside because this is the best area to park. The actual site is just up the hill on the Longdendale Trail, a disused rail line cut into the hillside that traps some of the water coming down the hillside heading for the reservoir. A really good bug site but constantly overflown by Curlew,  Peregrine, Kestrel and Short-eared Owl on the odd occasion.

Images - Bilberry Bumblebee, Megalocoleus tanaceti, Oncotylus viridiflavus, Pied Hoverfly, Moorland Pond Skater, Potato Capsid, Scaeva selenitica, Sicus ferrugineus, Water Cricket.

Lightwood Nature Reserve - May, Aug, Sept.

An easily manageable reserve on the outskirts of Buxton situated in the basin of an old reservoir, being in a basin gives it good shelter so good for bugs. A string of pools along the bottom produces some good dragonflies. I've slipped in a shot of Moonwort from a site just down the road at Waterswallows. Posting 2 galleries, 1st for May, 2nd for Aug/Sept.

May Images - Green Hairstreak, Ichneumon confusor, Monochroa tenebrella, Small Copper, Tenthredo mesomela, Moonwort

Aug/Sept Images - Black Darter, Northern Wasp Hoverfly, Two-banded Wasp Hoverfly, Heather Colletes Bee, Common Emerald Damselfly, Common Orb-Weaver, Red-thighed Epeolus Bee, Tortoise Bug (nymph), Eye-lash Fungus species, Baby Frog, Broadbar Clover Sawfly, Willow Emerald Damsefly.

Mousley Bottom Reserve - May, June & Sept

Situated alongside the River Goyt at New Mills, a diverse site but used heavily by dog walkers making it difficult to photograph anything low down without drawing the attention of several dogs! Having said that tho I have come across some good species here.

Images - Ancistrocerus gazella, Ephemeroptera sp. (mayfly), Celery-leaf fly, Ferdinandea cuprea, Grypocoris stysi, Nemophora degeerella, Green Shieldbug, Song Thrush, Pocket Plum (Gall on Sloe), Tenthredo mesomela, Pammene aurana, Orthops campestris, Leucozona glaucia, Lygus rugulipennis, Lissonota impressor, Painted Lady (caterpillar), Red-barred Tortrix, Stenichneumon culpator (form adsentator).

Hartington Meadows June & Sept

I found this a difficult site, the best areas being in the old quarry and along the disused railway line both being quite some distance apart. These produced some good species.

Images - Cantharis flavilabris, Epiblema scutulana agg, Great Burnet Rust, Greater Celandine, Middle-barred Minor, Monkshood, Thistle Tortoise Beetle, Twin-spot Plume, Urophora jaceana agg.