SECOND QUARTER 2025

This Journal covers the last quarter of 2025 from April to June.

Garden Warbler

Sylvia borin

The Garden Warbler is a very plain bird that visits Britain in the summer months. Its name is misleading because it prefers the cover of trees and bushes in woodland where it feeds on insects and berries. This is the first record the website has for Hainault Forest.

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Blackcap

Sylvia atricapilla

The Blackcap is a greyish bird that belongs to the Warbler family. Males have black caps while those of females are chestnut brown. It is mainly a summer visitor from Europe, but now more are spending winter in Britain.

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Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus Fuscus

Debi was at Fairlop Waters when a Lesser Black-back Gull grabbed a gosling. The young gosling was swallowed whole!

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Coot

Fulica atra

The coot does not have webbed feet, however it does have webbed toes. Every toe has a hinged flap that increases the foot’s surface area to provide better propulsion when swimming. When walking the fold-away flaps allow the coot to move more elegantly than if it had webbed feet similar to those of a duck.

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Comma

Polygonia c-album

The Comma has jagged orange-brown upper wings with black and yellowish-brown markings. At rest the Comma resembles a withered leaf. Comma butterflies seek sanctuary on hedgerows located in sunny positions. Their name is derived from a little 'comma' mark on the underside of the wings. Its caterpillars feed on plants such as Common Nettle and Hop.

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Marbled White

Melanargia galathea

Since the wildflower meadow has been allowed to flourish near Foxburrow Road entrance this beautiful species is now becoming a regular sight where once it was an infrequent visitor.

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Green-veined White

Pieris napi

TQ4793 11/05/2025 ©Raymond Small

The Green-veined White is a common butterfly that flies from April until October. It is found in a wide range of habitats, especially damp areas with lush vegetation. Its caterpillars feed on plants in the Cabbage family.

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Small Heath

Coenonympha pamphilus

The Small Heath is the smallest of the UK's brown butterflies. It has a fluttering flight and often rests leaning to one side. This species has a preference for heathland in sunny locations.

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Large Skipper

Ochlodes sylvanus

The absence of a thick black line through the fore-wing centre means this is a female. Females lay their eggs on various grasses.

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Blood-vein

Timandra comae

The Blood-vein is a common moth found in a range of habitats. Its foodplants include: Docks, Common Orache and Common Sorrel.

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Orange Beauty

Commophila aeneana

Adults are on the wing from May until July. Its larvae feed on roots of ragwort.

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Hoary Tortrix

Eucosma cana

This species is found from June until August in rough grassland where thistle and black knapweed grows. Formerly known as the 'Hoary Bell'.

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Poplar Hawk-moth

Laothoe populi

The Poplar Hawk-moth is a large moth that flies from May to July with a wingspan between 6 and 9cm. They rest with the abdomen curved up and hindwings further forward than the forewings. If disturbed they flash reddish-brown patches on the underwings. The adults do not feed. Their larvae consume poplar, aspen, sallow and willow.

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Lime Hawk-moth

Mimas tiliae

The Lime Hawk-moth is a large distinctive green and pink moth, usually on the wing from May until July. There is also a common red-brown form with brick-red central markings (f. brunnea). Foodplants include lime, elm, birch and alder.

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Hedge Beauty

Alabonia geoffrella

The Hedge Beauty is a colourful day-flying woodland species often seen in May and June on bramble during sunny mornings. Its larvae feed on rotten tree bark. Formerly known as the 'Common Tubic' and often referred to as "Geoff" by moth enthusiasts.

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Silver Grass-miner

Elachista argentella

The Silver grass-miner flies from May until August and is often disturbed in grassland areas. Its larvae feed on various grasses. Previously known as the Swan-feather Dwarf.

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Mother Shipton

Callistege mi

Day-flying moth found in meadows when the sun shines. Its name is a reference to 'Old Mother Shipton', the 16th Century witch whose face can be seen on the wings.

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Coronet

Craniophora ligustri

The Coronet flies from May until August. The forewing colour varies from intense yellowish-green and purple to black and white. Its foodplants are ash and wild privet.

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Six-spot Burnet

Zygaena filipendulae

The yellow caterpillars of the Six-spot Burnet feed on Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil and occasionally on Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil.

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Puss Moth

Cerura vinula

A newly hatched Puss Moth caterpillar under a centimetre long. The caterpillars, grow to 65mm long, becoming bright green with purple and white markings.

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Emperor Moth

Saturnia pavonia

When larvae of the Emperor Moth are fully grown they turn green and black with yellow spots.

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Large Red Damselfly

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Generally one of the first damselfly species to emerge in spring usually near wetland habitats. Black legs rule this out from being the scarcer Small Red damselfly.

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Four-spotted Chaser

Libellula quadrimaculata

The Four-spotted Chaser is a dragonfly that flies from May until September often found hawking for insect-prey around heathland, lakes, ponds and woods. It gets its name from the two dark spots at the front edge of each wing. Males and females are golden-brown, darkening towards the tip of the body. There are yellow spots along the sides. Debi photographed this at Fairlop Waters.

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Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn

Agapanthia villosoviridescens

A bristly beetle (18-20mm) with banded antennae and golden elytra and thorax. Typically seen in meadows and hedgerows where nettles, hogweed and cow parsley grow during May and June.

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Apple Fruit Rhynchites

Tatianaerhynchites aequatus

This hairy weevil is associated with blackthorn, hawthorn, apple, quince, almond, pear and rowan. The reddish-brown wing cases have a central dark line and are studded with rows of holes. This specimen was sitting on a sloe.

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Vernal Shieldbug

Peribalus strictus

This greenish-brown shieldbug (9.5-11mm) is covered in dark punctures. The antennae are distinctively banded with the final two segments mostly black. There is a pale tip to the scutellum, a banded connexivum and a rather concave edge to the pronotum behind the eyes. Rarely recorded with most historic sightings likely to be migrants. This is the first known record for Hainault Forest.

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Woundwort Shieldbug

Eysarcoris venustissimus

The small greyish-bronze shieldbug (5-7mm) feeds mainly on hedge woundwort and occasionally on other plants in the same family. The head and the front of both the pronotum and scutellum are copper coloured, while the connexivum is marked with black and white. During the 19th century this species was considered rare but is now becoming more widespread.

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Parent Bug

Elasmucha grisea

The Parent Bug is a loving shieldbug that cares and protects its eggs and young. Females have glands that discharge a foul smelling secretion to deter predators. The larvae disband at the end of the third instar at which point the female leaves as they are able to fend for themselves.

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Gorse Shieldbug

Piezodorus lituratus

Seventeen barrel-shaped Gorse Shieldbug eggs. This line of eggs was roughly 8mm long. When the eggs hatched orange instars emerged. They will go through several more stages before becoming adults. Foodplants they use include gorse, broom, and Dyer's greenweed.

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Green Shieldbug

Palomena prasina

Green Shieldbugs feed on a wide range of plants. Adults overwinter and emerge in spring to mate. Females lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves. Unlike the Parent Bug many other types of shieldbug lay and abandon their eggs. Eggs of the Green Shieldbug blend in with the colour of the vegetation so are fairly well camouflaged. The instars are light-green when first hatching out. They darken and within an hour or two there is a pattern on the back.

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Hairy Shieldbug

Dolycoris baccarum

The Hairy Shieldbug aka Sloe Bug is covered in long hairs. It is found throughout the year along woodland rides and on hedgerows. This species overwinters as an adult and emerges during spring to mate. Larval foodplants include Blackthorn and other members of the Roasaceae family. When a shieldbug nymph emerges from the egg the top pops open like the lid on a tin of beans.

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Shieldbug Eggs

(Parasitized)

Not all shieldbug eggs hatch successfully. These eggs may look normal but a tiny wasp has laid an egg in each egg. When a new wasp emerges from a parasitized egg (see below) it chews its way out instead of popping open the top.

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Fine Streaked Bugkin

Miris striatus

This distinctive predatory species is associated with Oak and Hawthorn. The dark ant-like nymphs have yellow markings and reddish-brown legs. Adults (9-11mm) appear from May until July. They feed on aphids, eggs and larvae of other insects.

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Hypericum Rhopalid

Rhopalus subrufus

Hypericum Rhopalid is a bug associated with stinging nettles and woodland clearings. It is about 7mm long.

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Black and Red Froghopper

Cercopis vulnerata

Nymphs of this large conspicuous froghopper are seldom seen because they feed on underground roots. Adults appear from April until August. They can be up to 11mm long.

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Common Froghopper

Philaenus spumarius

The frothy bubbles known as 'Cuckoo-spit' found on vegetation in grassy areas during spring are caused by tiny green Froghopper larvae. The adults (5-7mm) appear from June until September.

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Leafhopper

Alebra albostriella

Measuring 4mm long, this pretty Leafhopper was attracted to a UV light. The colouration and dark spots at the base of the tibial spines identify this as a male of the species. There are distinct differences between leafhoppers and froghoppers. Leafhoppers are normally more slender and smaller, while froghoppers are typically larger and stouter. Froghoppers produce cuckoo spit on plants, leafhoppers do not. Froghoppers have only a few stout spines on their legs, leafhoppers have rows of spines.

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Leafhopper

Edwardsiana sp.

This tiny Leafhopper found near Hainault Lake was 3-4mm in length. Being on an alder leaf it is possibly Edwardsiana alnicola, but without examination under a microscope there is no way to be certain of the exact species.

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Silver Birch Aphid

Euceraphis betulae

As its name implies this species of aphid is found on silver birch. Mainly green, however the body, antennae and legs of the adults may be coated in pale-blue wax giving a furry appearance. Several generations appear each year from spring to autumn. During summer all the adults are winged females that reproduce without mating in a process known as parthenogenesis. In autumn sexual reproduction takes place between winged males and wingless egg-laying females. The eggs overwinter and hatch the following spring. Leaves they inhabit can get very sticky due to honeydew produced by these aphids.

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Broad Centurion

Chloromyia formosa

The Broad Centurion is a soldier fly. The male has a bronze abdomen whereas with the female it is blue-green. There are similar species, but this one can be distinguished by the eyes being covered in thick black hairs. The flight season is from May until August, when it can be found nectaring on flowers in scrub, on hedgerows and in woods. Its larvae feed on decaying organic matter.

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Fruit Fly

Urophora sp.

This well-marked fruit fly is a member of the family Tephritidae. This is possibly Urophora jaceana, one of several flies that cause galls on knapweed. Because several species are similar it has only been recorded to genus.

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Band-winged Stilt-leg

Rainieria calceata

Rob Smith discovered a dozen Band-winged Stilt-leg flies at Epping Forest. In the afternoon he visited Dog Kennel Hill in Hainault Forest and found one resting on a beech log. Because this is such a scarce species, Darwyn Sumner, who runs the national recording scheme was contacted for confirmation. The main colony is in Windsor Great Park and this species is having difficulty establishing other colonies because it is short of old growth beeches with the necessary fungi and rot holes. Rob's record is probably the first in Essex - what a great find!

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Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Weasels are up to 25cm in length. They are similar to Stoats, but the Stoat has a black-tipped tail and is larger, measuring up to 40cm long. Weasels feed on small mammals, reptiles and birds. They hunt prey throughout the day and night and are skilled at running, climbing and swimming.

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Bee Orchid

Ophrys apifera

2025 has been a good year for Bee Orchids with over three times as many spikes appearing near Hainault Lake than twelve months ago. A total of 134 spikes were counted.

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Betony

Betonica officinalis

Betony has a preference for sunny or semi-sunny places on well-drained soils, growing well on heavy clay. The pretty purple flowers grow on square stems. It is a member of the mint family.

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Lady's Bedstraw

Galium verum

The angular stems of Lady's bedstraw contain dense clusters of tiny, yellow flowers and narrow leaves that appear in whorls. The plant was once used to fill pillow cases and also to curdle milk when making cheese.

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Hedge Bedstraw

Galium mollugo

Hedge Bedstraw has white, four-petaled flowers that appear from late spring. The smooth, hairless, square stem grows erect, but tends to sag when taller due to the weight of the flower clusters. Elliptic leaves grow in circular whorls up the stem.

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Goat's-rue

Galega officinalis

Goat's-rue is an invasive plant that can be toxic to mammals, but a popular food source for many insects. It is a robust, bushy perennial developing a clump of stems with pinnate leaves, The white, lilac or purple flowers are borne in erect racemes.

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Ransoms

Allium ursinum

Ransoms, also known as 'Wild Garlic', is not common in Hainault Forest. It has a preference for shaded damp places. Flowers on long narrow stalks form in clusters on top of triangular stems. The star-like flowers have six long narrow petals that taper to a point and six stamens bearing white anthers and white pollen. In the middle is a green three-lobed ovary.

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Striped Pea Gall

Cynips longiventris

Striped Pea Galls found on oak leaves are caused by winged agamic female gall wasps. These are now becoming more widespread across Essex.

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Anemone Gall

Pseudoneuroterus saliens

Anemone Galls form on fertilised Turkey oak female flowers. They are induced by the sexual generation of a gall wasp. Several larvae live in each gall and emerge as adults during summer. The first record of this gall in the UK was during 2004.

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Cluster Gall

Andricus lucidus

Cluster Galls first appeared in the UK during the 1990s, originating from the Mediterranean. These galls are caused by the sexual generation of a gall-wasp. The flower-like clusters, measuring up to 35mm across, are comprised of dish-shaped galls that push into each other. The galls are initially green with a shiny, waxy surface, becoming reddish-brown and hard. The asexual generation of this gall-wasp produce Hedgehog Galls.

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Thank you to everyone that have contributed to this Journal.

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