A very flat walk, which started damp and drizzly, but soon dried up and was pleasantly warm.
Oliver Ashcombe founded Lyford almshouses in 1611. The present quadrangle of brick-built almshouses and a chapel appear to be 18th century.
An interesting path through the barley field, lined with a younger greener crop
A door at St. James’ Denchworth
In Denchworth, outside the pub, the base (squared) and broken shaft (rounded) of a 14th or 15th century preaching cross, originally at the junction of Brook Lane and Hyde Road (moved 1998)
Brick wall in Denchworth: English bond
The River Ock at Charney Bassett
Now the bugs etc.
We though this might have been a Small Heath, but the Small Heath never rests with its wing open, so it’s probably a Gatekeeper
See what you think, this one really is a gatekeeper
This is worthy, just for the name: Gypsy cuckoo bumblebee (Bombus bohemicus) on yellow hawkweed
A first for me: chequered hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare), on bindweed
A moth on David’s boot: the Least Carpet Moth (Idaea rusticata)
We found a willow tree with great holes ripped out of the leaves. I think there might have been three predators.
First “culprit” must be this beetle, top left in the picture.. Looks a bit like an alder leaf beetle, but being on a willow tree suggests a willow leaf beetle (Plagiodera versicolora). And down the right is the larvae of something, possible some kind of leaf miner, given the state of the leaf.
Other leaves had galls, probably caused by a sawfly larva, the Willow Redgall Sawfly (Pontania proxima)
Here’s the willow leaf beetle again
There’s some soldier beetles and other stuff in the gallery.
Select any thumbnail below for a full screen slideshow
2 replies on “Photos from walk on Thursday 27th July from Charney Bassett to the Hanneys and Denchworth”
Top critters as ever. Thank you David.
On this grey walk, how did you manage these luminous pictures? Amongst my favourites this time are the 2 buddy photos and the barley field and the checkered hoverfly and ….. Thank you, David