![\"comma](\"http:\/\/wakefieldnaturalists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1000278.4..comma-caterpillar.cl-copy.jpg\")
<\/a>comma butterfly caterpillar<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"purple](\"http:\/\/wakefieldnaturalists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1000302.9.purple-hairstreak.jpg\")
<\/a>purple hairstreak butterfly<\/p><\/div>\n
The bottom lake provided good views of various dragonflies and damselflies, including brown hawker and common blue damselfly patrolling around a large area of fringed water-lily with its attractive yellow flowers.\u00a0 Large bracket fungal fruiting bodies of Ganoderma<\/em> spp<\/em> on old oak trees and a giant polypore (Meripilus giganteus<\/em>) at the base of a mature beech tree were also noted.\u00a0 Eagled eyed members spotted a couple of caterpillars of the comma butterfly feeding on nettles at a woodland edge.\u00a0 The white markings on their backs are thought to resemble a bird dropping, perhaps a good defence mechanism. See attached image.\u00a0 Possibly, the highlight of the morning was the appearance of a purple hairstreak butterfly high in the canopy of an oak tree, which is the food plant of its caterpillars.\u00a0 Although the adult butterfly may sometimes be seen at lower levels it spends much of its time searching high in the tops of oak trees and occasionally other species for honeydew from aphids.\u00a0 For this reason it is easily overlooked and under recorded and certainly it was difficult to photograph on the day. \u00a0Other butterflies seen, included red admiral, speckled wood and meadow brown. Other interesting wildlife included a hornet\u2019s nest in an old veteran tree and knopper gall on oak.<\/p>\n The knopper gall is caused by a small wasp (Andricus quercuscalicis) laying its eggs in the young acorns of pedunculate oak.\u00a0 This tiny insect forms a second generation in the spring when it lays its eggs and forms small galls on the male catkins of turkey oak (Quercus cerris), which can be found in small numbers at Nostell Priory.\u00a0 At this time of year the acorns become increasingly wrinkled as they develop.\u00a0 In some years this can reduce the number of viable acorns produced.\u00a0 However, many may remain unaffected and perhaps this insect may not be the threat to our native oak that it once feared to have been.<\/p>\n 4.meripulus giganteus<\/p><\/div>\n Encouraged by the visit I returned to Nostell on the 17 August to photograph the giant polypore, which was by then much larger.\u00a0 I also noted a further three purple hairstreak butterflies in the same area, together with a brown hawker and migrant hawkers.\u00a0 Images of the brown hawker, which rested for a matter of seconds on a fence post, together with the migrant are attached.<\/p>\n migrant hawker<\/p><\/div>\n brown hawker<\/p><\/div>\n The indoor meetings resume on Tuesday September 12th<\/sup> at 7.30 p.m. at the Quaker Meeting House, Thornhill Street, Wakefield WF1 1NQ with a presentation by Steve Rutherford when he will take us on a journey around the islands of the UK.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Society\u2019s final outdoor meeting of a full summer programme for this year attracted a very good attendance on 13 August 2017.\u00a0 Members were greeted with a fine sunny morning and treated to some special wildlife sightings as we walked … Continue reading ![\"4.meripulus](\"http:\/\/wakefieldnaturalists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1000473.4.meripulus-giganteus.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"migrant](\"http:\/\/wakefieldnaturalists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1000463.5.migrant-hawker.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"brown](\"http:\/\/wakefieldnaturalists.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/P1000470.4..brown-hawker.jpg\")
<\/a>