Insects in the centre of Leeds

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 28 Aug, 2014 9:40 pm

Walking across the paved Victoria Gardens in early p.m. today I happened to spot an insect on its back. The legs of the poor thing were waving around as it clearly could not turn over and was in danger of being trodden on as there were a lot of people around. I carefully picked it up and saw that it was Green Shield bug at about ½ inch in length. I put it into nearby grass. I thought they were scarce but apparently not, at least in gardens, though seeing one in that area may (or may not) be uncommon. Seeing it has got me wondering what other insects are seen in the centre of Leeds, as I've hardly for example seen any butterflies this year compared to recent years.

sparky415 · Post by **sparky415** » Thu 28 Aug, 2014 9:43 pm

I would say that this year has been a decent year for butterflies. They took a real beating in the wet summers of 07 and 08, so they've taken a while to build up their numbers again. Hopefully they will. lots of hawkmoths in and around leeds too.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 28 Aug, 2014 10:02 pm

Wow, that was a rapid reply sparky415. I hope you are correct that numbers will rise. Locally at least where I am in north Leeds there does seem to have been fewer butterflies this year, particularly Peacocks. I have not seen a gorgeous pink Elephant Hawk moth (?) for a few years now.

j.c.d. · Post by **j.c.d.** » Thu 28 Aug, 2014 11:55 pm

A bit off of the original post but there does seem to be quite a lot of butterflies around down here in Gloucestershire.but because the last two years have been so wet here the council have planted rows and rows of wild flowers to help the Bee population on the middle of dual carriage ways and any spare land in the city. this also looks very nice.

buffaloskinner · Post by **buffaloskinner** » Fri 29 Aug, 2014 12:25 am

There has been a lot of butterflies in the grass when I take the dog through Miggy Woods. I would say that hundreds fly up as we walk through the grass.Don't know which type they are as a butterfly is a butterfly to me, I do remember in the 50s when I was a kid we caught them and put them in jam jars as caterpillars until they hatched or is it metamorphasised?

sparky415 · Post by **sparky415** » Fri 29 Aug, 2014 1:46 am

I've bred many hundreds, if not thousands, of elephant hawk moths, as well as all the other larger moth species in the Uk. Butterflies too i have dabbled in with everything from Swallowtails to large tortoishells.....Todays numbers will never return to what they once were, but it would be nice if they did.