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59.

18.4.53, cont.]

arrangements for the 50th Anniversary Excursion of the Belfast Nat. Field Club.


19th April 53. 

A lovely day after a misty morning & dull weather.  In forenoon drove to Ballinascorney Gap via Brittas & left car at quarry 1/4 mile above the Stone Cross & walked towards Kilbride Camp.  At foot of the Forestry plantation on slope of Seehawn turned left on to moor & looked at the patch of Lycopodium clavatum discovered here on

Also saw the moss Bartramia pommiformis in splendid [[image]] fruit on the west side of the road just above the last farm on that side & at same place took a ♀︎ Ichneumon {sp. near latrator but areola quadrate cheeks smooth} ant. 26, running about on the tarred road.

In afternoon in back garden saw a lovely fresh Andrena nigroaenea ♀︎, also a Vespa vulgaris ♀︎, sunning themselves, and caught a ♂︎ Phygadeuonid]] ick, black with white clypeus & white mandibles, ant. 24, running in bare soil =


20th and 21st April. 

Both fine sunny days after misty mornings but very cold E. wind on 20th.  Much more genial on 21st, & in afternoon drove to "Three Castles" between Blessington & Ballyward Bridge & walked to the top of Golden Hill, looked at the wrecked tumulus & stone circles on W. side of the summit, & walked back to the car.  Very many Bumble Bees


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21.4.53, cont.]

seen & also 1♂︎ Andrena (jacobi) & 2♀︎♀︎ Psithyrus distinctus;  most Bombi were lucorum & one seen at flowers of gorse, others at Taracacum;  1 very fresh, dark, ♀︎ B. agrorum seen at flower of Viola riviniana.  One green-veined, White & several ♂︎ Wood Whites seen, as well as small Tortoiseshells & Peacocks.  On outward journey & between Tallaght & Jobstown saw our first Swallow of the season - all alone & sitting on telephone wire. 

In back garden Silene acaulis from Snowdon 1920, in flower for about a week;  fronds on Osmunda appearing & the old plant of Euphorbia hiberna in front garden showing amazing growth the last few days & nearly in flower.


22nd April 53. 

Another all sunny day with E. wind. 

In afternoon drove to Glenasmole & left car at middle lodge as usual.  There walked across fields to road along W. side of glen & along it to head of waterworks & back to car.  Saw one Sand Martin & heard one Cuckoo - the latter at head of waterworks. 

Chiffchaffs about the lodge & Willow Warblers everywhere.  Tried a little swreeping, but the only Braconid was a ♀︎ Dacnusa - probably D. areolaris (ant. 20).  Also a ♀︎ Phaeogenes fulvitarsis, ant. 24.  Saw a Large White Butterfly in front garden in forenoon (? sex) & a ♂︎ ditto in Glenasmole in the afternoon, as well as a Speckled Wood & a ♂︎ Orange-Tip.  Apanteles 1 cf. vitripennis Hal. ♂︎ in garden