Summer small stuff

Mostly from late July to August, around Fukuoka city. Looking at the photos, I can still feel the heat. But it didn't keep me from going out. How much longer can I keep this up?

One of the most surprising sights was the larvae of an Angled Sunbeam ウラギンシジミの幼虫, feeding on Kudzu flower, クズの花 (葛の花) I knew about them, but I had never seen any. Thank you A-chan, for pointing it out.

Next a Japanese Tree frog, ニホンアマガエル. There were so few, I hardly saw any this year.

The Kunugi tree did well. Japanese Siren Butterfly, ゴマダラチョウ

Red Helen Swallowtail, モンキアゲハ

 

2 Bufs were chasing each other in a dark corner of the forest. The photo with slow S speed turned out kind of interesting

Diana Treebrown, クロヒカゲ

An Old World Swallowtail, キアゲハ was moving from flower to flower, laying eggs.

THE EGG!

Midday, at a dark shrine I found this beautiful Kagiba Aoshaku moth, カギバアオシャク

This year the Wind Orchids, フウラン were exploding from the tree trunks!

Last a Yotsusuji Torakamikiri Longhorn beetle, ヨツスジトラカミキリ on flowers, whose name I forgot

Around the sap tree

It is more or less the same collection as other years. Though I haven't see any Rhinoceros Beetles. They are all taken by kids with nets and little plastic boxes.

Japanese Siren Butterfly, ゴマダラチョウ

Diana Treebrown, クロヒカゲ

Chinese Bushbrown, ヒメジャノメ

Little Stag Beetle, コクワガタ

Miyamakamikiri Longhorn ミヤマカミキリ and Japanese Drone Beetle, カナブン · 

Citrus Longhorn Beetle, ゴマダラカミキリ

What is this? It doesn't look like anything special. Maybe part of a flower that was blown in the wind and got stuck to the bark of the Kunugi tree? Or a house of a tiny insect? A gall? It seems to be stuck to the bark. I don't know. But what interests me is:

I saw the same thing at the same tree at exactly the same location last year.

...Somebody thought it might be a spider thing...

Some more butterflies

I thought it was a Pale Grass Blue at first, but no.... The Bird's foot Trefoil, ミヤコグサ was a clear giveaway.

Emelina Grass Blue, シルビアシジミ 

This one, (female?) looks so smart, but it disappeared too fast.

Around the same area: Spotless Grass Yellow, ツマグロキチョウ

The yellow bufs are difficult to identify. I hope this id is right.

The black tip is barely visible, unless it flies

Difficult!

Autumn 2025

August 20th, We just came back to Fukuoka, after a break from the heat in the cooler mountains up north. The atmosphere has changed. The days are still hot and muggy, but mornings are a bit cooler and the occasional thunder and rain shower in the afternoon make life in the city more bearable. Autumn has come. A short ride through the fields in the west produced a few migrants. 

Black-winged Stilt, セイタカシギ. Just one bird in the field.

2 Wood Sandpipers, タカブシギ appeared after a few minutes

At another field some Terek Sandpipers, ソリハシシギ and one more Wood Sandpiper, タカブシギwere feeding together. At ease, but a bit skitterish.

huddling together - sensing danger?

A little down the road some Greensanks, アオアシシギ. 

Then there were about 10 Pacific Golden Plovers, ムナグロ in a dry field, that matches their plumage so well, they can easily be overlooked.

After the summer we can see you big eyes again. So pretty. 

Fluffy Gold

You look much better with a green background!

Great Purple Emperor, オオムラサキ

On the same day as last year, I went to check on the big Purple Emperors in the forest. People had told me that there were none, but I went anyway. It took a while and eventually I found some in one of the high sap producing Oak trees. 

There were many other butterflies, mostly Japanese Siren, ゴマダラチョウ, and some Labyrinths, キマダラヒカゲ. I could not find last year's Pseudo Labyrinth. But Freyer's Purple Emperor, コムラサキ was there as well

The purple color comes out under a certain angle, which is rather difficult to see when the butterflies are high up between leaves and branches. Sometimes one came down.

Another butterfly nearby:  Lilacine Bushbrown, コジャノメ

And an interesting beetle again, at the same location, but a different spec. from last year

Daikoku Kogane beetle, ダイコクコガネ

Last year's Horned Dung beetle ツノコガネ

Further down the road: Japanese Cockchafer, コフキコガネ