On a hot, sunny day in late April, an interesting discovery was over 100 of the tiny micro moths, Pachyrhabda steropodes, flying around its food plant (the Soft Shield fern – Polystichum setiferum) in the pond field. We understand this was probably the first record for the general Teifi valley area. It is an Australian species that was first discovered in 2010.
The most common butterfly here during the spring is the speckled wood. They like to fly and bask in sun dappled woodland and will often be seen defending their patches against others of the same species. They were soon joined by our most common butterflies – the meadow brown and ringlet. We also saw skippers, the usual whites, peacock and red admiral. Other insect species of interest included the banded demoiselle and a variety of moths including the dot moth, marbled white spot, grass rivulet, straw dot, yellow shell, silver-ground carpet, grass-veneers, silver y, five-spot burnet, barred straw and the beautiful green silver-lines. We also saw the lava of a yellow shell moth 
on a dock as well as the beautiful green dock beetle (Gastrophysa viridula).
We often see the intriguing swollen-thighed beetle, also known as the thick-legged flower beetle or false oil beetle (Oedemera nobilis). The names come from the males’ green bulges on the femora of their hind legs. It is a pollinator of many open-structured flowers including cow parsley, ox-eye daisy and bramble – all common here. These beetles are most frequently spotted in bright sunlight on flower heads on warm to hot days.
The butterfly orchid came up again in the pond field – two flower spikes this year. We have only found one southern marsh orchid here in the largest of the four areas of the reserve, but this did not return this year. However, last year six were planted around a grave. These came up again this year. We are delighted to have these plants as this species has disappeared from 20% of its historical range. The reduction is almost certainly due to changing agricultural practices and the draining of damp pastures. They do well in wildflower meadows.
Alt-y-garreg is a 20-acre nature reserve created in 2010 from four fields that had been improved pasture. There are areas of new woodland (over eighteen thousand trees of eighteen native species), wildflower meadows, scrub and ancient hedgerows. Two of the fields are now a natural burial site. The area is teeming with wildlife. A list of species we have seen on the site can be found here.