Summer is often more about the invertebrates at Rainham Marshes than the birds and a little walk in the sunshine around the car park produced some cracking hoverflies. They seem particularly keen on the yellow composites that grow there including Perennial Sow Thistles and Bristly Ox Tongue.
I found about ten species in a quick look, most of which are designed to resemble wasps and thus avoid predation.
male Eupeodes luniger - I suspect as the yellow commas do not meet the side of the body
and female Eupeodes corollae - abdominal yellow commas meeting the side of the body
and the very common Episyrphus balteatus - also known as the Marmalade - one of the few hovers with a common English name
I have left my favourite to last...
Chrysotoxum verralli - surely one of the best wasp mimics going
So get out there and find something exciting in your own grassy patch..
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer