After the rain clouds cleared and the air warmed up it became a perfect afternoon to get out bugging and over the next few hours we managed to find a fantastic array of critters for those attending the event.
Darters and Migrant Hawkers zoomed up and down the paths.
A female Ruddy Darter with a dented eye! (Me)
Male Ruddy Darter note the pinched body and jet black legs (Matthew Foakes)
and there were many types of Hoverfly and True Fly to look at including the two biggest 'hovers' in the country. I have posted images before but they are so great that here are some more from yesterday. Both are Hornet mimics.
female Volucella inanis (me)
male Volucella zonaria (me) Remember: eyes touching = male, eyes apart = female
At the other end of the scale was the delicate yellow-banded hoverfly by the name of Sphaerophoria scripta.
Sphaerophoria scripta (me)
We also found three species of Grasshopper and four different Crickets with Long-winged Coneheads being the most common.
female Meadow Grasshopper (Me)
and several different beetles including Darkling and Ground Beetles and literally hundreds of tiny red pollen beetles feeding in amongst the fruiting heads of the phragmites and nettles. Note sure what they are yet but am working on it!
Pollen Beetles (me)
We have another Insect Afternoon in September and there are still some places left on the Annual Bug Hunt next Sunday so if insect life is your passion.
just my little lumix TZ8! has a very nice macro!
Howard - great pics - what lens do you use to take these?