Wrest Park and Insects at Hexton Pits, Bedfordshire

We paid a brief visit to Wrest Park but it was too hot to walk round the grounds where the lawns were dry and parched toning with the buildings. 

We visited Hexton Pits hoping to see lots of Chalkhill Blues but it is past their peak time. However, there were lots of other interesting insects to keep us happy including Green Plant  Bug, Hoverfly Myathropa florea, Hairy Shield Bug and Conopid fly, Conops flavipes. 

 

 

HextonPits and Chalkhill Blues

 On Thursday we visited Hexton pits on the hottest day of the year (34 degrees) and witnessed the mass flying of what has been estimated as 10,000 Chalkhill Blues. I tried all kinds of lenses to record the flocks of Blues as they flew or were blown over the ridge of the chalkpit. In the end the 100mm macro standing well back proved the best. The Chalkhills appear brown when in flight unless the sun catches them as the blue is from the iridescent hairs on the body and scales on the top surface of the wings. Also recorded Large and Small Whites (photo above - identified by horizontal black wing patch - in the Large White, the patch curves round to also have vertical element), Peacocks, Gatekeepers. All the stems of the plants were covered in aphids.