Paxton Survey - Sanctuary

I did a survey of the sanctuary and the Meadow along side it on Thursday as I could't go on Saturday.Here are some of the more confiding insect and spider species - over 50 more or less identified.

Insects from Royston Heath

Here a few images from our afternoon visit to Royston Heath on Friday in a sheltered spot where there were flowering Berberis bushes and Alexander plants plus lots of nettles supporting many different species. I was pleased with the accidental capture of a beetle taking off, mating Bibio flies, Nursery spider with Crane Fly, Brown-tailed Moth caterpillars which will strip all the hawthorn bushes etc, Andrena fulva, Lygos Bug, two species of Click Beetles, Ichneumon wasp, Hawthorn Bug, Common Carder bee and Ashy Mining Bee

First Damselflies and Other Garden Inverts

First Large Red Damselflies of the year (April 13th same early date as 2020) plus a host of other insects and spiders active in yesterday warm temperatures. The buttercups are just coming out in the meadow area so lots of photographic opportunities, including favourite hoverflies (Melanostoma mellinum, Platycheirus manicatus, Mythropa florea and Pipiza noctiluca) and lots of bug, bee and spider species!

Bee-Grabber Flies and Flower Spider

This Myopa testacea, a Thick-headed  or Conopid fly, is also known as a Bee-Grabber as it does exactly that - travels to the top of plants and sits there waiting for a passing bee. It then attaches itself to the bee gaining entrance to its nest and laying eggs in the nest. The Myopa  larvae parasitze the bee larvae. These photo-stacked images show how wonderfully adapted it is for this with large upward facing eyes, powerful legs and sharp curved claws. The two head enlargements show the difference between a jpeg from in camera stacking and the same set of images, but the Raw versions processed first in DXO rawPrime 3 and stacked with Zerene Stacker. Final image focus-stacked flower  spider.

Pasque Flowers for Easter

The Pasque flowers are out early on Royston Heath and are there in large numbers. It was a bit windy today for flower photography but I enjoyed trying a few different techniques and also finding some mini creatures - spiders, snails, fly, caterpillar and a Red-tailed Mason bee that makes its nest in snail's shells!