Dragonfly Day at Paxton Pits

 We have not been at all lucky with the weather for events this year. Our Annual Dragonfly Day in July with the Dragonfly Society (Paxton is a Dragonfly Hotspot ) had to be cancelled because of rain. Our replacement day yesterday was dry but overcast, breezy and cool so not the variety of dragonflies that we hoped plus the Dragonfly Society could not attend the amended date. However, over 30 people turned up for the event and took part in one or both of the walks. Here a few images from the day (Willow Emerald plus the Emerald Damselfly that we hoped but failed to see, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Migrant hawker plus other insects including the very spiky Comma caterpillar and the Darwin Wasp (Ichneumon in old terms!)).

Butterflies etc at RSPB Sandy

Wednesday stayed cloudy till lunchtime so any butterflies we found were resting like this delicate Essex Skipper with its ink-dipped antennae When the sun broke through the lavender revealed Large Skipper and Small Skipper along with Brown Argus. Wonderful to see Gatekeepers and Large Whites in good numbers along with an obliging Purple Hairstreak on an Oak branch and two moths - a Mint Moth and a Scarlet Tiger. There were also lots of Emperor and other Large Dragonflies - too fast to capture in the lens and so I finish on two Blue-tailed Damselflies from the morning's dull and sometimes rainy conditions.

Garden Spiders etc

Definitely to be too hot in Cambridgeshire to be outdoors photographing insects so these are the remainder from yesterday's garden hunt. The Flower Spider (Misuna) was deep inside a white rose with its prey while the Labyrinth spider has built an impressive den in the Acanthus. Blue-tailed, female immature Common Blue and male Azure Blue all competing for space around the pond. Favourite species the Figwort Sawfly. IDs on sheets at end of images.

 

Paxton 'Dragons', 'Damsels' and 'Scorpions'

 Although overcast and fairly chilly Paxton Pits was alive with Damselflies (Common, Variable and Blue-tailed plus Banded Demoiselles) and Scorpion Flies plus the occasional Dragonfly (Four-spotted Chaser). I decided to use just the 300 mm lens (with 1.4 converter) as I need to practise finding things in the view finder etc.