RSPB Sandy Insects

Saturday afternoon was just about perfect for insect photography with warm temperatures but light cloud most of the time clearing about 16.00 to give good directional light. RSPB Sandy as always produced some very interesting scenarios including this Sharp-tailed Bee taking a nap in the Lavendar (bees often 'sleep' clamped onto a flower or leaf with their mandibles but I haven't seen a vertical 'napper' before), tricolor jewel wasp,  lots of Green-eyed Flower bees, Hummingbird Hawkmoths and a Colletes Bee (Apps suggest Ivy bee but surely too early)

Lackford Autumn Sunshine

Lackford Lakes looked at their best in the sunshine yesterday and the hundreds of Migrant Hawkers were certainly enjoying the warm conditions. A lot of the time, I was shooting into the light giving dark backgrounds and contrasty subjects but this first shot allows all the detail of the markings of this male. Other species were Willow Emerald, Ruddy Darter, Water Boatmen, Pond Skater, Sand Wasp, Small Copper, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Green-Veined White, Tachnid Fly and Ivy Bee. 

Lots of Insects in Ivy plants

Lots of different Fly species, Box Bugs,and other Hemiptera, Spiders and Ivy Bees feasting on the late nectar in the Ivy Flowers

Signs of Autumn

The appearance of the Ivy bees in the garden, timed to coincide with the Ivy flowering, is a sign that autumn is approaching. Lots of insects yesterday both on the ivy flowers and on the nettles below where the nectar has dropped, even a very tatty Speckled Wood. The Kite-tailed Robberfly was finding plenty of prey. The final two images are of an extraordinary looking very small plant bug - both its nymphal stage and adult that was hiding in the grass at my feet.