Fair number of Migrant Hawkers, Ruddy and Common Darters, and Willow Emeralds at Paxton yesterday. This Scorpion Fly obligingly stayed for some time as a photographic model feeding on Ant Damsel Fly. Not sure if the short-winged moth is a common variant of the Turnip Moth or an incomplete emergence. Still lots of Wasp Spiders. I also spent a bit of time trying to get flight shots of the Bee Mimic fly (Eristalis intricaria)
Yesterday we had a Macro day at Paxton for Volunteers and were lucky with the weather - mainly bright and not too windy especially in the morning. Several wasp Spiders located - this one has a Dark Bush Cricket prey. Other favourites were the Vapourer moth caterpillar, the Green Leaf Hopper and the various stages of the Dock Bug. Large numbers of Migrant Hawkers on the wing and pleased to photograph for the first time a Small Red-eyed Damselfly
The weather was excellent for the Open Day for the Dragonfly Society and resulted in most of the larger dragonflies being on the wing hunting and then resting wonderfully camouflaged in the undergrowth. Here Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker and Emperor. The banded Demoiselles are still very active, plenty of Ruddy Darters (mating pair) and Common Darters (male and female) and a single Willow Emerald - the first of the year with Emerald now come to the end of their season. There were also Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed (mating image) and Red-eyed Damselflies
