Paxton Insect Survey

 This German Wasp was one of the nearly 100 species that I recorded on Tuesday while surveying the Arable Fields at Paxton Pits. Other striking species were the Wasp Spider, Bishop's Mitre Shield Bug and Pea Weevil, Grasshoppers, Crickets and various flies.

Paxton Safari

A very pleasant morning spent at Paxton with Jo yesterday seeing what was lurking in the vegetation and, as usual, the number of insects was outstanding including this Musk Beetle, Banded Demoiselles, Migrant Hawkers, Common and Ruddy Darters, Brown Chinamark Moth (only moth where larvae are completely aquatic), numerous fly species and Wasps but also a Grass  Snake and White-lipped Snail. The images were taken with two extremes of focal length for 'macro' - 23mm with Supplementary lens (eg beetle) and 450mm telephoto (demoiselle etc!).

 

Some Inhabitants of Pumphouse Meadow Paxton Pits

The Deerfly and Horse Fly are two inhabitants of Paxton Pits best avoided as they can result in painful bites, others like the two striped Hoverflies are harmless despite their warning colours. Around 100 species of insects etc were recorded and probably about the same number of plants