Hidden Dangers in the Buttercups

I thought I had photographed  a different species of bee in a Buttercup in my meadow area and it wasn't till I downloaded the images that I discovered the flower Spider Mesumia vatia had caught it. However, I did spend a long while taking various shots of the same species on a daisy head. This species can adapt its colour to that of the flower or leaf and is so confident in its camouflage that it doesn't attempt to hide!! Some other species to add to the garden list.

Garden Pond and Meadow

The only downside to having a wildlife garden for me is the amount of time I spend merely watching the plants and animals rather than working in it!! Here some images taken in very bright conditions - there were at least 8 pairs of Red Damselflies and 2 pairs of Azure Damselflies egg laying, plus Pond Skaters, Newts and Wasps coming for water for nest building. The Buttercups are giving way to Common Vetch, Yellow Rattle and Scabious

Paxton Butterfly and Dragonfly Survey

Last year we found a single Grizzled Skipper on the equivalent survey, this year more than 10 so there is definitely a breeding colony. We also located one very early Green-Eyed (Norfolk) Hawker, a Scarce Chaser along with the Four-Spot Chasers, a Hairy Dragonfly, four species of 'Blue' Damselflies and also Banded Demoiselles.

Garden Safari - Life Among the Buttercups

The predominant flower in the meadow are the buttercups and the leaves and flowers attract lots of visitors - some like these 22-Spot Ladybirds are very small but with an impressively long latin name Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata, and lots are new recordings for the garden for me (not all great macro shots but good enough for ID).

Stars of Today's Paxton Surveys

I started today with an early morning Breeding Birds Survey at Paxton and it was wonderful to hear so many Garden Warblers, newly returned to the UK and singing their hearts out. The Dunnocks were also very vocal. When we had completed our part of the route, I spent 3 hours surveying an area for insects etc as I have to miss the official survey morning on Tuesday. Here photographs taken with a telephoto lens including spiders, bees, moths, butterflies and damselflies. Mainly I was working on much smaller subjects using a close macro (to follow).