RSPB Sandy - Dragonflies and Other Insects

 The heather-covered sandy heathland plus the gardens with their pond supports a very varied insect population. Here a few species for whom the higher temperatures pose no problems. Lots of Dragonflies in the sky and occasionally landing: Migrant Hawker, Ruddy Darter and Red eyed Damselfly. Others shown - Grasshoppers, Hoverflies, Plant Bugs, Sand Wasp, Robberfly and Chloropid fly.

Wicken Fen (NT) in the Summer

An attempt to show the essence of  Wicken Fen on a sunny day. The stars are the White Water lillies at their best in all the Lodes. Large numbers of Willow Emerald Damselflies and Ruddy Darters as well as larger species such as Emperor and Brown Hawker - too fast to capture. Birdlife fairly limited and the heat produced too much haze for clear shots across the water. Common Blue and Argos Brown butterflies photographed

 

Infrared at RSPB Sandy

Friday was a great day to use infrared with the clouds constantly changing and the very clear conditions helping definition in the foliage. Taken with converted Sony RX100

Bees and Wasps on a Sandy Heath

The Beewolf Wasps come to the end of their season but there are abundant other Hymenoptera feeding, mating and nest building. I think the bandied mating bees are the Heather colletes, Colletes cunicularius, and the very pale bee may be its cuckoo bee, Epeolus cruciger . The other parasitic species, the Ruby-tailed wasp Chrysis ignita, were present in large numbers