Summer Leys Walk

We took a very warm walk at Summer Leys Reserve today, visiting the various hides where a Kingfisher and friendly Chiffchaff partly made up for the lack of close waders and Egrets as on previous visit and the 'Toad Pond' where we were entertained by Grass Snake, Terrapin and various Dragonflies. The Willow Emerald has unexpanded hind wings but did manage to fly away.

Striped Insects on the Ivy

 The Hoverflies, Other flies, Wasps and even Moths were enjoying the nectar on the Ivy flowers today, and several spiders have already reduced the hundreds of Ivy bees that are out foraging in the garden amd village

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.

Summer Leys - Life in the Fleabane Meadow

 Although less insect and spiders around compared to previous years, there were plenty of species to be found on or near the Fleabane plants. The Picture winged Fly Merzomyia westermanni is my favourite find - it causes galls on Ragwort plants and is listed as 'local' with no recorded sightings in Northamptonshire area in the NBN atlas.