Lakenheath Insects

As expected on a warm humid day, there was plenty of insect activity at RSPB Lakenheath Fen with lots of Banded Demoiselles, Ruddy Darters and some Green-eyed Hawkers on the wing occasionally settling for a portrait. Painted Ladies topped the butterfly numbers with Peacocks and at least two Skipper species present in good numbers. Lots of Horseflies around - great for photography of eyes but insect repellent definitely needed to protect the skin. Photographing with the 300mm plus1.4 converter worked well for the butterflies aiming to create soft backgrounds.

Toft Garden with 50mm Macro

Some of the garden's very mini inhabitants including my favourite Hollyhock Weevils, various Flies and true Bugs taken close and personal with a 50mm lens

Marbled Whites Roosting in Garden

When I designed our garden in Toft back in 2001, I could never have predicted that a species not breeding in many areas in the UK then would be mating and roosting and hopefully egg laying in the garden in 25 years time. Among the habitats I created (inspired by my flower-loving disabled 88-year-old mother) were woodland, shingle/Mediterranean  dry area, pond and marshland, hedgerow and  meadow. In the spring, the meadow is full of cowslips but by June, long grasses, scabious, knapweed and chiccory are the dominant vegetation attracting lots of butterflies including Skippers, several White species, Meadow Brown and Marbled Whites (a 'Brown'). They all nectar on the various cultivated scabious and composite species in the surrounding borders but were seen pairing up and settling to roost in the long grass regions. Here a set of images taken in strong evening contrasty light rather than the softer approach which works so well for these delicate butterflies. The first two are both males with the black markings, while the female on the scabious in the second image is being approached by a male.

Toft Butterflies etc in Flight

As I have a short trip coming up at beginning of July to Kent, hopefully to see some new species of Dragonfly (and lots of different butterflies) thought it time to try and master the various techniques that Olympus offer to catch the insects in flight (subject recognition, procapture etc). Thank goodness that there are plenty of Damselflies, bees and butterflies to practise on in the garden as this is still work in progress. Wonderful to have Marbled White and even a tatty Silver Washed Fritillary in the garden - with half a wing missing, I think it must have just gone with the wind!!