In a summer where there seem to be less insects about than ever, common red soldier beetles have been living up to the first word of their name.
These were striding around over the flowers on a patch of ragwort, pausing frequently to eat.
Haws, getting redder
Pictures taken with over a week of July still to come, and already these haws on one of the Barley Field bushes were beginning to fatten and getting redder.
Thistle flower with red spotted parasite fly
Thistle flower with a red spotted parasite fly (Eriothrix rufomaculata) disappearing over the opposite edge.
The adult fly is vegetarian. It’s the juvenile stage which parasites on some other insects.
Yellow ragwort
Some of the flowers on a single ragwort plant. in these close views, the yellow of the petals dominates.
Gatekeeper on bramble leaf
Gatekeeper butterfly on a bramble leaf in the midst of a big nettle patch, gnetly opening and closing its wings slightly.
This completes firm identifications for me in 2022 of all the locally common browns: speckled woods, meadow browns and ringlets all IDed some time back.
Moby macro trials
Finally got around to taking a few test shots using the “macro” function on my moby lens. Not yet time to retire my proer camera, but I suppose I shou8ld remember to use this alternative when there’s an interesting subject ant the actual camera’s at home.