Ruby-tail wasp

In the blustery conditions it took quite a while to get this fair image of what I suspect to be a male Hedychrum niemelai (Status RDB3) in brambles on Cooper's Hill this afternoon (28th June 2008). It spent most of its time with its head buried in the flowers.
Picture by Keith Balmer

Blue-tailed Damselfly - MVCP

Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Spotted Orchid, both by the MVCP boardwalk near the visitors centre, photos by Martin Green.

Another insect in the Office

Any ideas?

Early Hawk Moth

The first Elephant Hawk Moth we've seen in the greenhouse for several years. They used to come to the adjacent honeysuckle.

Believe it or not...?

There were a lot of male Crabro peltarius at Cooper's Hill today (17th June). The extraordinary curved plates on the front legs are apparently placed over the female's eyes during courtship, filtering light in such a way that she knows he is the correct species of Crabro. Surely there must be an easier way...? (Or is this an internet myth?)



Oxybelus uniglumis has an unusual way of carrying prey to her burrow - impaled on the sting! This keeps her legs free for digging open the burrow without letting go of the prey...


Pictures by Keith Balmer

Stanford Plantation - 13th June

I've kept an eye open for this distinctive species of bumblebee, Bombus hypnorum, since hearing it was spreading through the UK after arriving in 2001. I finally spotted one on brambles on the edge of the plantation this afternoon...


Pictures by Keith Balmer

Marston Thrift - 10th June

One of several Broad-bodied Chasers (Libellula depressa) catching flies on the main ride near the ponds:

This one is returning to it's perch after another sortie:

I just like the colours on this one:

A mason wasp in the car park:

Male Volucella pellucens hovering on the rides make a tempting photographic target, but are much harder to snap than they seem. Here's my best shot after about an hour of trying...!

Photos by Keith Balmer

Warden Great Wood - 9th June

Here is the "exploded" view of my favourite longhorn beetle Agapanthia villosoviridescens seen today in ride-side vegetation:

Picture by Keith Balmer

Common Blue Damselflies at Rookery Pit

Insects at Biggleswade Common

Small Heath

Black-tailed Skimmer

National Moth Night 2008 in Maulden Wood

Some photos of moths caught in Maulden Wood last night (7th June) on a National Moth Night event for he BNHS. May Highflyer and Map-winged Swift are scarce moths in the county so were particularly good records.

Alder Moth

Bordered White

May Highflyer

Map-winged Swift

Sloe Pug

Photos by Andy Banthorpe (Bordered White & Sloe Pug) & Melissa Banthorpe (The rest)

Insect on the computer

This amazing thing landed on my computer today. Any ideas?

Moths at Duck End NR 30/05/08

The following were caught at Duck End NR on 30th May when we operated two lights to demonstrate moth trapping to a local scout troop. All photos by Melissa Banthorpe

Green Silver-lines

Scorched Wing

Brindled White-spot - a scarce and local moth in the county

Rose or Sweet Briar..?

Some sort of Rose or Sweet Briar, near Marston Corner of Stewartby Lake, any help on identification would be appreciated, photo by Martin Green.

Dragons and damsels at Roxton

Scarce Chasers

Banded Demoiselles

Hairy Dragonfly

White-legged Damselfly

Broad-bodied Chaser at The Lodge

Common Blues - 20th May 2008

My first Common Blue butterflies of the year, basking in a late afternoon sunny interval, in Kempston Hardwick...
Photo by Keith Balmer

MVCP Odonata 18th May 2008

The exuvia (casing) left by an emerged dragonfly (maybe a Four-spot Chaser judging by its size/shape..?) on a reed-stem. Also Hairy Dragonfly, Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly all near the boardwalk between the visitor's centre and Stewartby Lake, photos by Martin Green.

Longhorns and Hairstreaks

In King's Wood, Heath & Reach a Rhagium mordax longhorn beetle...

and a Clytus arietis longhorn...

About 1km away was a female Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi, here taking a break from egg-laying...

Pictures by Keith Balmer

Orchids and Skippers

While looking for Grizzled Skippers in the Thurleigh area (and finding none) I did stumble across a few Early Purple Orchids in a road verge...

In late afternoon, after searching many known and possible sites, finally found several Grizzled Skippers on a small brown-field site in the Marston Vale...

Pictures by Keith Balmer

Liftoff

My first soldier beetle of the season, Cantharis rustica I think, seen near Knocking Hoe, Pegsdon, 5th May 2008...

Picture by Keith Balmer

MVCP - Chinese Water Deer and Insect

A couple of photos from my two week break back in Bedfordshire, Martin Green

Chinese Water Deer - 2nd May 2008.
Devil's Coach-horse.. (?) 22nd April 2008. The insect was about an inch long. Any comments on the identification would be welcome.