Spirits dived a bit this afternoon so a stroll was the solution on Flitton Moor. Even though it had clouded over it was a very pleasant place to be. Saw this beetle which at first I thought to be a wasp beetle, but a closer look makes it strangalia maculata - a beetle of the hedgerow and woodland margins which is exactly where I found it.
Definitely the large version of the Skipper butterfly- saw quite a few of these on the Moor.
A butterfly that looks like the holly blue but I think is the common blue- it has no checking on the white fringe and the black outline is not as broad as the holly blue pictures I have seen. 
And on the pond- oh joy- two emperor dragonflies patrolling their territories but too busy and unwilling to perch for their photos to be taken and try as I might every shot I took shows only pond! Must learn the way to catch them on the wing. One of them did some aerial fighting with a four spotted chaser which was great to watch. Quite a few azures, a couple of LRDs and it was good too to find a small number of blue tailed damsels. Spirits lifted!
Hi Liz
ReplyDeleteSounds like it was a lovely walk :) M x