A catch up in pictures of a few recent visits ,
a quick trip to Hutchinsons Bank in a brief spell of sunshine , produced this female Small Blue , intently laying what could be a second brood later in the year . When she moved on , I found her
work , tucked amongst the unopened flower heads of the larval foodplant , Kidney Vetch .
I spotted this female Large Skipper , resting between laying her eggs . When ready , she flew to a grassy area , and although missing the actual laying , kept sight of the blade that she was using . Once
again , the egg was found on the underside after she had moved on .
In the garden , the Mullein Moth caterpillars are demolishing Carol's Verbascum flowers , before disappearing to pupate underground , where it could remain for up to five years before emerging as an adult moth , and an insect that I usually find around Bramble
flowers , and which has gone through a couple of name changes over recent years , Strangalia -Rutpela -Leptura maculata .
A look on the Common when passing , produced what seemed to be a mass emergence of Green Lacewing / Chrysopa septempunctata , and several fresh looking Green Tiger Beetle / Cicindela
campestris .
A morning visit to Sevenoaks Reserve found the Gt.Crested Grebe pair from Willow Hide , showing off their two new arrivals on the female's back , but always at distance . No such problem with the
Egyptian Geese , who brought their 8/9 well grown youngsters right up in front of the hide . Not to be outdone , the resident Mute Swan pair , after being very shy over the back of the lake , paddled
around the left hand island and did the same , the three youngsters in line astern formation as
they passed by . I got an even closer view , when as leaving the hide , found the family waddling down the path behind the door , before re-entering the water in the small pond where the pond
dipping takes place . Down at the small meadow alongside Long Lake , a very fresh Common
Darter , my first of the season , and close to the waters edge , a juvenile Grass Snake .
2 comments:
Some great shots there Greenie. Green Tiger beetle is a real favourite of mine and the Common Darter looks good, haven't seen one yet this year. Talking of dragons, went to Goring on Thames yesterday for Club-tailed but failed miserably!!
Phil ,
Long way to go to miss out . I've been watching reports hoping to visit , but after a few seen about 2/3 weeks ago , sightings have been very few in number .
Next year ?
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