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Summer Leys

15th May 2026

We took a quick visit to Summer Leys Nature Reserve on a rather hot day which meant we kept our stroll down to a gentle potter near the Car Park. Nevertheless there was plenty to see:

A large hairy Lackey Moth Caterpillar whose body is a pale blue speckled with black and full length longitudinal stripes of black orange and white.
A Buttercup is hosting a slender metallic dark green Thick Legged Flower Beetle with his signature thick thighs on his hindmost legs.
An immature Azure Damselfly long and slender with a creamish coloured thorax and a blue abdomen both having the black markings of the species.
A hairy and colourful Lackey Moth Caterpillar is examining the seedhead of one of last years Teasels.
Two small yellow and black 14 Spot Ladybirds are mating on a large nettle leaf whilst also on the leaf is a large spider whose legs are just visible.
A pair of orange and black Soldier Beetles are mating on a curly nettle leaf.
A cluster of dark pink Red Campion flowers each with five deeply divided petals giving the appearance of ten.
A bright red Harlequin Ladybird with around twenty black spots and a white pronotum with black markings.
A small black Bee is covered in pale gray almost white hairs with a few narrow bands of similar coloured hairs across its abdomen.
A large colourful hairy Caterpillar is feeding on a leaf.


We spotted quite a few Lackey Moth Caterpillars, they really are quite spectacular!

A large hairy Lackey Moth Caterpillar whose body is a pale blue speckled with black and full length longitudinal stripes of black orange and white.





Abington Meadows

12th May 2026

Cycling past Abington Meadows Nature Reserve on quite an overcast day I decided to pop in and have a look around on my return journey. Fortunately I had a camera handy to take a couple of snaps.

A slender Mayfly is resting amongst the reeds.
A slender bodied Fine Streaked Bugkin with long reddish coloured legs and a black body adorned with multiple markings in yellow and orange.
A mature Blue Tailed Damselfly with black marked thorax and dark abdomen with distinctive blue end.
A bright red Cardinal Beetle with black legs and long black toothed antennae is exploring a broad blade of grass.
A pair of flowers of the Cuckooflower plant with each flower having four broad pale pinky lilac petals and pale green reproductive parts with yellow anthers.
A bright yellow Buttercup flower with 5 very broad petals and matching yellow stamens.
This female Anasimyia lineata is a medium sized quite broad Hoverfly in a pale browny cream colour with black longitudinal stripes on her thorax and intricate black markings on her abdomen.
Exploring a leaf is a bright red Harlequin Ladybird with multiple black spots on the elytra and a black W shape on the white pronotum.
A small bright red Two Spot Ladybird with an unsurprising total of two black spots on its elytra and white cheeks on its black pronotum.


I've not really looked for Mayflies this year, this is however the first one I have noticed

A slender Mayfly is resting amongst the reeds.





Our Wildlife Garden

30th April 2026

April was a busy time in the garden, not a lot of rain but lots of insect activity as the weather was warm:

A medium sized Hoverfly with golden thorax and black and yellow abdomen is resting on a large green leaf.
The top few inches of a very bristly Green Alkanet plant with a few small bright blue five petalled flowers and dark green leaves.
A glossy leaf is the favoured resting place for a medium sized bee which is a dark brown black colour and covered in pale brown and dark cream coloured hairs.
A largish golden hued Hoverfly with black markings on its abdomen and distinctive markings on the thorax.
The flower of a Star of Bethlehem plant with six long slender white petals leading to a pale green centre.
A Large Red Damselfly at rest showing a dark red abdomen punctuated with black and cream markings and a darker bronze and dark yellow thorax.
Two purplish brown Hairy Shieldbugs are mating in the fluffy seed head of a Dandelion Clock.
Covered in fine white hairs is a bright orangey red and black Cinnamon Bug exploring a largish leaf.
A Scarlet Tiger Moth Caterpillar mostly black in colour with three broad rows of large yellow markings which are white where clumps of long pale spikey hairs sprout.
A tiny brightly coloured Mint Moth whose pale brown legs contrast with the bright orange and purple colours on the upper side of the wings.
A cluster of medium sized bright magenta flowers each with five broad petals leading to a darker centre with bright yellow anthers on top of the stamens.
Covered in short pale hairs is a female Hairy Dragonfly with black abdomen contrasting with small yellow markings and a paler brown colour on top of her thorax.
A Cream Streaked Ladybird which manages to look like a cream coloured ladybird with black spots that has been badly painted red leaving streaks of cream on the wing cases.
An adult Common Green Shieldbug mostly vibrant green with red antennae and reddish colouration on the lower legs.


A Hoverfly enjoying a sunny day

A medium sized Hoverfly with golden thorax and black and yellow abdomen is resting on a large green leaf.