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Felmersham Gravel Pits

24th July 2026

We have not visited Felmersham Gravel Pits much this year, so a sunny but not too hot day saw the first summer visit of 2026. There was lots to see and the Knapweed was in full bloom.

A brown Ringlet Butterfly is resting on a leaf with its wings closed showing the circular cream bordered black spots with white centres that are positioned close to the edge of the wings.
A pale yellowish brown Ruddy Darter is sitting on a cluster of small under ripe berries.
A bright blue Azure Damselfly with black markings is resting on a leaf.
A white Butterfly possibly a Green Veined White is feeding on a purple thistle like Knapweed flower.
A metallic green with cream undersides female Willow Emerald Damselfly is on a thorny near vertical branch.
A long and slender male Emerald Damselfly mostly dark metallic green apart from his eyes which are bright blue and the greyish blue on the tip of his abdomen and around the thorax.
A brown and orange Gatekeeper Butterfly is enjoying a bright purple Knapweed flower.
A bright red male Ruddy Darter is resting on a sunny leaf.
A pale brown Meadow Brown Butterfly with frayed edges to its folded wings is feeding on a Knapweed flower.
A male Emerald Damselfly viewed from above showing the blue eyes and dark metallic green body with blue gray tip to the abdomen and around the thorax.
A male Emerald Damselfly with blue eyes a dark metallic green body and blueish grey thorax and tip to his abdomen.
A Common Blue Butterfly with folded wings is enjoying a Knapweed flower.
A bright yellow Fleabane flower is the source of nectar for this small slender black and yellow Hoverfly with brownish red eyes.
A Painted Lady Butterfly with open wings showing mostly orange colouration with dark brown to black markings and a little white is feasting on a Knapweed flower.
A metallic turquoise green male Banded Demoiselle is perched on a pale green leaf.


A Ringlet Butterfly, this was the only one that seemed to stop still for long enough to take a photograph

A brown Ringlet Butterfly is resting on a leaf with its wings closed showing the circular cream bordered black spots with white centres that are positioned close to the edge of the wings.





Our Wildlife Garden

15th July 2026

A dry and sunny July has lead to a very busy garden for the insects, like last month I have split the month into two parts, these are the photographs for the first couple of weeks:

A black Bee with ginger brown hairs is feeding on a large pink Cosmos flower.
A newly emerged creamy yellow and brown Southern Hawker Dragonfly is almost ready to take its first flight.
A small and slender black and yellow Hoverfly with yellow face and scutellum is feeding on a yellow flower.
A pair of pale reddish brown angular Boxbugs are mating on a Buckthorn leaf.
A Six Spot Burnet Moth black in colour except for the wings which have stunning red spots on the upper forewings and black bordered red hind wings and underwings.
A Seven Spot Ladybird is hunting for dinner on a yellow daisy like flower.
A Boxbug nymph almost pear shaped with lime green abdomen and brown head and thorax.
A slender reddish brown Common Red Soldier Beetle is resting on a shaded leaf.
A lime green Boxbug nymph with brown head thorax and disproportionately broad antennae.
A large broad bodied Hornet Mimic Hoverfly in beautiful glossy chestnut brown yellow and black.
A colourful Peacock Butterfly is feeding on a lilac coloured Buddleja flower.
Exploring a plant seed head is a colourful and glossy Cinnamon Bug mostly bright orange in colour with distinctive black markings and black legs and antennae.
A slightly faded orange and brown Comma Butterfly is feeding on a lilac Budleja flower.
A Gatekeeper Butterfly with folded wings is feeding on a cluster of small pale pink flowers.
A cream brown and black Migrant Hawker Dragonfly is sunning itself on a garden cane.
A medium sized black and yellow Hoverfly with bronze coloured thorax is feeding on a bright yellow Fleabane flower.
A Small Copper Butterfly with folded wings is feeding on some bright yellow Fleabane flowers.
A reddish brown and white Hairy Shieldbug is nestled amongst the fading purple flowers of what looks like Verbena Bonariensis.
A glossy light orange and black banded Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar is feeding on some very well munched leaves of a Ragwort plant.
A black white and yellow banded Bumblebee is foraging for dinner amongst the small lilac purple flowers of a Veronica plant.


The annual flowers were in full bloom, here a Bee is enjoying a Cosmos flower

A black Bee with ginger brown hairs is feeding on a large pink Cosmos flower.





Lings

6th July 2026

It is a long time since I last visited Lings Nature Reserve. It is very close to us and due to fly tipping has not got parking for visitors. Lings is essentially mixed woodland with clearings and an old house in the middle which serves as offices for the Wildlife trust. I enjoyed my walk in the woods with just local dog walkers for company

A black and pale yellow male Scorpion Fly with his red scorpion like tail is taking a quick break on a dark green shaded fern frond.
A large pale green Common Green Shieldbug Nymph is exploring a shaded fern frond.
A Red Longhorn Beetle with black body and yellowish brown elytra is resting on a sun dappled frond of fern.
A plump bright lime green Speckled Bush Cricket with unfeasibly long white and black banded antennae is inspecting a brown umbellifer seedhead.
A distinctive yellow and black 14 Spot Ladybird is exploring a fern frond.
A cluster of bright yellow Ragwort flowers is hosting a golden yellow and black Hoverfly.
A glossy orange and black banded Cinnabar Moth Caterpillar is feeding upside down on a leaf of the Ragwort plant.
A medium sized slender Common Red Soldier Beetle mostly a glossy reddish brown but with a wide black tip to its wing cases is feeding on Ragwort flowers.
A Painted Lady Butterfly with folded wings is feeding on bright yellow ragwort flowers.
A golden yellowish brown Common Darter Dragonfly is perched on the seed head of a sun lit grass plant.
A pale brown Gatekeeper Butterfly with folded wings is feeding on some pale pink Blackberry flowers.
A Small Skipper Butterfly is feeding on the purple thistle like flowers of Knapweed.


A Scorpion Fly taking a breather on a shady fern

A black and pale yellow male Scorpion Fly with his red scorpion like tail is taking a quick break on a dark green shaded fern frond.