Grafton Wood

First visit to Grafton Wood since early May and it was a bright sunny day with some cloud and a bit breezy. By the time I had crossed the fields and got to the wood I knew why Butterfly Conservation help run the reserve. Butterflies were in abundance and this was also the case within the reserve. Ringlets were EVERYWHERE and other species seen were Marbled White, Small White, White Admiral, Large Skipper (also numerous), Meadow Brown and a large Fritillaries which I was unable to get good enough views to identify.

Five-spot Burnet - Zygaena trifolii

Ringlet -  Aphanttopus hyperantus

Most commonly seen with closed wings so it was nice to get some pictures with the wings open

Peacock - Inachio io (caterpillar)

I was wondering when the summer hatchings of Peacocks would be on the wing and clearly they are getting there slowly!

Crickets and Grasshoppers

Loads of grasshoppers and crickets in the meadows approaching the wood.

Bush Cricket

The easiest way to tell the crickets from the grasshoppers is by the antenna. The bush crickets have long and slender ones whist the grasshoppers are shorter and thicker. As far as telling which species, however, I'm still working on that!

Grasshopper

Looks like he's been using army camouflage paint!

Grasshopper

Hoverflies

Hoverfly - Chrysotoxum bicinctum

Very pleased to come across this distinctive Hoverfly. An easy one to identify by its markings but also by its unusually long antennae.Compare with other hoverflies

Hoverfly - Episyrphus balteatus

aka the Marmalade Fly

Caught in flight, just about to land.

Hoverfly - Episyrphus balteatus

aka the Marmalade Fly

Hoverfly -  Meligramma trianguliferum

How to get close to a dragonfly

They whizz past you at such a rate that it is nigh on impossible to grab a picture in-flight but they do have favourite perches so look where they land. As you try to get near them they will usually fly off before you are close enough, but chances are that they will come back to the same perch. So whilst they are darting madly round the pool get close to the perch and settle down and wait. If you are in luck they will come back to the perch and you will be close enough to get a reasonable shot. That is what I did for this shoot with a 100mm lens. Exif details tell me I was 1.56m from subject.

Broad Bodied Chaser - Libellula depressa (Male)

abdomens are only blue in mature males. Females are brown.

Longhorn Beetle - Strangalia maculata