by Ian Bushell
There was a Common Blue butterfly just emerged in the old pond at the end of Lambrok Meadow and, after a long chase, I got a picture of a female Southern Hawker (see above) near the carved Wheel close to the Picnic area.
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A new species seen in the park on two occasions last week: A cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus) spotted, identified and photographed by Ian Bushell.
Continue readingWhy is blue so rare in nature?
Click here for a video that explores this topic
There are lots of common red soldier beetles (Rhagonycha fulva) around. Fortunately there are also lots of aphids, a favourite source of food.
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Whirligig beetles are actually a whole family (Gyrinidae) of water beetles: almost 700 different species globally, most of them very much alike and extremely difficult to tell apart. We have no idea what particular species live in the pond above the wooden bridge but all the Gyridinae share some fascinating features.
Read on for details and a short video
There are forty one species of Cantharidae in Britain and almost all go by the common names of soldier or sailor beetle.
