The end of April/start of May usual signals the start of the real emergence of insects. There are of course a few earlier risers that emerge earlier in the year, but it this time of year when the greater variety of species start to appear. On a recent lunchbreak spent in Wat Tyler Country Park I found a productive patch of nettles and hedgerow, despite the overcast conditions.
There were a number of these Cheilosia sp. hoverflies resting on nettles. It is either Cheilosia albitarsis or C. ranuncul, but it is difficult to tell them apart for sure without a microscope.
I also found my first Scorpionfly Panorpa sp.
With their rather excellent looking ‘scorpion tail’ they look dangerous, but they are harmless as the ‘tail’ is not a sting at all, but a pheromone gland used to attract females (who don’t have a scorpion tail). They are usually very flighty and hard to get close too, let alone photograph, but the cooler conditions meant this one was more cooperative and I got this head on shot I am quite pleased with.
Later on in the day I was checking an area of ponds when this orange tip landed on a garlic mustard flower. They don’t hang around for long so i took a few shots with my 300mm lens and this one came out quite nicely.
