SPOT THE BEE FLY etc. etc. Update 26 September 2022
We start this update with an apology to Steve Outram who sent his contribution for the last update and I omitted to include it, - so apologies Steve!
6th September: “Hi Mike, I’ve just taken this picture of a humming-bird hawkmoth basking in the sunshine. It’s been around every day for at least 2 weeks. Never seen one stationary before. All the best, Steve”
Nice one Steve, I doubt if many of us would recognise it when seen like this.
12th September From Rob Agar: “Spotted these in Claygate, Surrey at the weekend.....if a bit blurry long distance wire fence...” Thanks once again Rob for keeping things going.
Next up is Bernard, busy as ever, - “Mike, I have been rather busy checking all the bat boxes in the Blackwater valley over this last month, only 36 more boxes to do. I thought people might like to see this Pipistrellus pygmaeus (Soprano Pip) which was in a box at Moor Green Lakes. The picture was taken by Mary Thompson, with her phone. Mary also checks all their bird boxes. There is another bat box which we did not bother to check, at Tice’s Meadow.”
An excellent photo by Mary using her phone, though I cannot understand why Bernard was being so cautious with the second box!! What an amazing piece of work by the wasps.
Our Ivy bushes in the garden are now completely covered in flower heads and attracting a plethora of Bees, Hoverflies and Flies, - an opportunity to practise with my macro lens, - Jenny is also having a go, here are a couple from her:
