Norfolk part two.

 A visit to Hickling Broad was a must while we were in Norfolk for Swallowtail Butterfly. We were over the moon to see at least three as a Swallowtail is a first for me. There were loads of Southern Hawker and Brown Hawker flying around but only the former stayed still for any length of time. As well as loads of Dragonflies I have never seen as many Gatekeeper Butterflies in one place. When we got back to the cottage we went for a walk and I found some other photo opportunities’.

Swallowtail Butterfly.

Painted Lady.

Gatekeeper.

Wall Butterfly.

Southern Hawker.

Ruddy Darter.

Ruddy Darter.

Black-tailed Skimmer with what looks like a Horse Fly for lunch.

Shieldbug Digger Wasp with lunch.

Mining Bee.

Anthocomus rufus Beetle.

Dock Bug, we found a few along a lane near to the cottage.

Box Bug nymph.

There were also quite a few Crickets along the lane.

Horse Fly.

Harvestman.

A farmer was cutting his field with a combined harvester and before it got chewed to bits this Brown Hare did a runner 

Then stopped to have a look around. It’s only a shame I had the wrong settings and lens on the camera.

Isle of Mull part six

 One thing I was surprised at while we travelled around Mull was the lack of insects including butterflies and dragonflies. When we have been there in other years there seemed to be loads flying around this year was totally different. I always mention my attempts to identify insects etc. please correct me if I have anything wrong.

Male Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

I think it was having a Common Darter for lunch.

Common Darter.

I’m still none the wiser about Bumblebees despite looking in several books.

A Bee Mimic Volucella bombylans.

Nicrophorus Sp. of Burying/Carrion beetle.

Clouded-bordered Brindle moth.

Dark Giant Horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus) this thing was about an inch long.

Gorse Shieldbug.

Geometridae Sp. of moth.

I think this is another (more worn) Clouded-bordered Brindle moth.

Dark Green Fritillary butterfly.

Transparent Burnet moth.

This is the longest Grasshopper I have ever seen it was over an inch long.

Another Geometridae Sp. of moth.

Another Dark Giant Horsefly I think they just liked the colour of my car as this one and the one above were on the car while we were parked in different places. 

Sericomyia silentis Hoverfly.

Red-legged/Forest Shieldbug.

Eristalis Sp. Hoverfly

Another Sericomyia silentis Hoverfly.

Female Golden-ringed Dragonfly posing for me.

Female Common Darter.

A Diving Beetle (could be Agabus striolatus).