18th June - Martin Down

 On 18th June I visited the wonderful expanse of chalk grassland that is Martin Down National Nature Reserve. My main aim was to see the mythical hoverfly Doros profuges, a species about which very little is known and, until regular appearances at Martin Down in recent years, was rarely seen. Despite searching a few known spots on the reserve I had no luck and I was amazed at the general lack of insects on the wing, no doubt attributable to recent poor weather.

The spectacular hoverfly Xylota sylvarum

The rather bizarre looking Conopid fly Sicus ferrugineous

The robberfly Machimus rusticus

Large Skipper

Dock Bug Coreus marginatus

A stumbled across this large specimen of Frog Orchid, a species that is 

often very small and tricky to locate.

First Clearwings of the Year

The weather has been poor so far this year and so I have not bothered putting my Clearwing lures out, however, with a few brighter spells during the week commencing 10th June I hang a few lures in the garden and captured two species, Red-belted and White-tipped.

Red-belted Clearwing

Red-tipped Clearwing