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.
