August 2009
I was mainly concentrating on insect photography this month, so I thought I would start August's selection of photos with a few butterflies.
Peacock (Inachis io) |
Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui) |
 Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) |
 Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui) |
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
Comma (Polygonia c-album)
The Wall (Lasiommata megera)
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)
Bumblebees were another favoured subject...
male White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum/magnus)
Males of B. lucorum and B. magnus are indistinguishable from each other and there is some dispute as to whether they are separate species.
male White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum/magnus)
The species below was not in a location I would have expected it. As its common names suggest, Bombus monitcola is normally found in montane and upland habitats were it visits the flowers of heather and bilberry. This individual, however, was photographed feeding on thistles and burdocks in a lowland pine forest clearing in the Delamere Forest, Cheshire.
Mountain or Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) - Cheshire, England
The approach to the summit up the Watkin's Path was just how I was hoping it would be and, other than the 6 or so people I passed on the way up, I had the place pretty much to myself. The summit, however, was a different matter.
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female Green Leafhopper (Cicadella viridis) - Cheshire, England
Delphacidae sp. - Cheshire, England
Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris) - Cheshire, England
Eurasian Honeybee (Apis mellifera) - Cheshire, England
female Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) - Cheshire, England
 tail-end of Vapourer (Orgyia antiqua) caterpillar |
 Knopper Gall (Andricus quercuscalicis) on an acorn |
Broad-nosed Weevil sp. (Curculionoidea) - Cheshire, England
male Heather Fly (Bibio pomonae) - Clwyd, Wales
copulating Fever Flies (Dilophus femoratus) - Cheshire, England
Its distinctive long, forked palps and stretched out resting posture make Dicranopalpus ramosus an easily recognisable species of harvestman.
Dicranopalpus ramosus - Clwyd, Wales
Finally, for a bit of fun, I did something a little bit different and attended a dog agility trial...
A bigger selection of my favourite photos from the agility trial can be found here...
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