Wooly-tailed Marsh Fly on a yellow crucifer
A furry hoverfly on a yellow crucifer
A couple of hours at #RSPBhamwall produced some good birds and several hoverfly year ticks. Wooly-tailed Marsh Fly ( Helophilus hybridus) and Furry Drone Fly (Eristalis intricaria) amongst them. Year list hits the mid 30s
A very small, rare hoverfly in a tube
The picture's a bit blurry but this is Britain's 4th confirmed Sphegina limbipennis (Devon Pufftail ). I didn't know when I caught it on Saturday but I happened to be on a Devon Fly Group outing with the finders of the first two. Being vastly more experienced than me they recognised it immediately
A hoverfly resting on a leaf
It's not often I managed a photo that shows the pattern through the wings. This Long-winged Duskyface (Melanostoma scalare) was a real exception.
Worn Large Tortoiseshell
Worn underwing of Large Tortoiseshell
Thrilled to find my first Large Tortoiseshell in the UK today (Somerset) @savebutterflies.bsky.social #SomersetButterflies #inverts
Snouted hoverfly posed on a leaf
Sawfly mimicking hoverfly facing downwards
Blacklet hoverfly on a Buttercup
A day at Lower woods produced several new Hoverflies for my year list. Here are Orange Snout (Rhingia rostrata) , Orange-belted Leaf walker, (Xylota segnis) and a Blacklet on a Buttercup
A batman hoverfly facing left on a leaf
A great few hours with the Devon Fly group. Lots of checking to do but this Batman Hoverfly (Myathropa florea) posed for my phone
Several in Feb and early March in Bristol region but none since
I'm talking about "Saving Our Insects", this Sunday, Clevedon, Somerset, last few tickets available!
Early Spider Orchid
A Bluethroat male on a path
Bluethroat flying towards the camera
A planned two day visit to Poole for hoverflies was spoilt by steady rain today. So I went and watched a Bluethroat and saw some Early Spider Orchids that were near to my accommodation
Must be a big local arrival today. 2 at Dowlais plus one in the Gordano Valley whilst doing a butterfly transect this afternoon. All singing males. Lots at Sand Point too apparently
A slender hoverfly in flight
My second Common Dainty Hoverfly (Baccha elongata) of the week, was at Watercress Farm this afternoon. The first I have ever managed to photograph in the field though.
A Ramsons Hoverfly on it's foodplant
An afternoon spent at Priors Wood in a successful search for Ramsons Hoverfly (Portevinia maculata). I saw up to 20 with a supporting cast of small dark hoverflies that were probably Duskyfaces ( Melanostoma sp) and Sedgesitters ( Platycheirus sp )
A Eurasian Drone Fly on a flower head
My first local Eurasian Drone Fly ( Eristalis abustorum) of this year in the one patch of sheltered Alexander's on the roadside. Shared with 4 other Drone Flies
A hoverfly mostly face on in sunshine
The same hoverfly on a Vinca flower
Long-winged Duskyface (Melanostoma scalare) in the garden now. My 11th species of hoverfly for the year
A hoverfly on a blue flower
Lovely to see a few hoverflies in the garden today. This is one of the Aphideaters (Eupeodes sp)
Looks good for pertinax with the yellow front feet
A Firecrest looking at me from a low branch
No luck in a local wood where I hoped to find an exotic spring hoverfly. I was surprised to hear at least 3 Firecrests singing in a two hour walk though and managed a photo of one
A ladybird
The English names of ladybirds are a mystery to me, as are the scientific ones quite often. This is the 14 Spot Ladybird which I found during a fly hunt this morning
A dotted Beefly which paused briefly on a leaf
I think it's 10 years since I last saw dotted Beefly rather than dark-edged. This one was at Hestercombe gardens this afternoon @dipteristsforum.bsky.social
A hoverfly facing away on a white flowerhead
A less than cooperative Eristalis abustorum at Hestercombe gardens today became my 10th Hoverfly species of the year. Only 90 left for my target !
Tiger Marsh hoverfly on a leaf
Greater Spring Blackett on a white background
Greater Spring Blacklet
A proper sunny day and the first Marsh Tiger hoverfly ( Helophilus pendulus) of the year in my garden. Also a new species for me: Greater Spring Blacklet (Cheilosia grossa) in the Gordano Valley
A dark hoverfly on a leaf
According to Obsidentify this is a White-footed Sedgesitter (Platycheirus albimanus) by the path at Portbury Wharf. I wouldn't be so bold as the tarsi are not really in focus. Phone pic in the 5 mins the sun appeared today
And elegans. Will try harder with these scientific names !
Autocorrect !!! Epistrophe, of course #dipteristsforum
Spring Smoothtail hoverfly on a leaf
Male Hoverfly on a leaf
Spring Smoothtail (Epistrophy elegans) in the garden. A sure sign that spring is imminent.
Given the weather I was delighted to see it and even more to photograph it.
A Sepsid fly on a yellow leaf
Having got the new fly book I couldn't resist photographing this Sepsid fly so in the only 10 minutes spell of sunshine we had today #diptera
An excellent morning with the Devon Fly Group at their indoor meeting. Topics ranging from potential flies of Atlantic Rain Forest in UK to key entomologists in the history of Dolichopodidae. Great group who get so much done! #localgroups @guyshrubsole.bsky.social @teamdiptera.bsky.social
A Grass Snake appearing from loose rocks behind metal bridge sections
Always an iconic sign of spring when the #RSPBHamWall Grass Snakes first appear.
Welcome. A very sensible move
Spotted Thintail (Meliscaeva auricollis)
One from today that I managed to quieten for a photo