Insects and Minibeasts

SYMPETRUM FONSCOLOMBII (FEMALE): Taken in the Etang de Marseillette, France

Sympetrum fonscolombii (female)

ADONIS BLUE: An Adonis Blue butterfly - taken near Chalabre, France.

Adonis Blue

HEATH FRITILLARY: A Heath Fritillary butterfly - taken near Chalabre, France.

Heath Fritillary

Purple

DEMOISELLE FLY: Demoiselle Fly - taken in the Etang de Marseillette, France

Demoiselle Fly

MOUNTAIN BEE: A mountain bee feeding on nectar.

Mountain Bee

SCARCE SWALLOWTAIL: A Scarce Swallowtail butterfly - taken near Lautrec, France.

Scarce Swallowtail

Yellow

HUMMINGBIRD HAWK MOTH: A Hummingbird Hawk Moth - taken near Toulouse, France.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Yellow

FOUR-SPOT CHASER: Four-spot Chaser - taken at Shapwick Heath, Somerset.

Four-spot Chaser

Yellow

COMMON BLUE: A Common Blue butterfly - taken near Horseley, Gloucestershire.

Common Blue

Yellow

ROBBER FLY: Robber Fly with prey - taken near Horseley, Gloucestershire.

Robber Fly

SAW FLY: A saw fly feeding on dock leaves.

Saw Fly

SAWFLY: Sawfly on Dock Leaf - taken near Horseley, Gloucestershire.

Sawfly

BUMBLE BEE: Bumble bee on cornflower - taken near Cirencester, UK

Bumble bee

GREEN HAIRSTREAK: I discovered a colony of these beautiful butterflies on the heather flowering in my garden.

Green Hairstreak

Red

WOOD ANTS: Wood Ants on Oak leaves.

Wood Ants

Blue

GARDEN SPIDER: A Garden Spider waits for unsuspecting prey in its dewy web.

Garden Spider

BROAD-BODIED CHASER: A male Broad-bodied chaser (Libellula depressa) rests between hunting flights.

Broad-bodied chaser

LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY: After 50 years of trying to prevent its decline, the Large Blue Butterfly (Maculinea arion) was eventually pronounced extinct in the UK in 1979. After a number of years of careful habitat management, the 1984 reintroduction of the Large Blue Butterfly at two UK sites has been a huge success. This example was photographed on Daneway Banks in Gloucestershire, UK.

Large Blue Butterfly

AZURE DAMSELFLY (COENAGRION PUELLA) MATING: A pair of Azure Damselflies captured mating.

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) mating

Purple

WONDERING SPIDER SP.: A wondering spider species wait for unsuspecting prey.

Wondering Spider sp.

Purple

WOLF SPIDER: Wolf spider species hunt by ambushing their prey. They rely on stealth and speed.

Wolf Spider

Purple

DAMSEL FLY: A cloud forest damsel fly perches on a convenient twig

Damsel Fly

Purple

TAILLESS WHIP SCORPION (AMBLYPUGI SP.): A tailless whip scorpion dismembers its victim. This animal is not a scorpion but is an Arachnid species and related to spiders.

Tailless Whip Scorpion (Amblypugi Sp.)

LARGE RED DAMSELFLY: A Large Red Damselfly rests on a blade of variegated aquatic grass.

Large Red Damselfly

SOUTHERN HAWKER DRAGONFLY.: A Southern Hawker dragonfly, Aeshna cyanea, emerges from the nymph.

Southern Hawker dragonfly.

CUCKOO BEE: A cuckoo bee, Nomada flava, is captured drinking nectar from white flowers. This species does not make its own nest. It lays its eggs in the nests of miner bees.

Cuckoo bee

COMMA BUTTERFLY: A Comma butterfly rests upon a Hemp Agrimony flower.

Comma Butterfly

CINNABAR CATERPILLAR: A fully grown Cinnabar moth caterpillar feeding on Ragwort.

Cinnabar caterpillar

CINNABAR CATERPILLAR: A fully grown Cinnabar moth caterpillar feeding on Ragwort.

Cinnabar caterpillar