Some distinctive hoverflies are on the wing now and are worth looking out for in your gardens, during the sunny spells check the flowers and shrubs for species like Rhingia campestris, Helophilus pendulus, Myathropa florea and Syritta pipiens they are spectacular to look at closely, all are pictured below.
Rhingia campestris
A visit to the wood yesterday provided a good selection of insects, at least 4 Orange-tip, Comma, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small and Large White. In a small patch of nettle scrub in one of the clearings which was visited a few days ago ten species of hoverfly were found Melanostoma Scalare and Syritta pipiens were new for the patch and the distinctive Helophilus pendulus and Rhingia campestris were present in good numbers. Bumblebees included terrestris, lucorum, hortorum and pascuorum.
Male Orange-tip in the wood yesterday
