Summer Watch 2010

Thought as we are officially in Summer I would start a Summer watch thread for all our summer pictures of wildlife, flowers and any summer pictures you want to post.

I went for a walk yesterday with two friends and Nero, I didnt take many pictures but I did get this little fellow on a flower that I hadnt seen before, he looked a cross between a big fly with fancy wings and a mini butterfly, any ideas anyone?


Flowers I loved but don't know the names of.




And then this little guy sitting on the ground in the shade, I couldn't get too close to him and didnt want to scare him but couldnt get a very good zoom on my little digi cam.


littlewid-x-

Thanks for the pics LW. Hope you enjoyed your day out. Dont know what the fly is, but Chris Packham is the man to ask he was on about insects alot on S W
WS

Great to have a new thread for our summer photos.

The flowers are lovely Littlewid - they are Alliums, and sitting on the Allium is a Burnet Moth - they are day flying moths and come in 5 or 6 spot :study:

I love it when i learn something new - thanks for posting.

Lai

So do I Lai, thats great quick information. Thanks for letting us know
WS

Pete's into bugs, moths and insects, and i'm into birds and all things Africa so between us we have books on most things :study:

Lai

Glad you like the idea of a Summer Watch for all our Summer pictures, I thought it would be nice to have them all in one place and have a real summery thread

Thanks for the info Lai, I didn't have a clue as to what the insect was or the flowers but the flowers were spectacular and the Moth was quite pretty, the reds were so vibrant and after I had taken that picture I saw loads of them but funnily enough they were only on those flowers, there must be something about them that they like.
I too have learnt something today so thanks alot for that Lai.

littlewid-x-

Very nice pictures and nice to be able to find out what they are.

hi LW
some crackin pics theres
in answere to your question

the bug on your first pic is a SIX SPOTTED BURNET its a day flying moth

not sure about the flower could possable be a globe thistle but not 100%

hope it helps
staffslass

Thanks staffslass, Lai has the flowers down as Alliums, not a name i've heard of before but there were lots of them on the downs ( South Downs) and all had the moths on them, funny thing is though that the two pics without the moths on were taken at the same place but in the actual gardens of Highdown but none of them had the moths, but out in the fields, they were covered with them, very odd.

I am going into town tomorrow morning and hope to get some nice beach shots if possible.

littlewid-x-

In the woods by the river this morning - missed the Kingfisher but caught the male banded demoiselle. Very beautiful but a bit quick ...................









Lai

Lovely pics Lia. This is going to make me sound stupid, but I take it it is called the banded demoiselle due to the black stripe of the wings?

SM

Gorgeous pics Lai, I love his colouring, he is a new one on me so thanks for sharing his pictures with us, I love learning new things.

littlewid-x-

Best i can come up with SM

http://www.brc.ac.uk/schemes/demoiselle_survey/id.htm

Lai

Thanks Lai, great link full of information.

SM

This is another nice one to watch. Just had a look at the link you gave Lai, the photos on there are clear as to who is who from the Banded Demoiselle and the Beautiful Demoiselle and who is male and female. sambuka

Some more photos from my evening walk in the woods with the dogs

Close up of the bark of a Redwood tree - soft and spongy to touch


Redwood tree


Red Campion - wild flower


Hornbeam tree - wonderful trunk lying on the ground instead of growing up


Not sure what this is called but it looks like a Gunnera? Grows on the riverbank


Fungi? I have no idea what


Very pretty but can't remember what this is called


Apologies for the lack of info on the last three!

Lai

mmmmm looks lovely to see all that on an evening walk. Thanks for posting Lai. The hornbeam tree is fab growing the way it is.

SM

Speckled Wood butterfly






This is such a beautiful red rose


Lai

some wonderfull pics there Lia
im loving the hornbeam tree the trunk laying on the ground dosent look like a tree trunk but drapes of material

the fungus i think is called king alfreds cakes
so called after alfred was told to watch the cakes but fell asleep and they burnt

and your speckeld wood is lovely well done for getting the pic there fighty little devils lol

We are really getting some treats with all the pics coming in, that is some tree Lai, and I think the rose is brilliant thanks for sharing
WS

Thanks Staffslass for the info on the fungi - that's a brilliant name and i might even remember that now, what a great story!

I enjoyed trying to get the butterfly but as you say they are flighty - luckily it wasn't too close to the river otherwise i would have fallen in ................... it was a close one this morning when i was after the banded demoiselle

Lai

i know what you mean about the banded damselfly
i tried getting some pics this afternoon of them but wore myself out chacing them about so gave up lol
you think youve crept up on them and woosh their off again lol

Loving the Red and White rose and the Red campion and the Speckled Wood Butterfly Lai. Those trees are amazing, tree barks fascinate me, you can always see some sort of picture in them, I love wandering through woods as well.
Wonderful pictures, this threads becoming a real delight.

littlewid-x-

What wonderful photo's thanks for sharing them with us Lai.

What a wonder red rose Lai, its so vivid. Red is my favourite colour!!

Anymore walks planned folks?

SM