What is buzzing or flying near you today??

Evening, Marley.

Unfortunately we are inundated with the various Whites and also the Monarchs. I have seen a couple of Clouded Yellows and no Scarce Swallowtails. There are lots of little moth-like things flying around.

They don't sit long here, perhaps because of the heat, and in the evenings we have very gusty weather which is wonderfully refreshing, but blows the lovely little critters away. :(

I saw a couple of tiny Dragonflies (or are they always tiny as I've not seen them before?) on Sunday when we ate by the river but I wasn't quick enough to photograph them ..... :rolleyes:

 

Sis, make an appointment to have your eyes tested! :D It's a Flesh Fly (Sarcophago carnaria). These are the ones I like to photograph, lovely big and wonderfully marked flies with paddle-like suction cups on their feet! :D I have another fairly good shot of one that I haven't shown yet.

 

Kedi the blue butterfly could either be the holly blue (celastrina argiolas )or the small or little blue(cupido minimus) it depends on the width, with wings open the holly is about 35mm the small about 25mm,quite a few of the blues are very similar in colour and size and can vary from region to region,the other looks the same, a speckled wood.
The Cestrum elegans was a cutting last year as well C.newellii both have produced many cuttings I am going to try and overwinter them outside with the cuttings as backup.One that I have seen and must put on my wants list is C.parqui a cream coloured beauty.

 

Can anyone identify these beetles - about 2mm in length and in a chrysanthemum.


We've got lots of these (hover flies ?) at the moment. Nice to see them scoffing the smaller sap guzzlers.

 

Woo you are really lucky - we've seen very very few butterflies or moths this year.

 

I'm sorry I can't identify your beetles, Dave W, but your hover fly is gorgeous and your photograph of it spectacular .... but that's what we've come to expect from you! :thumb:

 

Sorry Dave, no id from me either, but wanted to say that your pics are incredible - the hoverfly looks positively alien!!!

 

Hi fellas, and wonderful shots all round. :thumb:

Woo, it must have been your lucky day to catch 3 such perfect beauties.

Dave, your hoverfly is gorgeous! I've never seen one that colour before, just love it.

 

Hi Dave those little beetles are cryptocephalus hypochaeridis no common name i'm afraid the generic means "hidden head"which is most appropriate they favour yellow composites for some reason, great pictures.:thumb:

 

Hi Keddi G
It was the colour that first drew my attention to the hover fly - most of those I've seen around the garden have been more of a yellow colour and I think the banding may be slightly different too. I'll just have to do a bit of research and see what variation normally occurs.

JarBax -Thanks. I was lucky to get it in that pose with wings open. It sat for a while preening and then flew off. Just wish it had been a bit brighter as then I'd have managed to reduce aperture and get a bit better depth of field.

<Edit> Walnut, from one Lancastrian to another - Thanks for that info!:thumb:

 

Excellent pictures Woo your blue butterfly is a male Common Blue polyommatus icarus.