I believe your beetle is Strangalia maculata, and your caterpillar is a Peacock larva. All the best. Thanks Pete.I took a look in my insects folder and note that I have met the critter before including another similar, do you know if its a different species or is there a male and female. BEM_0426 S...

Can some kind person ID this Bug and caterpillar, Shapwick Moor NNR, Somerset. Thank you.

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After two days of rain I decided to return to the Sweet Track, the weather did not look promising but from time to time the clouds offered some sunny gaps, my optimism was rewarded, on a large blackberry patch two Red Admirals were nectaring, then a Silver-washed -Fritillary made an appearance quick...

Hi Simon, Seeing your photo of a European bee Eater brought back memories of my experience with this colourful bird. I was lucky to meet a friendly French birder whilst visiting the Nature Reserve of Vigueirat near Arles,  I asked him if he was aware of a site where I might see Bee eaters , he gener...

First Silver-washed -Fritillary of the year on the Sweet Track 16-06-2020
Also
White Admirals 2
Brimstone 1
Comma 1
Red Admiral 1
Small White 1
Large Skippers. perhaps 6
Meadow Brown. numerous
Plus lots of Mosquitoes and a very large Hornet.

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My morning walk started at Westhay NNR a fresh looking small White seen but little else of interest seen, I moved on to Shapwick Moor, initially little seen to excite , however surprises can always come along, as I made my return a White Admiral flashed by, then it made a U turn and came and perched...

Large Blues Yesterday I decided to make a second attempt to see the Large Blue so I went to a little known location , it was a rather overcast morning but I did have hopes that the Sun would break through, arriving at the site I had not gone far when I saw my first blue, it quickly vanished, I walke...

Now that was a quick reply , thank you.

Help please, a small moth seen as i was looking for Large Blues, Somerset.

01-06-2020 The day promised to be very hot but never the less I succumbed to the temptation to visit Collards Hill , it's practically on my doorstep, in the hopes of seeing the Large Blues, I  made an early start in the hopes of seeing the blues perching on a blade off grass or a early morning necta...

On my morning walk along the Sweet track the numbers of Large Skippers had increased by three, by 10-00 all had disappeared, to hot ?

Large Skipper https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/

Shapwick National nature reserve.

On my morning walk along the Sweet track the numbers of Large Skippers had increased by three, by 10-00 all had disappeared, to hot ?
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Shapwick NNR. A walk along the sweet track at Shapwick National nature reserve. The  blackberry bushes were Covered by a mass of blooms, SEP_5802 3x2.jpg an unusual sound overhead caused me to look up, my imagination decided I was looking at a pterodactyl in fact it was a juvenile Grey Heron,  inste...

A good advert for growmore.

A visit to Martin down. The Adonis blues were out in force but with the sun and heat were not inclined to pose for the camera, however one did stop for a brief moment, SEP_5589 Adonis blue martins down 3x2.jpg SEP_5578 3x2Adonis Blue (Polyommatus bellargus).jpg SEP_5697 3x2 Adonis blues.jpg also see...

Hi Jim, Whixhall Moss would probably be the easiest place to visit. I suspect Cors Caron might involve fewer miles, but alas much of the journey takes place on single carriageway country lanes. Besides, the davus race is more appealing, and that's what you'll find at Whixhall. You could also 'doubl...

I'm not a fan of its habitat, but this is a scarce species which requires travelling to see. I did make the journey to Whixhall Moss in 2015 to see the davus race, but sadly those images have been lost. In their place I will have to resort to snatched shots in difficult conditions of the polydamus ...

False Ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus) This was one of my earliest rare butterflies that I tracked down before I had made the acquaintance of two French friends who have since been of great help, both of which I amImmensely grateful to. Coenonympha oedippus, the false ringlet This was one of my earlie...

Dusky Heath (Coenonympha dorus) The next three species have been very difficult, It was very challenging to decide how to place them in any order of preference, impossible they are all special for me , so these all share the same slot, joint second. Dorus pleases me because of the warmth of the colo...

Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania) An attractive small butterfly I found my first on a birding trip to la Brenne in scrub land that also gave me sightings of Black Hairstreak, Ilex Hairstreak, Woodland brown and many more. The local farmer had a magnificent Cockerel in the farmyard, I decided to tak...