Visit to Rye Harbour tues 23rd Aug

[Chris Speke]

Clouded Yellow seen in head rows around maize fields. In 20 minute transect saw 18 . Noticed gulls wheeling above and in feeding mode. When I focused on the sky , the clouds of flying ants could be seen sweeping in as if from the continent. There were such large numbers that at a couple of hundred feet above us, they gave the impression of moving clouds breaking up and reforming. As the dusk approached, the herring gulls came to ground and began to feed on the ants as they fell to earth.