I keep trying to get away - honestly - but you keep drawing me back with your generous and interesting comments.
Cheers Wurzel - if I'd been quicker I could probably have got more, better, etc, etc ............
Thank you Dave - it WAS supposed to be the end but I just have to say that your LTB shots have been way better than anything I have managed to achieve this year so well done to you.
Thanks Martin and thanks for your advice. For me it was quite exciting to have the ID confirmed and I think you are right about it being female.
Cheers Buggy - I shall track down a male Wasp Spider eventually!
Thank you Neil. If you visit Thorney in the future it would be lovely if we could meet up there. I hope you will let me know in due course.
Cheers M. - it seems they are becoming more regular visitors so I reckon you have every chance if you're in Kent at the right time.
The other day I was cleaning out the rabbit run (all 14' of it!) raking up soiled hay, droppings etc and being quite rough so I was astonished when the largest pupa I have ever seen was raked up from one of their tunnels. Hoping I hadn't damaged it I placed it in a container and Martin was good enough to identify it as a Privet Hawkmoth. I was so excited (I know, sad isn't it but it was such a welcome change from all the problems here). I have never seen one of these in any of their stages - how come I didn't find the cat I keep asking myself. Not far from the run is a large lilac tree and I assume this is where it came from. Maybe I should put the moth trap out more often! I really hope I can see this through but in the meantime: