Dramatic insects at Afton Marsh

There is a lot of Angelica & Hemp Agrimony flowering on the banks of the Western Yar River at Afton Marsh, and a gentle stroll revealed some pretty impressive insects nectaring on the flowers.


I posted some photos of the humungous hoverfly, Volucella zonaria, a few posts ago. Here's a video clip that I couldn't resist uploading, too! I'm sure it won't be the last!


I had 6 Jersey Tiger moths attracted to my back garden moth trap yesterday evening, but this is the best way to see them. I love the way in which it constantly bobs its head up and down in order to manoeuvre the probocis into the flowers. I can't remember seeing this action in the butterflies I have watched - maybe their probocis is more flexible?


And this is the impressive soldierfly, Statiomys potamida. This is a species that used to be quite scarce, but which now seems to becoming increasingly frequent.

I came across this dead Comma butterfly caterpillar. I've no idea whether it was parasitized or had a fungal infection but it looks strangely beautiful, even in death!

I swept a number of these nymphs from an area with a number of Dock plants. That together with the 2 raised 'bumps' on the dorsal surface seems to suggest that they are Coreus marginatus, the Dock Bug.