Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

This Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) was photographed near water at Cuerden Valley Park, Lancashire on 21/6/10.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)

This Four-spotted Chaser was shot at the Dragonfly Breeding Pond, Cuerden Valley Park, Lancashire on 21/6/10.

Sawfly (Tenthredo sp.)

This sawfly, Tenthredo sp. (probably T. mesomelas ) like other sawflies belongs to the order Hymenoptera which includes ants, bees, wasps and ichneumon flies. Sawflies are plant eating insects and the female lays her eggs inside the plant host. This is aided by the female having a saw-like structure on the ovipositor which is used to cut through the plant tissue. Both body shape and wing venation closely resemble ancestral forms found in fossil records that date back as far as the Triassic Period (200 million years ). The image above was taken in grassland at Brockhole Wetlands, Lancashire, 5/6/10.

Speckled Wood ( Pararge aegeria )

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria ) in woodland border, Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire, 12/6/10.

Wolf Spider, Family Lycosidae with spiderlings on her abdomen

Wolf Spiders (family Lycosidae), are hunting spiders which hunt at ground level. The one shown above is most likely a Pardosa sp. and was crossing a sandy patch of ground at Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire (12/6/10). This is a female which carries its egg sac attached to its spinner. The spiderlings climb onto the abdomen (as shown above) and are carried around for the first week or so.

Merodon equestris (The Greater Bulb-fly)

Merodon equestris ( Fabricus 1794 ) mimics bumblebees. According to Stubbs and Falk (2002)

" Merodon equestris is notable for its range of colour forms. It is able mimic a variety of bumblebee patterns such as black with red tail (eg. Bombus lapidarius), black with yellow with a white tail (eg. B. lucorum) andtawny (eg. B. pascuorum)" p304.

Its name, The Greater Bulb-fly, Large Bulb-fly of Narcissus fly comes from its habit of attacking daffodil and other bulbs.

Eggs are laid on leaves at ground level. The larvae tunnel into the bulb where they live for almost a year and then pupate in the soil. The adult is short-lived (average 17 days).

The images above were taken in an suburban garden, Darwen, Lancashire, UK 30/5/10.

Identification made by David Leicester ( Dioctria) on I-Spot.

STUBBS, A.E. and FALK, S.J.,2002. British Hoverflies: an illustrated identification guide. British Entomological and Natural History Society, London.