Couple caught having sex at local reserve !!!

Common Blue's mating, notice the difference between the sexes. The day promised much on the weather front, we were not to be disappointed in the least. Sunshine, some wind and the odd downpour kept us on our toes!! The number of Common Blue's was very good on the scrub along the hedge, along with Small Skipper, Silver Y, Small White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock, A Holly Blue, Gate Keeper, Meadow Brown & a Dark gottaway???  along with a least seven Grass moths which I did not even attempt to ID. and a lot of Grasshoppers to round things of. The sickly Mink found in the car park area was not seen.

But as per previous years, the special on the menu, was the abundance of Wasp spiders this year. A reported maximum of 14! were found along the causeway, a few pictures of which follow.

With one Arachnid already wrapped up for later, this , Male Wasp spider ( Small Spider upper right) makes gentle and repeated strokes of the females rear end wary of every small movement she makes, ready to flee at a moments notice should his foreplay not be to her liking!!!. but his disolved insides might be!

The characteristic zigzag pattern is shown nicely in the web, but what looks a hasty repair to the right is not quite so good, the consideration is that these marking form a lure !

She bites!! very well.

 Another Female begins the digesting process making it much easier to consume the juicy soft parts!! Just visible, is one of the two yellow stripes on the underbelly.

This 5th instar nymph , a Meadow Grasshopper,(thanks Rob.) that abound on the reserve, is one of many species that exist in the UK.

And there's more to come of a few of the other finds.

Cheers

Paul