Nature lovers who were unable to get to this walk missed a real treat. The weather was kind to us once again and the walk started on a bright, dry, if somewhat breezy note. Among our first finds was a wasp spider.
You can see from the photograph how remarkably like a wasp the spider is - reputably to deter predators. One speculates how long it will be before predators become aware of this ploy and start to attack wasps to find
out if they are wasps or spiders, with regrettable consequences for the wasp!
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Our next few finds were meadow and field grasshoppers and new member, Cliff, suggested a prize for the first person to find a cricket. A few moments later he would have won because he found a Roesel's bush
cricket - as in the picture.
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| Many other finds followed in quick succession, cone head cricket (long body and short wing), assassin bug, speckled bush cricket, dark bush cricket (male and female) and a suspected common green cricket. |
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| In spite of the moderate breeze, a number of butterflies were to be seen. Several meadow browns, a speckled wood, and Martin managed to net an excellent specimen of a large white.
A common darter dragonfly was also seen. |
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| Altogether an excellent morning which ended too soon with refreshments in the pavilion, courtesy of Christine and Gill. |
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