NO SUN OR SWALLOWTAILS AT STRUMPSHAW

   Saturday I went over to the RSPB reserve at Strumpshaw Fen hoping to see the newly emerged Swallowtail butterflies but unfortunately the weather changed almost as soon as I arrived and the sun disappeared meaning that my chances of seeing them were very much reduced. The main emergence of these beautiful butterflies occurs in late May and June but in a good year there might be a smaller showing later in the summer. This later showing that I have pictured before usually consists of smaller butterflies with slightly less dramatic markings so I was hoping to see these pristine early examples and see the difference myself. Not wanting to return home empty handed I decided to carry on round the reserve spying several orchids in flower on the meadows, dragonflies patrolling the ditches and numerous birds and insects on the wing. Many of the insects were displaying beautiful colouration so I got out my macro lens and took a few shots which are shown below, some of which the identification is not known to me.
   Firstly this weevil (Phyllobius pomaceus) which looked blue in the light.

   Now this lovely coloured beetle with the long antennae (Agapanthia villosoviridescens)

   This looks like it may be some sort of sawfly possibly from the Ichneumons family.

   Finally this wasp mimic beetle as I call them although I'm not sure if that is the proper term.