Predators and Fairys at Kilwood.

On the Monday Bank Holiday of the Diamond Jubilee I took an afternoon visit to the Kilwood and Norden reserves.  The day was pleasantly sunny and warm and so I had high hopes of seeing some dragons and damsels out, with maybe the odd butterfly.  The trip down the lane saw this start off well with a nicely posing Common Blue Butterfly.

Common Blue Butterfly. Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 100 F4 1/80.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Then into the patch near the first pond, it was time to find the damselflies ( this spot can also be good for chasers etc ), but it was the damsels that were most obliging posing on the stems of grasses.

Azure Damslefly.  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 320 F4 1/125.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Azure Damslefly (cropped to 2/3rd original size). Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F4 1/60.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Azure Damslefly.  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 100 F5 1/80.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Then walking through the grass into the woods that separate the two reserves I saw some dancing moths in the sunlit grass.  Looking them up later I was not surprised to learn they were Fairy Moths, as the sight of them leaping in the air could easily be mistaken for mythical fairys.

Fairy Moth (male).  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 400 F5 1/250.  Natural Light.

Fairy Moth (female). Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F5.6 1/125.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Next onto the main heath, I saw this digger wasp preying on some aphids. It also nicely kicked off any ants that got in its way.

Digger Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa).  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F5.6 1/125.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Digger Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) on Foxglove.  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F5.6 1/200.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Also preying on the aphids was this Ladybird, and I suppose the ants do to, as they milk them.

Ant, Aphids and Ladybird.  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F6.3 1/200.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Lastly taken on the way back to the car this red-headed cardinal beetle.

Red-headed Cardinal Beetle.  Taken on Canon 50D with Canon 100mm F2.8 USM Macro Lens.  ISO 200 F5.6 1/50.  Natural Light & Tripod.

Map of Location

Dorset Wildlife Trust Reserve. Limited roadside parking