Blashford Mega Mix

I spent a couple of the early May bank holiday afternoons wandering around Blashford Lakes, and found a wide range of insect species, including the first shots of some damselflies in 2015. All of the images in this selection are taken on the Canon MPE-65mm lens, with the exception of one shot of a damselfly – taken on the Canon 100mm Macro Lens.

Some of the flies were completely new species for me to photograph, including this small Stilt Legged fly.  I read about these flies and apparently they use there legs as a sort of extra semaphore like attractant to the opposite sex.

I then came across a couple of Doc Leaf beetles mating.

This is a common scene for these bettles at this time of year – and there reflective shells make a good test of flash diffusion setup – and am pleased that my current setup appears to be working well in controlling the highlights on their reflective shells, whislt retaining good detail.

I also found another female Doc Leaf beetle – who was being literally fought over for attention.

Next up another new species for me – Stone Flies.  The first is a mature one – the other probably a newly emerged one of the same.

The final new fly species for me to take an image of was this Engsin Fly or Black Scavenger Fly – Sepsis cynipsea.

This next fly is a fairly common sight – I just like the hairs on it.

The next fly is a bigger one – a Hover Fly.

The final series of fly images are of a Thick-headed fly – which I believe is type Myopa fly . These type of flies parasite bees by laying eggs in a victim – which is then eaten and eventually killed by the larvae.

Other than flies, I also found a couple of nut weevils to take some macro photographs of.

Finally the damselflies.  First up one of the ones I normally see on its own before the other species emerge – a Large Red.

Then a female common blue – this taken on the Canon 100mm Lens.

And lastly a head shot of one taken on the MPE.

Map of Location