It is National Insect Week! To celebrate I popped down to Pearson Park Wildlife Garden, one of my favourite haunts, and a biodiversity hotspot in the heart of Hull. In a sunny, summer day, insects and other invertebrates are guaranteed and there are always some surprises. I walked around the garden, following a male Brimstone, but it refused to settle. Several other butterflies were around though. In a sunny, sheltered corner in a wooded area, two Specked Woods whirled around each other. The territory owner, looking quite battered but still going strong, settled on a bramble leaf (above).
Bobbing up and down through the long grass, two Ringlets were chasing and courting. The female appeared to reject the male (on the left), and he flew away.
Ringlet resting (This photo is from Sunday)
There were two male Common Blues chasing. Afterwards, this one settled on birds foot trefoil to groom.
This green lacewing, Chrysopa perla, looks like is ready to lay her eggs.
The meadow cranesbills are in full bloom, attracting plenty of insects, like this small hoverfly, Sphaerophoria scripta...
...here hovering in front of a flower
On the buddlejas there are many Green Shieldbugs, Palomena prasina, the female is on the right.
And just by them a soldier fly
A tree stump used as a bird table gives provides suitable nesting sites for these Crossocerus wasps and others.
The pond had me entertained for quite a while. I sat down on the shore and watched. This Azure Damselfy was doing some impressive morning stretches, up!
and down! There were two males and a mating couple.
One of many pond skaters
Just by the water edge, this wolf spider carrying young was trying to find a sun fleck to bask. Several seemingly common wolf spiders Pardosa sp. fed by the water's edge. Some even crossed the water running fast over it.
The water's edge was teeming with Amber Snails, Succinea putris, feeding on wilted leaves
Although there are plenty of Harlequins, 7 spots (above) and 14 spots were also about
I found this female Nursery Web Spider guarding her nursery on the nettle patch at the end of the vegetable garden. There were many spiderlings inside, and some still appeared to be coming out of their egg sac.
This is the cocoon of a burnet moth, which shall emerge in the next few weeks in the wildlife garden.
