
The day after my Hawes Water wander. Another attempt to replicate the fun I had in the meadows of the Dordogne. It started, in rather gloomy conditions, in our garden.






When the weather brightened up, I set-off for a short wander, taking in Lambert’s Meadow, my go to spot when I’m hoping to see dragonflies in particular, and a wide selection of insect life in general, and a trip to the Dordogne is not on the cards.

In my post about the meadows around the campsite we stayed on in France, I began with a photo in which I’d caught five different species all in the one shot, which I was delighted by, because it seemed to represent to me the sheer abundance and variety of the wildlife to be seen there.
I’ll confess, I was bit shocked that Lambert’s Meadow could match that tally…

So…what have we got here? I think that the two black and white hoverflies may be Leucozona glaucia. I think the bug closest to the middle could be the sawfly, Rhogogaster Picta. I wondered whether the tiny insect at the bottom might be a sawfly too, but the long antennae and what looks like an even longer ovipositor have persuaded me that it is probably some kind of Ichneumon wasp. But that’s as far as I’ve got (there are apparently approximately 2500 UK species). I think the social wasp at the top is probably Vespula Vulgaris – the Common Wasp. And about the insect on the top left I have no opinions at all – there isn’t much to go on.

I always assume that very pale bees like this are very faded Common Carder bees, but I’m not at all sure that’s correct.

I think this might be a Large Rose Sawfly, although surprisingly it seems like there might be several UK species of insects which have a striking orange abdomen like this. I’m also intrigued by what the funky seedheads are. I suspect that if I’ve written this post back in August, I probably would have had a pretty fair idea because of where they were growing in the meadow.


There’s around 300 species of cranefly in the UK. Me putting names to these is essentially a huge bluff – I have even less idea than usual. I’m reasonably confident that they are at least craneflies and that the first is a male and the second female, but after that I’m pretty much guessing, based on a little bit of internet research.

This is a hoverfly which I often see and which is sufficiently distinctive that I can actually be confident about my identification. Especially since I found this very helpful guide. The common name is apparently Pellucid Fly, which is odd; pellucid means translucent or clear, as in a pellucid stream, or easy to understand, as in pellucid prose. I’m not sure in which sense this fly is pellucid. The females lay their eggs in the nests of social wasps like the Vespula Vulgaris above. The larvae grow up in the nest, from what I can gather, essentially scavenging – so a bit like wasps round a picnic table. Even wasps get harassed!

I am going to have to bite the bullet and shell out for a proper field guide to hoverflies I think. They are so fascinating. Well, to me at least! These two, at first glance both black and yellow, but then so differently shaped and patterned, but I don’t have a clue what species either might belong to.

This, on the other hand, also black and yellow……

…is clearly not a hoverfly. Don’t ask me how I know. Well, go on then: it’s extremely bristly, and it has a chequered abdomen. At least it’s quite distinctive. My ‘Complete British Insects’ describes it as ‘handsome’ which even I can’t quite see. It’s a parasitoid, which is to say that its larvae will grow up inside a caterpillar.

Apparently Eristalis arbustorum “can have quite variable markings on its body and some can be almost totally black”. (Source) Which makes my heart sink a bit – what hope do I have if members of an individual species can vary so much? At least this genuinely is handsome.

A couple more unidentified bees to throw in.


Up to this point I’d been slowly pacing around the meadow, snapping away. I hadn’t walked far at all. As I approached the large area of Guelder Rose in the hedge, my pulse quickened a little, whilst my pace slowed even more. This is an area in which I frequently spot dragonflies. And the area just beyond, of tall figworts and willowherbs, is possibly even more reliable.

There were a few dragonflies patrolling the margin of the field. And a some Common Darters resting on leaves quite high in hedge, making them difficult to photograph from below. But then…result!

Sometimes hawkers visit our garden, but it’s rare that I spot them when they aren’t in motion, hunting.

An absolutely stunning creature.
A little further along…



Our friend P has hives in Hagg Wood, not too far away. Minty honey anyone?



Views from the walk home…



Well, I’ve enjoyed choosing this selection of photos from the hundreds I took that day. I hope you did too. I don’t know why I didn’t spend more time mooching around al Lambert’s Meadow last summer. I’m looking forward to some brighter weather already.
Wow, how rewarding was this time in Lambert’s?
Wonderful captures especially the ‘6 insect image’, along with the dragonflies!
Do you teach biology or just have a keen interest in nature.
I teach maths. I didn’t even take O level biology. Or geography. What an idiot! I do love maths, but I frequently think that I should have spent my time working in the outdoors.
More brilliant photos. Must take you an age to write these posts (assuming you do all your research while you write and choose the photos). No wonder the blog is so far behind 😀
There is such a joy when you can lose yourself in research. For me it’s maps and trips, I think your’s is far more rewarding
Sorry Andy – I thought I’d replied to this comment – I’ve certainly thought about it quite a bit! Yes – this post, and posts like it, do take me ages, and yes I do find it rewarding, but frustrating at times too. I’m not sure if I enjoy this more than you do your planning and perusing maps – we all just need an interest don’t we? Whether that be crochet, maps, galaxies, hoverflies, architecture, art, or whatever. Sadly, for many people, that interest seems to be reality TV. Obviously, I realise that its me that is out of step, but I’ve always been inclined to be Tommy Opposite.
The National obsession with celebrity and the sheer repetitive dumbness and unoriginality of banal TV just staggers me sometimes. Although in contrast I think the standard of the top level series is so much better. It seems to have polarized into extremes. My guilty pleasure is The Apprentice, probably as the nearest show to own daily job and we enjoy laughing at it as a family. I can hear you sighing from here 😂
I’m broadcasting disapproval your way! A has broken a bone in her ankle (dancing) so is watching a lot of TV – including a program where BandB owners stay with each other and rate the respective services. What next – decorators watch each other’s paint dry?
I noted that there was televised pottery on the other day – sigh!
Marvellous images!
Thanks Margaret.