I love few things better than walking or sitting in a wildflower meadow on a sunny day, smelling the fresh green scents, feeling the soft brush of the grass, and surrounded by buzzing, chirping and fluttering bees, butterflies, crickets, grasshoppers, hoverflies, damselflies and so many more of our insect neighbours, nectaring, perching or performing their courtship flights in a beautiful display. The more you sit still and listen, the more deeply you can tune into the different layers of sound and scent. Wonderful!
Azure damselfly (photo: Amanda Scott)
It’s National Insect Week from 23 to 29 June. Run annually by the British Entomological Society, there are events going on around the country: follow this link here to find any close to where you live. There are some in Cornwall and other parts of the South-west.
The warm weather is perfect for seeing insects buzzing and flying about, of course, although they are also much faster and more mobile than in cooler weather. The best time to see them more settled is early in the morning when they are still warming up from the cooler night temperatures, or later in the evening as the night draws near.
National Insect Week is a good excuse for some insect photos, so here goes – enjoy!
Red Admiral (photo: Amanda Scott), spotted near Blisland.
The furry wonderfulness of a Fox Moth caterpillar (photo: Amanda Scott). This fellow was meandering by the path at Goonhilly on the Lizard.
Grey Bush-cricket (photo: Amanda Scott). A coastal and fairly rare species, this one was spotted near Kynance Cove, posing on a rucksack strap.
Beautiful Demoiselle male (photo: Amanda Scott). I found tens of these by the River Fal at Tregony and Crowhill Valley Woods last week.
Small Copper butterfly (photo: Amanda Scott).