Spiders and bees at Finglandrigg

Whilst photographing fritillaries I happened to notice a web of spiderlings. On closer inspection the female appeared - well camouflaged and very feisty! It seems that she is a nurse web spider, the name is appropriate, Pisaurus mirabilis, presumably under recorded looking at the NBN atlas!

I was then photographing the marsh cinquefoil, one of my favourites, when I noticed the bees. 

Top: early bumblebee - Bombus pratorum and bottom : tree bumblebee Bombus hypnorum.

Fritillary butterflies at Finglandrigg, North Cumbria

Following yesterday's blog, here are some more photos - as I said the weather was cool, so although there weren't lots flying it made it a bit easier to photograph them.

Marsh fritillaries.......

Small pearl-bordered fritillary ....just the one. 

Finglandrigg NNR - seems like summer

Although it wasn't especially warm (15 degrees) the butterflies were out. Not many - but lovely to see marsh fritillaries, a fresh small pearl-bordered fritillary, large skipper and the first meadow browns of the year. Plenty of heath spotted orchids too. Just a very pleasant walk, with the cooler weather helping with butterfly photography. More detailed blogs will follow!

Heath spotted orchids, ragged robin, honeysuckle climbing high up into the trees and a buzzard.

Marsh fritillaries, small pearl-bordered fritillary, a tree bumble bee, large skipper
 and a rather defensive spider with her hatching spiderlings. 

Hesket Newmarket prints....

So pleased that the village shop in Hesket Newmarket has sold out of my cards...two views of the village. My framed prints of the village are awaiting collection and will be soon up in the shop too.....as will a range of my paintings. 

The two prints - cards of the same view are:

Orchids and flora - Swansea's coast.

As promised in the previous blog - the flora!

Pyramidal orchids 

Bee orchids 

More bee orchids! 

Barren strawberry; greater knapweed and centaury.

An epic coastal walk - Swansea

A great walk out, in very hot weather from Horton - Oxwich - Nicholaston - Pennard - Park Mill. Fantastic flora, fauna and views! The flora photos will follow......

Top left : Three cliffs and top right: Nicholaston looking east.
Bottom left: Oxwich Bay and right: Oxwich burrows 

Lime kilns - left at Oxwich and right at Penmaen.

Top left: sharp tailed bee sp and top right: early mining bee.
Bottom left: long horned bee ( a difficult one to photo!) and right: a bumble bee mimic.

Small blue; brown argus; ermine moth caterpillar webs and large skipper. 

Herring gull chicks ....in the urban environment

Herring gulls nest on the university buildings in Swansea - Singleton campus. Opposite Tom's kitchen there are around 12 chicks and on the small building opposite Tom's room there is nest with 3 chicks - currently about 4 days old. Nice to see and I'm looking forward to seeing more photos as they develop.