The Flying Critter Hunt

As promised at the end of yesterday's post, here are a few photos I managed to snap of some beautiful bugs, butterflies and moths.

 We identified this as a Speckled Wood.

We believe this to be a Silver Ground Carpet Moth, but we aren't 100% sure.

 This is an Orange Tip.
 (Sorry the photo isn't the best, but it wouldn't stay still long enough to get a decent shot).

 Small White/Cabbage White.


 We think this is a Burnet Companion Moth, but again we're not 100% sure.

This may well be a Red Lily Leaf Beetle.

 A Common Blue Damselfly.

I haven't the foggiest.  Any ideas???

You can see why people become Lepidopterists.

We used the Butterfly Conservation app, together with a little handbook I'd bought for Violet, to help us identify the Butterflies and Moths.

Did you know that you can also download an app to ID Ladybirds (Android, IPhone).

There's also a Forestry Commission app (Android, IPhone).
Birds of Britain & Ireland (Android, IPhone).
UK Dragonflies (Android, IPhone).
Bug count guide (Android, IPhone).
British wild flowers (Android, IPhone)

We all spent an enjoyable couple of hours chasing around the wild flower meadow trying to spot, sneak up to, and then photograph all these wonderful little creatures.  Violet was so thrilled, that when we came home she asked if she could make a poster about Butterflies to send off to Blue Peter (she's after the Eco Green Badge don't you know).

There goes some of my beautiful gardening magazines, but you can't douse the flames of creativity when they ignite can you?

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