Flora and fauna at RNR

I apologise for the delay in this post. It should've gone out earlier this week, but didn't.

Dragonflies and damselflies dominated the couple of short walks around the Reserve, but that didn't mean that there was nothing else about. Here are some of the other bits and pieces I saw.

My current header of this busy Ladybird on a grass stalk.

Two of my favourite wild flowers around the Reserve are the creamy white Meadowsweet and Purple Loosetrife.
Moorhens have been breeding on the Reserve, I couldn't capture any young ones on these walks, but this Adult posed briefly before slipping out of sight into the vegetation.

One of the days I visited, there seemed to be an explosion of Ringlet Butterflies. This is one of the few butterflies that will fly even in a light shower, quite an advantage in our damp climate here in the southwest!

I should know what this is, but I can't recall it right now, maybe flowering rush? Any other suggestions out there?

This beautiful day flying moth is the Scarlet Tiger Moth. Here it is at rest.....

.....and a different individual feeding on thistle flowers.

The forewings have a lovely metallic sheen and the underwings (just about showing here) are a brilliant red.

Another mystery flower, all I know is that it in an umbilifer. Again, any suggestions gratefully received (maybe difficult without the leaves)!

An unidentified grasshopper. I shall call him Gerald! (-:

Another butterfly that was much in evidence was the Small Skipper. Below are various individuals.

Having said earlier that the southwest has a tendency to wet weather, we have had quite a run of dry weather so far this spring/summer. This is not good news for Moles and I found this one on the path. After a brief examination, I could find nothing outwardly wrong with it.

Another day flying moth, this is the 5 spot Burnet Moth again feeding on Thistle.

For this last shot I decided to 'do a Chris' and get down on my belly to get a bugs eye view of the world!