Backswimmer

Not in the garden
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Backswimmer © Harry Mole 2017

I thought this was a water boatman until I looked it up. It’s actually a backswimmer (Notonecta glauca). It’s a predator which can dive, and surrounds itself with a film of air for respiration. It can also fly between ponds (!).

Wall

Not in the garden

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Wall  © Harry Mole 2017

This wall was at Castle Hill National Nature Reserve today. It’s an beautiful place. We saw a Silver Y, loads of beetles, a Painted Lady, Small Copper and a Common Blue. This Wall (Lasiommata megera) was a bit tricky to identify because some of the hind wing is missing making it look a bit odd. According to The Butterflies of Sussex, they are “notoriously difficult to photograph” – this is the first time I’ve tried.