A warm and mostly cloudy day with occasional sunny spells saw us heading off to Dartmeet on Dartmoor for a walk. We parked up in the Badgers Holt car park and strolled off downriver along the Dart, enjoying the song of yellowhammer, chiffchaff, willow warbler and blackcap along the way.
I hoped to see some insect life especially during the sunny spells we were experiencing at times and I wasn't disappointed.
Beautiful demoiselles were very obvious along the river bank and surrounding vegetation with females easily out numbering the males and I managed to get some lovely views (if not the best photos).
Male Beautiful Demoiselle
Female Beautiful Demoiselle
Male Beautiful Demoiselle
Male Beautiful Demoiselle
A green tiger beetle gave some amazing views too - it flew off for a short distance during a cloudy interval when the temperature noticeably dropped and it seemed to run out of steam allowing close approach in a usually skittish insect.
Green Tiger Beetle
Green Tiger Beetle
Green Tiger Beetle
A golden ringed dragonfly allowed a quick photo before flying off and a dark skimmer type dragonfly flew by but never appeared again.
Golden Ringed Dragonfly
Butterflies were on the wing too with some nice views of 2 green hairstreaks, a large white, a speckled wood, a meadow brown and a peacock.
Green Hairstreak
Green Hairstreak
Best of all though was a high brown fritillary which I managed to get a few record shots of as it nectared on bramble flowers. I first caught a brief view of it flitting about looking very smart and bright orange but it quickly moved off and out of sight. Initially I thought it was a silver washed fritillary but quickly realised it was either a high brown or a dark green fritillary. I found it again a few minutes later when I managed to ID it as a high brown fritillary and get a few record shots of it before it again flew off and out of sight and I never saw it again. A very nice find though and very pleasing too.
High Brown Fritillary - showing indented and noticeably small third spot on upper forewing
High Brown Fritillary - zooming in shows the characteristic row of rust-red spots with silver centres on the underwing
Heading home and it had become a lot more cloudy and we stopped off at The Two Bridges Hotel for a belly busting but delicious afternoon tea before driving home via my workplace to visit my sister-in law who continues with yet more ups and downs in her current treatment.
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