Walking on Water

I have been seeing Fen Raft Spiders (Dolomedes plantarius) regularly over the last couple of weeks on Pevensey Levels. This week, I caught sight of an adult male walking across the water surface towards me. It came to rest in the margin of the ditch where it was well camouflaged among the stem shadows.

 

 

Fen Raft Spider (Dolomedes plantarius) (male)

 

 

 

I also came upon a female Wall (Lasiommata megera) in the process of looking for egg laying sites. She was slowly fluttering along a track edge and amongst the young grass shoots to oviposit.

 

 

Wall (Lasiommata megera) (ovum on grass shoot) 

 

 

 

Calling in at Batemans one afternoon this week to check the ponds, there were several species of Odonata on the wing.

 

 

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) (male)

 

 

 

Looking into the shallows of a wealden stream, a Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) watches the Beautiful Demoiselles (Calopteryx virgo) flying low across the water.

  

 

Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)

 

 

 

 

This beautiful moth made its first appearance of the year at the garden light trap this week. It is another member of the Prominent family and gets its name from its strange looking larva. 

 

Lobster Moth (Stauropus fagi)