Walking with insects

The warm weather has been with us for a few days now.  It makes a change from the dismal cool and wet Summer that accompanied an unusually displaced atmospheric jet stream, south of its normal Summer position.  This has resulted in a proliferation of insects, especially chyrominid midges and other biting midges.

This blue bottle (Calliphora vomitoria) is a widespread blowfly which is around in large numbers at present. 

On a fence post I saw several hoverflies resting in the sunshine.  This one is Epistrophe grossulariae, distinguished by its brown thorax patch and 3 black abdominal bands.  These flies use the colours of wasps to discourage predators from eating them.

Another abundant insect is the damsel fly. This is the Red Damsel Fly, Pyrrhosoma nymphula, which is common around ponds and rivers.  The wealth of interesting flying insects is amazing at the moment.

I recently lost a pair of reading glasses.  They were in need of repair and I did have a second pair which were a couple of years old.  This inspired me to go to Specsavers in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.  I was amazed at the streamlined service - They booked me in to see an optician within 15 minutes and I had two new pairs of glasses in my hands in less than 2 hours.  The price was less than I paid two years ago at my old opticians when I had to wait 3 weeks for my specs.  One very satisfied customer.......