9 June 2025 River

In the flower bed a bumble bee ram-raids its way into a Pink Campion bud and sucks nectar deep and long 


 It is the time of plenty and pressure – the clock is ticking for the halcyon days of summer sweetness and sorting out the next generation.

By the pond two spiders


sit smug at the edge of a web laden with insects – a welcome insight into the numbers of tiny creatures floating and flying invisibly on air currents up high (aerial plankton) as well as low within sight. We see these tiny midges/gnats flying up and down, maybe competing, in the shafts of sunlight filtering through sheltering bushes. And they are not only good food for spiders, but feed our night flying bats, and by day swifts and the occasional swallow hawking across the sky, scooping food out of thin air.

The professionals have appeared during the last few weeks... the damselflies and dragonflies







. With the effortless superiority of ancient lineage with aeons of fine-tuning of design for function they have perfected the technique of ‘eyeballing’ then fast ambush onto their target. Mobile photo 3, not totally in focus, unexpectedly caught their two very distinctive features – first, those massive all-round vision eyes (4) which make it incredibly difficult to get close to photo them! Secondly, their feature of very distinctive expert flight (3). In some species the two sets of wings are independently controlled which allows them to flap out of phase as seen here. This is crucial for their amazing aerial acrobatics. I have seen one suddenly appear fast out of nowhere and pluck a fast-flying butterfly out of the air. (It was in a public garden and the onlookers mostly shrieked in terror as if it were a threatening alien, hid their faces or lashed out with arms and handbags to knock it down!! No comment!)

There are many species easily seen




 – chasers, with a stocky body, and bulky wide abdomen, obvious in photo 5. This one suddenly appeared last week and momentarily perched on the garden broom handle (not well in focus, but features are visible for comparison.)

And there are the delicate beautifully coloured damselflies which rest with wings folded back












Visit the riverside and they are all there, flitting by the water and resting on reeds and flowers. See them and their ferocious larvae for real... on the guided walk along the Midford Brook with live demonstrations of river life beneath the surface . And, best of all


, welcome signs of returning mammals... otters!


Wednesday 11th June 10:00-14:00


Guided Walk Along the Midford Brook


What3Words neon/spoon/care


Free Tickets available via ataafishing.net


More details of watery events www.wildwatersfestival.com







 - protecting the riverbank against trampling and eroding by cattle. – Using willow and hazel coppice material to trap silt and soil to create additional riverside habitat for invertebrates and fish fry.


Photo Credits: 7 Bob Drower; 10 Peter Scourse; 11, 12, 13, 14 Phil Chant; Others Nicolette Scourse












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