Time. Flies.

Since returning from holiday, there have been a few entomological trips to keep us entertained. Here are a swarm of photos to bring us up to date, from various sites in West Mainland and the island of Hoy, but beginning and ending at home:

A 10-spotted Ladybird found on the bathroom window

At the pool by Brinkies Brae Guest House:

The shed skin of a newly-emerged Large Red Damselfly (not seen)

A Green-veined White butterfly nectaring on a Cuckooflower

A Crane Fly, Tipula sp.

A bumblebee-mimic hoverfly, Eristalis intracaria

Bog Reed Beetle

Another Bog Reed Beetle

Yet more Bog Reed Beetles

Heather Beetle

 In Hoy, searching for dragons:

A newly-emerged Large Red Damselfly, Scapa Museum pool

A Blue-tailed Damselfly, Scapa Museum pool

A pair of Large Red Damselflies engaged in a spot of egg-laying at Rackwick

Another pair of Large Red Damselflies at Rackwick

Large Red Damselfly at Rackwick

Whilst on a bumblebee survey at Skaill Bay:

The bumblebees were too swift to photograph, so here's the bay instead

Back home, in the garden:

A rather worn Painted Lady

A queen Tree Wasp

The wildflowers in both the "meadow" and their eponymous bed are beginning to bloom, so I hope there will be more wonderful insects attracted to the all-you-can-drink nectar buffet. Apologies if the wasp was a trigger, but at least I did omit the spiders because of... reasons.