We set off to do the Big Butterfly Count at Sutton Hoo over the weekend, and although there were plenty of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper butterflies about, our eyes were quickly diverted by the Ladybirds - the most I have seen in one place this year.
I was particularly interested in (and saddened to see) the 7-spot above, who seemed to have a damaged elytron and possibly a damaged wing underneath. I have not been able to work out quite what is going on, but I wonder whether the damage could be due to a mite (see the bulbous shape inside the elytron). As ever, I shall submit my sighting to the UK Ladybird Survey.
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| Enlargement of Ladybird above |
The 7-spot below was walking over a clump of Lady's Bedstraw. It was a much paler colour than the first.
My third ladybird (although David could see others beyond the fence through his binoculars!), in the photo below, was also a 7-spot. I believe the green insect may be a Sulphur Beetle.
And finally ... we noticed another 7-spot (below), making its way along a fence, near the long grass.
The photo below, unlike the others, was not taken yesterday in the heatwave! It was a few taken months ago, during the long winter. I included it to show the Anglo-Saxon mound near the Sutton Hoo Ship Burial on this remarkable site ... and to remind us of the reason why many wildlife species have been late in making an appearance this summer!
that poor ladybird!
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