We had another National Moth Night event at Blashford on Sunday, although only a few people attended I think they all had a good time looking at a fair range of moth species and photographing a good number of them.
Out on the reserve the mute swan pair on the Ivy Silt Pond were feeding on a floating mat of branched bur-reed with their six small cygnets. Actually I must check that this is actually branched bur-reed rather than one of the other species, the New Forest is home to the much rarer floating bur-reed.
mute swan pair and cygnets
The day was mostly dull with rain threatening, but right at the end it brightened somewhat and a few insects started to fly including my first Leucozona lucorum of the year. These hoverflies look a bit like bees, but are not that convincing compared with some other species, but perhaps the resemblance is good enough for some predators to avoid them.
Leucozona lucorum
It was even warm enough in the end to tempt out some grass snake and I managed to snap this one near the Centre, I think the milky eyes indicate it is about to shed its skin, which might also be why I was able to get so close.
grass snake
Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve 