Man oh man

Barnack Hills and Holes is a fabulous little reserve north of Peterborough. It is noted for its orchids, but has a wide variety of interesting invertebrates too. A brief visit this morning yielded a new family for me - the Orchid Beetle Dascillus cervinus - as well as completing the same family! Commoner, but more striking, was this cardinal beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis. Good job they aren't this big in real life....

The Man Orchids are a real speciality of Barnack and I quickly found a couple of spikes at my usual spot. It seems a good year for them (the wet winter may have helped?) as I found more flowering spikes in another area, new for me. The flowers are so intricate close up.

Barnack was a medieval stone quarry and it shows!

 

 

Fragrant Orchids were abundant, though many looked vulnerable to trampling.

A great little reserve and a lovely way to spend a dreary grey morning. Red Kites were constantly soaring low overhead, and the last few Pasque Flowers of the season were still blooming.