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In the last couple of years I have got interested in Hoverflies and given the right views and a good book (the invaluable new Ball and Morris photo guide!) you actually have a chance of identifying some this incredibly varied group of flies at least to family level. So get out there and get looking!...

Sorry to the lovers of dragons and damsels but to the Hobbies, the emergence in the last two days of the first Hairy Hawkers, Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies is good snacking news. Sheltered areas around the Cordite Store are your best bet at the moment if you wish to have a look for them. Mark...

Now for some mimics.... The Volucella family includes the largest hoverfly species and those best adapted to look like Hornets and Bumblebees... Volucella inanis- the Yellow-nosed Hoverfly (Brenda Clayton) Volucella zonaria - the Hornet Hoverfly (Brenda Clayton) Volucella pellucens...

Had a short walk this morning in the sunshine along the river wall and back. Slugs and snails everywhere as they made their way back into cover and there were plenty of hoverflies around including various Volucella bumblebee mimics and lots of dragonflies including Emperors and a couple of Migrant Hawkers...

Part III (of many!). Some great hoverflies out there at the moment.... Eristalinus sepulchralis - new to the site (by me) Volucella inanis - one of the big Hornet Mimics. The Yellow-nosed Hoverfly (Brenda Clayton) Volucella inanis - the same beast by Chris Lowe Eristalis pentinax...

A little while ago I posted about a groovy metallic fly called Poeciloborthus nobilitatus and the fact that the males perform some amazing wing signalling whilst dancing to defend territories and attract mates. Mark has now captured this on film... it is cool.... enjoy! Poeciloborthus nobilitatus

I once had a T-shirt with a great Far Side cartoon of two Mosquitos dining on an arm with one (Betty!) seriously over inflated... Mark Hart offered himself to one of our 'Bettys' and she too looks close to bursting! Betty, Pre-probing... look at them eyes!. Betty, probing... ...

Tabanus bovinus... A proper HUGE Horse Fly sizing up our Avocet. Is it hungry or wondering if it would make a suitable logo?? Cracking shots by Nicole Burgum and this critter is the much smaller (but no less hungry!) Cleg photographed by Mark Hart. Mermerizing eyes! 11-7-12

This is one of my favourite little flies that inhabits the woodland here. It is especially numerous within the Cordite Store where it can be seen perched on leaves waiting for small prey to pounce on. Both the sexes are shiny green but the male has striking black rear half to the wings with a milky white...

If you look really closely at a fly or a daddy legs you will see that they only one set of wings unlike bees, wasp and dragonflies for instance which have two pairs. In place of their second pair they have what looks like a little ball on a stick that bounces up and down in flight. These funny little...

I apologise now if i get this all slightly wrong but here goes.... Alder Flies are a common species at Rainham Marshes and are on the wing from early April around the trails, often alongside the reedy ditch areas. They are not related to Stoneflies and Mayflies although they look similar. They lay their...

With the first wave of early blossom comign to an end and trees like Cherry taking over it is a good time to get out and find nectar loving insects! I found this richly coloured Tawny Mining Bee on Sloe the other day and Les managed to shoot a Bee-fly that had stopped for a rest adter all that...

On Sunday in the cold dankness that passed for the morning we found this very furry Yellow Dung Fly in the woodland. She seemed quite attached to Annie's finger and was probably asking for directions to the nearest steaming pile left by a passing cow! Taken by me 26-3-12

They first of these furry little hovering flies are now on the wing and are seeking out the first flowers of Self Heal that grow low to the ground alongside the path as you enter the woodland! Bee-fly is a notable species so if you see them anywhere Essex please Del Smith delsmith444@btinternet.com who...

Hot of the press (well my pc anyway...) is news that an interesting little ground bug that I snapped a couple of weeks back is in fact completely new to the British Isles although it has been predicted as a colonizer. I leave it there for the moment but will post more details and a nice snap very soon...