Foxglove’s Meadows

There are several meadows on the reserve, each growing a different variety of species, so providing varied habitats within the reserve.  As autumn approaches the meadows are inspected to determine when it is time for them to be cut and raked.  The meadow by the Grand Fir is usually cut first whilst the one opposite is cut last as it hosts many Knapweed and Devil's Bit Scabious.  However nature is its own boss and this year that meadow will not be long before it is cut.

Warm days bring out the hoverflies and butterflies feeding on the late blooming flowers in these meadows.  Hoverflies were competing with bees to collect food.

Small Tortoiseshells were flitting from one flower to another.

Looking for more butterflies and I noticed something very dark.  I thought it was a seed head that was worthy of an extra examination, but on closer investigation it turned out to be a beetle.  Unfortunately it did the insect trick of falling off, an instinctive reaction to predators, before a really good photo could be taken for ID.