The Flickr Heathlandwildlife Image Generatr

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This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.

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Love will tear us apart.. 1 of 3 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Love will tear us apart.. 1 of 3

I watched this mating pair of silver-studded blue butterflies (Plebejus argus) as the female fluttered around looking for nectar with the male firmly attached by his posterior.

Love will tear us apart.. 1 of 3 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Love will tear us apart.. 1  of 3

I watched this mating pair of silver-studded blue butterflies (Plebejus argus) as the female fluttered around looking for nectar with the male firmly attached by his posterior.

Love will tear us apart.. 1 of 3 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Love will tear us apart.. 1 of 3

I watched this mating pair of silver-studded blue butterflies (Plebejus argus) as the female fluttered around looking for nectar with the male firmly attached by his posterior.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) mating pair by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) mating pair

DWT Higher Hyde Heath, Purbeck. The female was giving the male a right old pulling as she looked for nectar, reminded me of foxes interlocked. The male is on the right, with duller orange patches and fewer silver studs on them, I wonder why the males are less showy (in this specific area) than the females, although overall they are bluer in colour.

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4

some more shots of the freshly moulted blue-and-pink female crab spider, Purbeck, Dorset

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4

some more shots of the freshly moulted blue-and-pink female crab spider, Purbeck, Dorset

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4

some more shots of the freshly moulted blue-and-pink female crab spider, Purbeck, Dorset

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4 by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) 1 of 4

some more shots of the freshly moulted blue-and-pink female crab spider, Purbeck, Dorset

Come Closer... by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Come Closer...

A blue pink (heather) crab spider (Thomisus onustus) fresh from a moult, I think.

Sitting Pretty by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Sitting Pretty

A female heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) sporting blue rather than the usual pink colouration, probably a temporary colouration after a recent moult.

Pink (Heather) Crab Spider - now available in blue... by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Pink (Heather) Crab Spider - now available in blue...

I found another blue heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) last year, I think it's a very temporary colour after a fresh moult. Interestingly her abdomen was the usual pink colour, making for a stunning spider. I'll pop some more up to show some different angles.

Spot the Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus) by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Spot the Heather Crab Spider (Thomisus onustus)

Sometimes there's a 'dead' giveaway!

Purbeck Mason Wasp (Pseudepipona herrichii) female by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Purbeck Mason Wasp (Pseudepipona herrichii) female

males have a white patch on the front of the head, allowing for convenient sexing.

A Sideways Look... by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

A Sideways Look...

...at a heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) with her much larger prey. It amazes me how they can hold something so huge in their jaws.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)

the evening sun was catching the scales on this fresh individual.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus) by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus)

Hartland Moor, Dorset

Missing In Action... by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Missing In Action...

The time of year when not all heather blooms are what they seem... A heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) with bumblebee prey.

Purbeck Mason Wasp (Pseudepipona herrichii) courtship by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Purbeck Mason Wasp (Pseudepipona herrichii) courtship

Last year I only caught up with these lovely wasps at the end of their season, so I was determined to be more punctual this year. I was rewarded with some very interesting courtship behaviour involving the male stroking the female's head with his antenna and then beating out an increasingly fast rhythm with his wings against her abdomen until there was some tail tip-to-tip caressing. I shot some video and will post it once I have worked out how to resize it for Flickr! Hartland Moor, Dorset

Poised for Action by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Poised for Action

female heather crab spider (Thomisus onustus) with legs stretched out ready for interception of potential prey.

Hanging On by willjatkins

© willjatkins, all rights reserved.

Hanging On

A female emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) clings on to a foxglove on Godlingston Heath, Dorset, amid strong winds.