Malling Down

My first visit to Malling Down, on a rare warm and sunny day. The chalk grassland flowers were fantastic, as were the insects feeding on them.

Six-spot Burnet Moth, Zygaena filipendulae.

Devil's-bit Scabious, Succica pratensis.

A male Common Blue, Polyommatus icarus.

Mating Common Blue butterflies. The browner female is below.

A Mint Moth, Pyrausta aurata.

Round-headed Rampion, Phyteuma orbiculare. Also known as The Pride of Sussex.

Carline Thistle, Carlinus vulgaris.

Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia.

Yellow Wort, Blackstonia perfoliata.

Red-tailed Bumblebee, Bombus lapidarius. This individual was so large that it must have been a queen.

Burnet Rose, Rosa pimpinellifolia, with Rose Bedegar, or Robin's Pin-cushion Gall. These are caused by the gall wasp Diplolepis rosae.

Caterpillar of the Cinnabar Moth, Tyria jacobaeae.

Green Woodpecker, the red cheek markings indicate a male.