Hornets Nuptial flight

Today is another blue sky day, everything is beautiful against the stunning backdrop of the perfect sky.

The willow trees were swaying across the blue looking like a painting.

Patrolling and flitting across the sun filled scrubby areas were large numbers of hornets. These are members of the wasp family Vespa crabro . They are 25 to 35 mm in length. The hornet is an impressive insect and is Britain’s largest social wasp. Queens (reproductive females) are larger than the males and workers (non-reproductive females).

What we saw today was probably a nuptial flight,the emerging queens that are mating with drones . These males will die and the Queens will hibernate over the winter.

The sun out meant that there was plenty of activity on this short walk around the lake. Red dragonflies were still flying in good numbers. There were birds of prey , buzzards and red kites overhead. The numbers of waterbirds on the lakes has gradually increased as migratory species begin to arrive. It’s definitely time to take binoculars out on a walk.