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RICHARD REVELS { 38 images } Created 25 Sep 2013

Richard Revels has a well-deserved reputation for his exquisite close images of insects, notably butterflies and dragonflies. In addition to his macro work, Richard’s interest in all aspects of natural history is reflected in the wide range of subjects that he photographs. Some of his most spectacular insect photographs are showcased here. More of Richard's photographs can be found in the main image galleries.
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  • Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines Wingspan 40mm. A familiar spring butterfly, males of which are unmistakable. Adult has rounded wings. Forewing is dark-tipped but male has an adjacent orange patch. Underside of hindwing of both sexes is marbled green and white. Adult flies April–June. Larva is green with whitish counter shading; feeds mainly on Cuckoo-flower. Widespread in southern Britain and Ireland; associated with open woodland, verges, and rural gardens.
    145789.jpg
  • Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Wingspan 40-50mm. A rather lethargic butterfly, that is fond of basking in sunshine. Adult is beautifully marked with reddish-orange, buff and yellow; upperwings are more colourful than underwings. Flies May–June. Larva is black with tufts of spiny hairs; feeds on Devil’s-bit Scabious and plantains. Widespread but very local on heaths and chalk grassland; mainly in southwest England and Wales, and southwest Scotland.
    145785.jpg
  • Brown Hairstreak Thecla betulae Wingspan 40-50mm. A lethargic butterfly and a sluggish flier; often prefers to walk over foliage rather than fly. Adult has dark brown upperwings; male has orange patch on forewing. Underwings are orange-brown with white line. Flies August. Larva is slug-like and feeds on Blackthorn. Very local in southern and central England and Wales. Favours Blackthorn scrub and hedgerows.
    145765.jpg
  • Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Wingspan 40-50mm. A rather lethargic butterfly, that is fond of basking in sunshine. Adult is beautifully marked with reddish-orange, buff and yellow; upperwings are more colourful than underwings. Flies May–June. Larva is black with tufts of spiny hairs; feeds on Devil’s-bit Scabious and plantains. Widespread but very local on heaths and chalk grassland; mainly in southwest England and Wales, and southwest Scotland.
    145236.jpg
  • Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia Wingspan 45mm. A rather sluggish and slow-flying butterfly. Adult has dark orange brown upperwings with bold dark markings; underwings are creamy-white with chestnut-brown markings. Flies June–July. Larva is blackish with bristly orange spikes; feeds on Common Cow-wheat, Wood-sage or plantains. Rare and local, mainly in southeast and southwest England; favours sunny woodland rides.
    145227.jpg
  • Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae Wingspan 20mm. A well-marked skipper. Adult has dark grey-brown upperwings with striking white spots; underwings are reddish-brown with numerous pale spots. Flies May–June. Larva feeds on Wild Strawberry and various cinquefoils. Locally common in southern England and south Wales. Associated with undisturbed grassland and woodland clearings where larval foodplants thrive.
    145225.jpg
  • Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus Wingspan 32mm. A classic chalk downland butterfly, males of which are dazzling. Adult male has iridescent blue upperwings with black and white margins; female’s upperwings are brown with orange submarginal spots. Underwings of both sexes are grey-brown with spots. Double brooded: flies May–June and July–August. Larva feeds on Horseshoe Vetch; can sometimes be found in short turf being attended by ants. Very local in southern England but entirely restricted to chalk downs.
    145187.jpg
  • Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae Wingspan 20mm. A well-marked skipper. Adult has dark grey-brown upperwings with striking white spots; underwings are reddish-brown with numerous pale spots. Flies May–June. Larva feeds on Wild Strawberry and various cinquefoils. Locally common in southern England and south Wales. Associated with undisturbed grassland and woodland clearings where larval foodplants thrive.
    145067.jpg
  • Swallowtail Papilio machaon ssp. britannicus Wingspan 70mm. Iconic and unmistakable butterfly with mainly yellow and black wings; hind wings have blue and red spots, and tail streamers. Double-brooded: adults are on the wing May–June, and again in August. Larva is yellow-green with black and red markings; feeds on Milk-parsley. Restricted to a few fens and marshes in East Anglia, mainly in the Norfolk Broads; easiest to see at Strumpshaw Fen and Hickling Broad.
    145030.jpg
  • Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris Wingspan 25mm. An active butterfly with a buzzing flight. Fond of sunbathing with its wings held at an angle; often visits thistles and knapweed flowers. Adult has orange-brown upperwings and orange-buff underwings. Brown underside to antennal tip distinguishes it from similar Essex skipper. Flies July–August. Larva is nocturnal and feeds on various grasses. A common and widespread meadow species.
    145023.jpg
  • Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Wingspan 30mm. A tiny grassland butterfly that invariably rests with its wings closed; upperwings are almost never revealed. Underside of forewing is orange with an eyespot; hindwing is marbled grey, brown and buff. Double-brooded: flies May–June and August–September. Larva feeds on grasses and is nocturnal. Widespread but locally common only in southern England; range has contracted because it is restricted to unimproved grassland and does not tolerate modern agricultural practices.
    145015.jpg
  • Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia Wingspan 40-50mm. A rather lethargic butterfly, that is fond of basking in sunshine. Adult is beautifully marked with reddish-orange, buff and yellow; upperwings are more colourful than underwings. Flies May–June. Larva is black with tufts of spiny hairs; feeds on Devil’s-bit Scabious and plantains. Widespread but very local on heaths and chalk grassland; mainly in southwest England and Wales, and southwest Scotland.
    144962.jpg
  • Marbled White Melanargia galathea Wingspan 50mm. Unmistakable meadow butterfly with a rather sluggish flight; feeds on the flowers of knapweeds and thistles. Adult has distinctive black and white patterns on upperwings; pattern is repeated on underwing although markings are subdued and there is an overall yellowish suffusion. Flies July–August. Larva feeds on grasses; strictly nocturnal. Locally common in southeast and central-southern England. Favours undisturbed meadows and downs, often on chalk but also on neutral soils.
    144956.jpg
  • Large Copper - Lycaena dispar batavus
    144939.jpg
  • Large Copper - Lycaena dispar batavus
    144937.jpg
  • Large Copper - Lycaena dispar batavus
    144936.jpg
  • Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia Wingspan 45mm. A rather sluggish and slow-flying butterfly. Adult has dark orange brown upperwings with bold dark markings; underwings are creamy-white with chestnut-brown markings. Flies June–July. Larva is blackish with bristly orange spikes; feeds on Common Cow-wheat, Wood-sage or plantains. Rare and local, mainly in southeast and southwest England; favours sunny woodland rides.
    144918.jpg
  • Heath Fritillary Melitaea athalia Wingspan 45mm. A rather sluggish and slow-flying butterfly. Adult has dark orange brown upperwings with bold dark markings; underwings are creamy-white with chestnut-brown markings. Flies June–July. Larva is blackish with bristly orange spikes; feeds on Common Cow-wheat, Wood-sage or plantains. Rare and local, mainly in southeast and southwest England; favours sunny woodland rides.
    144917.jpg
  • Scarce Swallowtail - Iphiclides podalirius
    144896.jpg
  • Pupa of  parasitoid Cotesia sibyllarum on White Admiral butterfly larva.
    145791.jpg
  • Dock Bug - Coreus marginatus
    145771.jpg
  • Common Darter dragonflies Sympetrum striolatum -  egg laying.
    145767.jpg
  • Common Darter Dragonflies - Sympetrum striolatum, in tandem.
    145766.jpg
  • Bee-wolf Wasp - Philanthus triangulum with Honey bee prey.
    145764.jpg
  • Migrant Hawker Dragonfly - Aeshna mixta - In flight
    145239.jpg
  • Harlequin Ladybird - Harmonia axyridis
    145226.jpg
  • Bee Wolf Wasp - Philanthus triangulum in flight.
    145198.jpg
  • Bee Wolf Wasp - Philanthus triangulum emerging from its burrow.
    145195.jpg
  • Migrant Hawker Dragonfly - Aeshna mixta
    145180.jpg
  • Migrant Hawker Dragonfly - Aeshna mixta - In flight. 7.9.2012
    145179.jpg
  • Tetragnatha extensa<br />
with damselfly prey
    145173.jpg
  • Saxon Wasp - Dolichovespula saxonica<br />
flying to nest
    145147.jpg
  • Orange Ladybird - Halyzia 16-guttata
    145133.jpg
  • Migrant Hawker - Aeshna mixta
    145094.jpg
  • Common Darter - Sympetrum striolatum
    145089.jpg
  • Raspberry Clearwing - Pennisetia hylaeiformis
    145248.jpg
  • Pine Hawk-moth Hyloicus pinastri Wingspan 80mm. An extremely well-camouflaged moth when resting on the bark of pine trees.  Adult has grey-brown forewings marked with darker streaks and stippled with dark spot. The hindwings are flushed buffish but are only occasionally exposed if the moth is alarmed. Flies June–July. Larva is green with lengthways pale stripes and a dark ‘horn’ at the tail end. Larva feeds on Scots Pine needles. Locally common only in southern England.
    144981.jpg
  • Hummingbird Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum Wingspan 45mm. A fascinating, migrant day-flying moth that hovers and sips nectar from flowers using its long tongue; the wingbeats create an audible hum. Resting moths sometimes sit on banks but are well camouflaged and hard to spot. Adult has brown forewings and an orange patch on the hindwings. Flies May-October. Larva is pale green with a lengthways white line, white spots and a small bluish ‘horn’ at tail end. Larva feeds on bedstraws. An occasional migrant visitor to Britain from mainland Europe; numbers vary from year to year but always commonest on the south coast.
    144927.jpg