Look out for the sparkling copper-green of the Swollen-thighed Beetle on flowerheads on hot sunny summer days.  Photo: Amanda Scott

The striking and nationally scarce hoverfly Chrysotoxum elegans is often found near the coasts of south-west England and southern Wales. Poltesco is a good place to look for it. Photo: […]

The Western Bee-fly is a fairly rare species in the UK – it has been spotted on The Lizard, both near Kennack and at Poltesco. Photo: Tony Blunden

Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies are on the wing from early summer until the early autumn. Photo: © Natural England/Chris Gomersall

Spring and summer usher in hoverflies – there are so many species that only a handful have common names. Photo: Andy Pay

Look out for gorgeous little Brassica Bugs on crucifer species, such as Scurvy-grass or Garlic Mustard. Photo: Sally Luker

The Marmalade Fly, our most common hoverfly, can be seen most of the year, as overwintering adults will emerge on sunny winter days. Photo: Amanda Scott

Spangle Galls, which are created by a parasitic wasp, are one of the many kinds of galls found on oak trees. These were spotted at Croft Noweth on Goonhilly. Photo: […]

The Common Darter is one of our latest-flying dragonflies: it is on the wing into October, and even November in warmer autumns. Photo: © Natural England/Paul Lacey

Look on flowerheads in the summer to see if you can spot a female Crab Spider – the camouflage is very good, so you’ll need to search carefully. Photo: Amanda […]

The bright colour of Sulphur Beetles makes them hard to miss, despite being small. Photo: Amanda Scott

Windmill Farm is a good place to see Red-veined Darters, a relatively scarce summer migrant to the UK.  Photo: Dougy Wright

The striking wasp-mimic hoverfly Chrysotoxum bicinctum is found in grassy places and more open areas in woodland. Photo: Andy Pay

A common sight in the summer, watch out for the darting, hovering flight of the Four-spotted Chaser dragonfly. Photo: © Natural England/Allan Drewitt

Oak Marble Galls, common on oak trees, are created by a parasitic gall-wasp. Photo: AnemoneProjectors, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are many species of hoverfly in the UK. While most are known only by their scientific name, this one is distinguished by having a common name of its own. […]