Out looking for bees and other insects

I went on a Natural History Society of Northumberland tour of the Spetchells at the weekend with Gordon Port, an insect expert, and Louise Hislop, a local bee expert.  It was great to see things we wouldn't otherwise have noticed and to learn more about the various insects.  The weather wasn't very insect friendly at first but improved as we went along.

There was an opportunity to take a few photos, mainly record shots.  The bees included a female Andrena nigroaenea. 

A female Andrena cineraria.

A female Andrena fulva.

A couple of male Andrena bees.

A couple of cuckoo bees.  Nomada goodeniana.

And a Sphecodes bee.

Other insects included a dramatic crane fly Nephrotoma crocata.  It is not dangerous or poisonous despite the colouring - another example of Batesian mimicry.

This is a mint moth (Pyrausta aurata).

This is a fairly dingy-looking dingy skipper (Erynnis tages).

And a rather exotic red and black beetle.  I guess it is one of the longhorn beetles but didn't get to ask Gordon which one it is.

There were lots of other bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths, froghoppers, damselflies etc that escaped being photographed.  A great day out.