Abney Hall Park - July A small park jammed in-between Cheadle and the M60. On its northern edge, next to the M60, is a depression holding a string of pools, the best area of the park for invertebrates, especially dragonflies Images - Woundwort Shieldbug, Regal Piercer, Broad-barred Fleckwing, Timothy Tortrix Moth (caterpillar), Mournful Wasp, Lime Aphid

Keysoe Area - Aug The immediate area around where I stay when visiting Camb & Beds, though the area is intensively farmed and so sprayed on a regular basis, there are a couple of small woodlands that can produce some good things. Images - Goldfinch, Yellow Cereal Fly, Cereal Leaf Beetle, Rhopalus subrufus, Common Darter, Orange Swift

Lindow Common - Sept The common designated a SSSI, a lowland heath with a perimeter of woodland and scrub plus a man made lake and a number of wildlife ponds. The famous ’Lindow Man’ was discovered in a nearby peat bog. Images - Garden Spider, Bronze Shieldbug, Black-horned Nomad Bee, Mellinus arvensis, Dock Bug, Cassida vibex Burton Mere Wetlands - Sept This RSPB site is a good spot for insects also the lakes near the entrance and the boardwalks are always fruitful. Images -

Abney Hall Park - June A small park jammed in-between Cheadle and the M60. On its northern edge, next to the M60, is a depression holding a string of pools, the best area of the park for invertebrates, especially dragonflies . Images - Brown China-mark, Blue Shieldbug, Large Red Damselfly

Hickling Broad - July Hickling is the epicentre of wildlife on the broads and an important part of the wider broadland landscape, Hickling is a haven for many of the UK’s rarest animals and plants. You can’t visit Norfolk without calling in here, usually twice. Images - Fen Mason Wasp, Waisted Duckfly, Tooth-thighed Hoverfly, Swallowtail (caterpillar), Flecked General Soldierfly, Rough-Haired Lagria Beetle, Grass Snake, Dingy Tachina, Adder, Twin-lobed Deerfly, Large Fruit-t

Mousley Bottom Reserve - May Situated alongside the River Goyt at New Mills, a diverse site but used heavily by dog walkers making it difficult to photograph anything low down without drawing the attention of several dogs! Having said that tho I have come across some good species here. Images - Cricotopus species, Eutomostethus ephippium, Tryphon trochanteratus, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Empis stercorea, Cheilosia albitarsis agg, Thistle Tortoise Beetle, Cauchas rufimitrella, Ch

Etherow Country Park - May Etherow is my “local patch.” Situated along the banks of the River Etherow, it is one of the country’s 1 st country parks. With 240 acres of greenspace, it offers over 200 species of plants and more than 100 species of birds. Being on the outskirts of the Manchester conurbation makes it a busy place but most people stick to the central path leaving large areas for exploration. Images - 10 Spot Ladybird, 2 Spot Ladybird - var sexpustulata, Cantharis

Woodwalton Fen & Monks Wood - July I’ve lumped these 2 together due to proximity tho the habitats are very different. Woodwalton is internationally important for wildlife and provides a refuge for thousands of species of fen animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the country. Monks Wood is one of Britain’s best known lowland woods, home to many species of wild plant and a rich insect fauna. Images - White Admiral, Small China Mark, Short-winged Conehead,

Styal Country Park - May The proximity of Manchester makes this park popular so I find it best to visit on a weekday. The site has a lot to offer mainly in the insect area, but there is also some interesting flora. Images - Cauchas rufimitrella, Chequered Weevil, Dock Bug, Grey Sailor Beetle, Common Leaf Weevil, Two-spotted Carpet Beetle, Esperia sulpherella, Cocksfoot Moth, Nettle Groundbug, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle, Dark Ash Bud Moth, Rhingia campestris, Rhinoncus pericar

RSPB Arne - May A testing but rewarding site to visit its size makes it difficult but the inhabitants make it well worth the effort. Well known for the abundance of Dartford Warbler. Images - Dartford Warbler. Corn Spurry, Sea Milkwort, Common Heath Durlston Park - May One of the best all round sites in Dorset far too many species both flora and fauna to list I always give this site a couple of visits when I'm down there . Images - Wild Clary, Three-cornered Garlic, Common

Beeston Regis Common - July Beeston Regis Common is a English Nature SSSI site and is a mosaic of different habitats, broadly covering grassland, heath, bog, fen, secondary woodland and freshwater ponds and streams. The vast array of flora and fauna at this site makes it 1 st on the team sheet when planning my Norfolk visits. Images- Liocoris tripustulatus, Marsh Fragrant Orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Oblong-leaved Sundew, Philodromus species, Rhopalomyia tanaceticola (gall on

Monks Dale - May & June In my view Monks Dale is a bit confusing, it's just one long dale (3m) but is sectioned into Monks, Peter’s and Hay Dales along its length. I have combined all 3 for the purpose of listing. A great area for everything wildlife plenty of everything you could wish for. Images - Brown Argus, Early Purple Orchid (white form), Small Heath, Rhogogaster viridis, Green Hairstreak, Wasp Beetle, Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis, Stenocorus meridianus, Nottingham Cat