Chambers Farm Wood Insects and Hazel Dormouse Surprise!, Sunday 10th May 2026

A change of scenery today in the search for Hoverflies at one of Lincolnshire's best sites for insects, saw me having a cracking day, with one very special find and not an insect.

I had stopped to photograph a Cheilosia albitarsus , when i saw some movement in a nearby bramble patch and to my disbelief about 3 feet away was a Hazel Dormouse. It seemed like it was startled by my presence and i just took a quick video and a couple of pics before leaving it.

After looking at my video, it was clear that it was most probably one of last years juveniles, but to find one in daylight hours is just incredible and i feel very lucky.

The rest of the day was taken up by photographing Hoverflies and i managed to find two new confirmed species for myself in the forms of Rhingia rostrata and Epistrophe nitidicollis, the latter's subtle ID features certainly putting the new camera to good use. I also managed to find a couple of new Tachinid Flies for myself as well, the first was Winthemia variegata and the second Tachina lurida.

The following are a selection of photos and a video of the Dormouse, from this brilliant day out.

Tachinid Fly Species - Tachina fera.

Hoverfly Species - Epistrophe nitidicollis, A New Confirmed Species For Me.

Timothy Tortrix Caterpillar

Dock Bug.

Hoverfly Species - Epistrophe elegans.

Tachinid Fly Species - Tachina lurida, A New Species For Me.

Hoverfly Species - Xylota segnis

Tachinid Fly Species - Winthemia variegata

Wood Forget-Me Not

Herb Bennett

Crucifer Sheildbugs

Rhopalid Bug - Rhopalis subrufus

Spotted Firebug

Plant Bug - Rhabdomris striatellus

Scalloped Hook Tip

Hoverfly Species - Rhingia rostrata