The Cairngorms Up-Close: Gallery
[CAIRNGORMS UP-CLOSE] [DEEPGREEN.EARTH]
Group: SELECTIONS BY EDITOR
♂ Northern damselfly (Coenagrion hastulatum)
Where and when encountered: Nethy Bridge on 29 June 2022
About: Northern damselflies have an extremely restricted distribution in Great Britain, being known only from a small number of lochans in the centre and east of north Scotland.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 1 June to 7 July (37 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Bumblebee robberfly (Laphria flava)
Where and when encountered: Grantown-on-Spey on 24 May 2025
About: Bumblebee robberflies are large predatory insects. Their larvae develop in decaying pine wood, where they predate longhorn beetle grubs. Ancient Caledonian pine forest in the Scottish Highlands, especially that in the Cairngorms, is the stronghold for the species. However, the distribution of the species appears to be expanding.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 24 May to 10 July (48 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2022, 2024, 2025 (3)
Bee beetle (Trichius fasciatus)
Where and when encountered: Sluggan (Carrbridge) on 15 June 2024
About: In Great Britain, the bee beetle has two major strongholds: one in Wales and the other in the Scottish Highlands. Their larvae develop in the rotting wood of deciduous trees such as birches, but the adults can be easily seen visiting flower-heads in late spring and early summer.
Date range for live (non-diapausing) adult records: 15 to 29 June (15 days)
Years with at least one adult record: 2024, 2025 (2)
Selected galleries
[ALL-TIME HIGHLIGHTS] [ARCTIC ALPINE PLANTS] [BUTTERFLIES] [COLOURFUL MOTHS] [DRAGONFLIES] [FORBS] [GALLS] [GRASSLAND ORCHIDS] [HOVERFLIES] [INSECTS OF EXPOSED RIVER SEDIMENT] [LONGHORN BEETLES] [PINE-ASSOCIATED FUNGI] [PLANT BUGS] [SHIELDBUGS] [UNCOMMON PINEWOOD HERBS] [WOODY PLANTS]