PLAGUE

One of the first sights I see when
I leave suberbia behind and close the stile gate
I
Didn't think I would be back out into the countryside again so soon, but with the weather so beautiful again I didn't want to waste this opportunity, besides, I'd heard whispers that the weather may take a turn for the worst, and on yesterdays evidence, with it turning whilst I was out, gave me further assurance that I should take advatage whilst I can.

I made sure I came equipped with coat, umbrella and binoculas this time, in addition I brought along the tripod for my camera.
I was hoping to get footage of an Orange-Tipped Butterfly that I have spotted the last few outings, it has been impossible to capture, as it will never keep still, I've managed to film it in-flight but only at a distance.
I made my way to the far side of the meadow away from the housing, but was met by a plague of flies, a type that I don't believe I've ever come across before. The FLY image
I've done a little research since (very little) and couldn't place it; I know , a flies,a flies a fly, right, and I see hundreds every outing, but occasionally and spread out. but not this one, this was surely sent from hell, there were hundreds if not thousands of them. imagine a crane-fly when it comes in your house, it hovers, its legs hang, you just don't know when it's gonna take off in your face, now multiply that by a hundred, the one I saw was not as big, I know, but bigger than the average fly, and faster than a crane-fly, with two of its legs hanging prominantly away from its body, darting about all over the place on the path I was on. It was difficult to veer left or right. The path was littered with these flies for a great distance, and I couldn't escape them, I did manage to finally get a safe distance away from them, by walking about four feet on the other side of the hedgerows, but the hedgerows and that included the grassy verges where I like to stop for a while were covered in the things, so I never got to take a breather.
I felt a little shook up and was very warm and a bit sweaty, which made it a little uncomfortable when shooting film. A Seven Spot Ladybird I shot, mainly as a second choice, having missed out on a Butterfly that flew from the crops where it rested , just as I had my camera at the ready, came out blurred.
When I reached the path that borders the woods, I soon realised that it too was plagued by these damn flies, it was an unbelievable sight, there was no way anybody could get passed them without getting terrorised.
I turned back and used the trackter tracks through the crops to guide me home.
There was no sign of any of these flies among the crops, just wild flowers.

TODAYS OTHER PHOTOS

all photography by geoff

If you can identify the fly, you can use the comment form to let me know, thank-you.