I had to travel from Cornwall to Norfolk to attend a family event, so I decided to make the most of the weather on the journey back!
On my return trip, I spent the night in Southampton, so I could enjoy the New Forest for a day before returning home.
This turned out to be an excellent decision, as I very quickly discovered the largest Chicken of the Woods I had ever seen growing on a fallen beech tree. Within its crevices, I found mites, slugs, woodlice, and most notably, this Dor beetle! I also found hundreds of mating Fox Spiders, one of which stayed still long enough for me to get this focus stack.
Returning to one of my favourite spots, I checked on a known Formica rufa ant nest, that had just subdued a green tiger beetle! These beetles are one of the fastest invertebrates in the world, so it was a massive feat for these ants to have captured one.
After leaving the New Forest, I continued to Somerset along the River Yeo, where I encountered hundreds of mating Green Dock Beetles. By positioning a dandelion behind one of the pairs, I created a visually striking composition that emphasised both the subject and its microhabitat.
This trip was significant because it demonstrated the value of short, intensive field excursions. In a single day, I was able to combine creative inspiration with technical challenges, refining both macro and behavioural photography skills within the UK’s woodland and riparian habitats.
