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Insect Eden

Kingcombe Meadows in Dorset is Thomas Hardy country. The farming hasn't changed for centuries, creating billowing hedgerows and wild flower meadows. Small fields and ancient grassland are vital for rare plants and animals. Kingcombe Meadows is a nature reserve, but hay is still cut in the traditional way. It is an insect paradise. There are 56 species of British butterfly and more than half have been found here, including the marsh fritillary - one of our most endangered species. Kingcombe is a great place for entomologists. Chris Packham meets Dr Keith Porter of English Nature to collect insects. They find some beautiful flies - down-looker fly, soldier fly, picture wing fly, clegg. A crab spider walks sideways to give the truth to its name. Cuckoo spit is a sign of spring and is made by plant-eating bugs. It is the sugary, leftover of sap, after the bug has digested the protein it needs to grow.

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3 minutes

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