No story behind this post just a few images I thought would be nice to share with you. These were taken over the last couple of weeks in the garden.
Perhaps the smallest bee I’ve seen. This is a male Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis). It is about 3/8th of an inch (9mm) long and it’s seen here collecting pollen from a geraniumDuring sunny spells in spring there were a lot of these hover flies around the garden. They are Eristalis tenax we also call them Drone Flies. They do like to hover in front of your face and make a droning sound, so a good name all round!It’s hawthorn blossom time and the Honey Bees are drawn to the lovely musky scentA female Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) taking a rest on a lilac leaf after I watched her lay eggs on the new tips of the holly bushNot sure I’ve shared an image of this butterfly before, oh I have? Never mind you can not have too many Orange-tips (Anthocharis cardamines). To show how small the bee was in the first photo this is the same flower
We have had a little relaxing of our lockdown so if the sun shines on Sunday I hope to catch up with some spring butterflies that are a bit further afield.
There is plenty of natural food plants for the caterpillars (holly and ivy) and the garden is well sheltered so I guess we are lucky they choose to live here.
Nice pics Brian. That certainly is a very small bee! Good luck with your butterfly hunt on Sunday. I hope the sun shines. I’ve just been trying to track down one or two plain, light brown birds with white undersides and yellowish edges which have made their home in the woods behind our chalet. We’re pretty sure they are Bonelli’s Warblers (from the not so good photos we have) and the sound which I’ve just recorded seems to match pretty well too. If you’re interested in confirming or otherwise the id, please let me know.
Hi Mike the description fits with Western Bonelli’s. The song would be a short trill. I’ve seen these in Greece (and once in Suffolk!) and they are quite plain looking and there they liked pine trees at higher elevation. You will have to put a photo up on your next post.
I could tell that the bee in the first shot was small, but the last image really dives home how tiny it really was. I love butterflies and bees (and hoverflies too), so your posting was a delight to my eyes.
Hi Trevor, many thanks. My camera is a Nikon D5300 and for these shots I use a Sigma 105 f2.8 os macro coupled with a Sigma 1.4x converter so I don’t have to be right on top of the subject.
Hello Brian,
Your garden must be so beautiful. Lovely images of the butterflies and bees – they look quite fuzzy and I’m tempted to pet them. (Of course, that would not be possible!) Thank you for sharing such lovely images, wishing you a lovely weekend.
Thank you Takami. Yes the garden is looking the nice this spring as we have had a lot of time to spend there as we could not go out. It has also helped to look more closely at the creatures whose space we share.
Thanks Pete. Today has been a bit grey so butterfly numbers are down. We took a ride out but the cloud was troublesome but managed to see 1 grizzled skipper and 4 dingies.
Lovely photos, as always. Thanks for sharing them and for including the Drone fly. Syrphid flies don’t get enough attention, considering all the good work they do in the world as pollinators and pest predators. Hope you’ve got your sun today.
Thanks Katy. Yes the hover flies are very welcome in the garden and they come in so many sizes and colours.
We had the sun today but went out yesterday and it turned cloudy! That’s life.
I have been a huge fan of Drag Racing ever since my first visit to Santa Pod when I was 7-years-old. I love all Motor Sport but Drag Racing is still the one that gets me jumping around enthusiastically. Despite America having the larger NHRA Championships, which I also continuously follow, I have always preferred European and British Drag Racing. This is mainly because I have grown up with it - the first official FIA European Championships were held in 1996 and I haven't missed a big event at Santa Pod since 1997. When an event is on I get to the track, plonk myself down somewhere along the spectator banking and would very happily sit without moving for the entire weekend watching the racing.
They’re all beautiful images! The Blue Holly I think is my favorite in this set.
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Super little butterflies to have in the garden and we are lucky that there is two sometimes three broods in a year. Thanks for dropping by Deborah.
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That is lucky or good garden planning! 😉
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There is plenty of natural food plants for the caterpillars (holly and ivy) and the garden is well sheltered so I guess we are lucky they choose to live here.
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Super …
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Nice pics Brian. That certainly is a very small bee! Good luck with your butterfly hunt on Sunday. I hope the sun shines. I’ve just been trying to track down one or two plain, light brown birds with white undersides and yellowish edges which have made their home in the woods behind our chalet. We’re pretty sure they are Bonelli’s Warblers (from the not so good photos we have) and the sound which I’ve just recorded seems to match pretty well too. If you’re interested in confirming or otherwise the id, please let me know.
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Hi Mike the description fits with Western Bonelli’s. The song would be a short trill. I’ve seen these in Greece (and once in Suffolk!) and they are quite plain looking and there they liked pine trees at higher elevation. You will have to put a photo up on your next post.
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High elevation in Suffolk?! I’m not sure one (poor) picture will be enough or how I’ll fit it into another post but I’ll see what I can do. Thanks.
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Never been to the Suffolk Nevadas? You don’t know what you’re missing Mike!
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I’ll have to remember to bring a rope and crampons!
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I could tell that the bee in the first shot was small, but the last image really dives home how tiny it really was. I love butterflies and bees (and hoverflies too), so your posting was a delight to my eyes.
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Always nice to post images that people enjoy Mike. I was amazed at that bee and it was only through photographing it that it could be identified!
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Fabulous photos of bees etc. So exciting to see such close detail. What equipment do you normally use?
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Hi Trevor, many thanks. My camera is a Nikon D5300 and for these shots I use a Sigma 105 f2.8 os macro coupled with a Sigma 1.4x converter so I don’t have to be right on top of the subject.
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I agree, you can’t have too many orange-tips (especially since they don’t live where I live!)! Breathtaking photos!!
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Had to slip another OT picture in Tina I just love them!
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Beautiful set of images! Really enjoyed seeing them!
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Thank you Reed!
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Hello Brian,
Your garden must be so beautiful. Lovely images of the butterflies and bees – they look quite fuzzy and I’m tempted to pet them. (Of course, that would not be possible!) Thank you for sharing such lovely images, wishing you a lovely weekend.
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Thank you Takami. Yes the garden is looking the nice this spring as we have had a lot of time to spend there as we could not go out. It has also helped to look more closely at the creatures whose space we share.
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Beautiful shots, Brian! Having lots of mason bees here, which is always good. The Orange-tip seems to have gone to ground here at present.
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Thanks Pete. Today has been a bit grey so butterfly numbers are down. We took a ride out but the cloud was troublesome but managed to see 1 grizzled skipper and 4 dingies.
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Very nice and colorful images, Brian!
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Thanks Donna!
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Amazing to see the world on this scale, so much life! Beautiful!
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Nice to get in close and see what we share our space with.
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Lovely photos, as always. Thanks for sharing them and for including the Drone fly. Syrphid flies don’t get enough attention, considering all the good work they do in the world as pollinators and pest predators. Hope you’ve got your sun today.
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Thanks Katy. Yes the hover flies are very welcome in the garden and they come in so many sizes and colours.
We had the sun today but went out yesterday and it turned cloudy! That’s life.
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Wow! Nice captures by the Macro-Wizard!
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Very kind of you to say so Michael, thank you.
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Thank you for taking your camera into the garden!
So much beauty is such small packages.
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Always interesting to see what is living right under your nose, sometimes you don’t have to travel far.
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Beautiful photos!
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Thanks Kim.
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Wow! Fantastic images Brian, so colorful, detailed and vibrant!!
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That’s very kind of you Anita.
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Fabulous flower and bee photos. The color and clarity are exceptional. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for the lovely comment much appreciated.
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Ces photographies sont extraordinaires
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Merci, j’apprécie vraiment ton commentaire
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