Corylus avellana – Jill Orme Photography

15 Apr 2025

Sit!

by JDO | posted in: Flies, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

If evolution ever designed a fly that looks more like a small dog – or perhaps one of those battery-powered toy dogs that turns back flips – I’d very much like to see it. This is a conopid fly, or … Continued

16 Feb 2025

Hopeful

by JDO | posted in: My garden, Trees, Worcestershire | 0

I spent quite a bit of today making a large batch of chilli con carne in the slow cooker for freezing, and I expected to be posting a quick still life I threw together of some of the fruits and vegetables … Continued

10 Feb 2025

Diffuse

by JDO | posted in: Beetles, Invertebrates, My garden, Trees, Worcestershire | 0

Over the past few years I’ve worked with both ring and twin flashes, but they’re difficult to diffuse and tend to produce harsh highlights and shadows, so late last year I made the decision to go back to a traditional … Continued

28 Nov 2024

Thaw

by JDO | posted in: My garden, Trees, Weather | 0

It was both foggy and freezing overnight, and if I’d shaped myself and got out in the garden early this morning, I’d have had an extensive pick of frosty subjects at my disposal. But by the time I actually staggered … Continued

18 Nov 2024

Bronze

by JDO | posted in: Bugs, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

Well. This was a surprise. I’ve managed to tick off a few birding ‘firsts’ recently, but I wasn’t expecting to turn up a new garden invertebrate this late in the year. I first spotted it yesterday, hanging out on one … Continued

16 Nov 2024

Huddle

by JDO | posted in: Beetles, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

Suddenly realising that it was 2.30 in the afternoon and the light was already fading fast, I grabbed the small camera, with macro and flash attached, and rushed off into the garden. No time for extensive searching: I just needed … Continued

26 Oct 2024

Afternoon delight

by JDO | posted in: Beetles, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

I’ve photographed scores of pairs of Oxystoma pomonae seed weevils over the last few years – you probably recognise them if you’ve been reading my ramblings for any length of time – but this is the first time I’ve actually … Continued

31 Jan 2024

Blue

by JDO | posted in: Beetles, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

It being the last day of January, and just about 10°C, I decided that it might be worth having a little hunt around the garden for invertebrates. I didn’t expect to find much, and I didn’t, but the bug season … Continued

15 Nov 2023

Body heat

by JDO | posted in: Bugs, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

The winter huddles are back! The tiny Oxystoma pomonae seed weevils in my garden are starting to pair up (and sometimes trio up, if that’s an actual thing) and settle on tree buds and leaf axils to sit out the … Continued

13 Nov 2023

Scale

by JDO | posted in: Bugs, Invertebrates, My garden, Worcestershire | 0

I’m not fond of being photographed, nor of putting myself in my insect macro shots. But needs must: it was blowing a hoolie this afternoon, and when I spotted this Acericerus ribauti leafhopper on a hazel twig, not only was … Continued