Better
It was a better day today, weather-wise, and I was also feeling rather less viral. By no coincidence at all, I had a better day with the camera too, so I guess you could call it a triple whammy. I … Continued
Chrysotoxum cautum
As Batesian mimics go, this hoverfly is pretty effective: not only does it look a lot like a wasp, it also moves fast and erratically like a wasp, and sounds irritatedly waspish. 9/10 – would recommend. It was concert day … Continued
Batesian mimickry
When a dull and overcast morning suddenly gave way to a bright, warm and sunny afternoon, and I wandered out with the camera to see what invertebrates were about, I almost punched the air when I spotted this wasp beetle: … Continued
Fancy dress
“There’s an interesting hoverfly here,” I called out to the menfolk, who were watering the patio plants. (Or at any rate, the patio.) “Shall we go and see what Grandma’s found?” said R to the Boy Wonder. And then, a … Continued
Large meadow mining bee
As soon as I looked at that sweet little face, I felt sure that I was making a new acquaintance. I thought he was probably a mining bee, but I couldn’t think of one with such extensive yellow facial markings, … Continued
Stylopised
I spent much of the day in the garden, doing a rough tidy of the long border at the front of the house. There was a definite feel of spring in the air, and noticeably more invertebrates out and about. … Continued
Feather-footed
I don’t know why the Romans felt that they needed a word to describe the state of being feather-footed, but apparently they did, and ‘plumipes’ was it. ‘Anthophora’, I think, is a Greek term for flowering plants. So this little … Continued
