Leonine
It was a dreary day so I did some dreary tasks, and slowly sank into a slough of despond. It was only when I saw that the forecast was threatening even worse weather that I roused myself, grabbed the camera, … Continued
Fool me twice
Late this afternoon I went out into the garden to take care of a situation that had been niggling me, which was the fact that a huge clump of nettles and rosebay willowherb had almost taken over one of the … Continued
Leafcutter
My identification app says that this is Megachile willughbiella, but I don’t think it is. Far be it from me, etc., etc., but I think I can reasonably claim to know a M. willughbiella when I see one, because I … Continued
Post-coital munchies
Chronologically, this is the last of today’s sequence of three photos, but I’m featuring it because of its energy. Who am I kidding? I’m featuring it because it’s really quite hard to capture Wool Carder Bees in flight, and having … Continued
Orange-vented Mason Bee
I found it very satisfying to step out of my front door this morning, take two steps across the lawn, and find this pretty female Orange-vented Mason Bee (Osmia leaiana) nectaring on the thistle I’ve left there. I wish I … Continued
Long-tongued
One way in which entomologists categorise bees is by the length of their tongues. In terms of the number of bee species there are worldwide, not many are truly long-tongued, but the mason, leafcutter, carpenter and carder bees are among … Continued
Fork-tailed Flower Bee
Today was overcast and quite cold, and very few invertebrates seemed to want to be out and about. The black horehound along the old wall at Tilly’s field was empty of Wool Carders, but a few hardy Common Carders and … Continued
Living dangerously
At the point when the Wool Carder spotted the red spider mite and turned to look at it, he lifted the spikes at the end of his abdomen in a way I’d have interpreted as threatening if I’d been the … Continued