I was out with the dogs for ages yesterday afternoon. I found a sheltered spot adjacent to Rosemarie’s garden where the shrubs were attracting plenty of insects. It was a bit windy for macro but I was entertained and that is all that matters.
It’s raining again today so not a snapping day unless an albatross settles in the camper. No ticks today you will be pleased to hear; I consigned it to the closet, the water closet. 
I hope I found my first Common Carder Bee; Bombus pascuorum This is a Scottish one as it has less black than an English one and it lives in Scotland. The shrub is a bit bright but that’s where it was. I have circled a fly and a spider in the first image, that’s value for click. I perhaps ought to have circled the bee as it isn’t very prominent.
I noticed this Garden Spider; Araneus diadematus. They are very variable in colour but it was acting like one, bundling the unfortunate fly up in a cocoon before hoisting it behind a twig.
As it was engrossed in packing it’s lunch I went to 3X magnification. Depth of field is zilch but it was twisting and turning too fast to even contemplate trying to stack several images.
Whatever sort of fly it is it should keep the spider happy for a while. It’s antics kept me amused for twenty minutes. It would be good to get a macro video but I suspect that is a step too far for me.
I then transferred my attention to the fruit tree a few yards away. I was after bee pictures but found this Yellow Dung Fly, Scathophaga stercoraria having it’s lunch, I was getting a bit peckish myself. I also had to swap lenses as it objected to having the front element an inch away.
That’s all for today. All images will enlarge with a click and should stand Ctrl/Command + a few times.
Hi Adrian Great close up of the Spider having lunch! As well as the other great images.
ReplyDeleteThe spider was a bonus Margaret. I was lucky to spot it.
DeleteSome good shots in spite of the movement.
ReplyDeleteJohn, a breeze makes focus difficult but the strobe freezes most of the motion if I wait for a cloud to drift over the sun. I used to use an umbrella but it broke and it was always almost as much trouble as it was worth.
DeleteAdrian, are you sure that you should be lurking in the bushes at the bottom of Rosemarie's
ReplyDeletegarden?
Anyway...you've caught a good sequence of images of the spider wrapping up it's take away, it's always interesting to watch and see how adept and how quick they are at getting it all sorted..[;o)
Thanks for the fungi link btw, it was a good display.
Trevor, yes it is perfectly all right.
DeleteI'll have to try and find a bigger spider. They are very well coordinated spinning and wrapping.
Surprised you saw the spider, I didn't even notice it when it was circled by yourself. The spider shots are really interesting. However I really liked the yellow dung fly, fascinating behaviour.
ReplyDeleteDouglas, the dung flies live on other insects. They lay their eggs in dung.
DeleteI think the sider sequence is grand, even if it you didn't feel that it was what you wanted.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I am happy enough with it but about 60% of it went in the bin.
Deletehugs to the pups
ReplyDeleteTa, I'll let them know.
DeleteEven more exciting is watching a spider deal with a crane fly. All those legs. They just don't fit in the parcel.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I can imagine. This one was having trouble wrapping a wing.
Deletefantastiske bilder !
ReplyDeleteTakk Dirk.
DeleteYou were smart today to stay in one place and watch what goes by. My elderly friend Dorothy taught me this. She said sit on the creek bank and the birds will fly by.
ReplyDeleteRed, I never move far for birds or insects. The trouble is the dogs expect a walk.
DeleteI finally found the two little circles. I was looking on the wrong photo!
DeleteJolly good. I should have made them bigger.
DeleteWhat a great macro world. NIce images Adrian.
ReplyDeleteKovacs, Thank you. I would be enjoying more of it if the rain would stop.
DeleteWell spotted! Insects are fascinating and you're certainly showing us plenty of them in all their gory detail.
ReplyDeleteGraham, I have these little whims and fancies. They don't last long as I soon reach the level of my own incompetence.
DeleteI had a whim when I went to get my haircut in Kinross but my sister told me to behave. The lass was only twenty years old. I had half a hair cut and will drop in again for the number three all over. Then I will be told properly.
Menudos "monstruos" amigo ;)) Excelentes macros .
ReplyDeleteBuen miércoles Adrian.
Un abrazo.
Laura, mucho gracias. Espero conseguir mejor.
Delete