It started raining about three o’clock this morning and kept it up for six hours. We have had just under an inch of rain with what looks like more to come.
This was the view at 0730h. I tried to catch the drips with a 1/2s exposure and second curtain flash. I tried eighteen times but it didn’t work. I’ll not bother again.
I checked the two caterpillars and they are fine but as they were sheltering under the leaves I didn’t disturb them. I was worried they may have been washed away.
I seem to have collected quite a few small fly images, non are stunning but some are quite pretty. Identification is, as always, the problem.
Hoverflies; Eristalis sp or bee mimics. The first one is Eristalis pertinax.
And similar again, Male, Female, Male.
Can you see the tiny Pollen beetle?
I spend my life or a fair percentage of it trying to identify things and was surprised to find this is a hoverfly. Chrysogaster solstitialis. The little dark patch on it’s compound eye is apparently called a pseudo pupil. Thought you would like to know.
Another don’t know. I have an excellent collection of Don’t Know flies.
Dozens of them.
I’ll leave you to get ready for the weekend, I hope you enjoy it.
Ohh, what a dark weather and colours. Hope due to early hours not the weather only :)
ReplyDeleteHere we will have around +38-40C during this weekend. It's still too hot for me...
Wish a better weather and nice weekend.
Kovacs, it ought to have been full day light.
DeleteIt would be too hot for me.
Fabulous images of all the insects but I prefer the one on the white flower best. That is close enough for me. Hope the rain has eased up now. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks Margaret. It has but is coming back this evening.
DeleteYou are a master of taking photos of insects!
ReplyDeleteThanks but am still practising.
DeleteAdrian, can you please make sure those chooks are OK in all that rain. If you have to bring them inside to the van and towel & blowdry their feathers, I think that would be a mighty thing for humanity.
ReplyDeleteCarol, they are fine. One had a drippy beak but i gave it a wipe.
DeleteBeautiful Hover-flies, well done Adrian.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob
DeleteLove that rain..wish you would send just a bit of it my direction!
ReplyDeleteTerri, you are welcome to as much as you like.
DeleteI can't say I'm keen on those eyes. Weird. But the photos are as good as ever.
ReplyDeleteFrances, I am still looking for a horse fly. They have wonderful eyes.
DeleteArian, I'd send you one if I could. We have clouds of them, and the horses can't stand them.
DeleteIt's the thought that counts. Not the little black storm flies but the biting ones have the good eyes.
DeleteNice shots of the flies!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda.
DeleteAmazing photography indeed.
ReplyDeleteThat's very kind thank you.
DeleteI didn't know there were so many different species of flies. Some are attractive. Thanks for showing them .
ReplyDeleteRed, many are stunning seen up close. True flies (order Diptera) are an immense group with over 100,000 known species. They all have their hind pair of wings reduced to pin-shaped structures called halteres which act as gyroscopes to maintain balance in flight. Most feed on liquids, including nectar and blood. Then there are all the flying insects like bees, dragonflies, some ants and beetles several of which can fly about.
DeleteIf I managed to find a different one every day I would barely scratch the surface.
Thanks for the info.
DeleteI'm thinking that's summer all over and done with now. I hope the rain eases off soon.
ReplyDeleteDouglas, it isn't looking very clever.
Deletewonderful images, Adrian. Think how difficult this would be in, say, the 60's.
ReplyDeleteKCD, not difficult but almost impossible. I can't remember any good macro images from the seventies let alone the sixties. Certainly not shot and posted from a campervan.
DeleteYou certainly do have a fine collection of flies, Don't Knows and Others.
ReplyDeletePauline, there is a far larger collection in the bin but then flies like bins.
DeleteFabulous images of the flies!
ReplyDeleteGunilla, the flies are fabulous, as always the images could be better.
DeleteNot for publication: This is getting weirder. I've seen and commented on your later post but it's no longer in my dashboard reader. This one is the latest. Just thought I'd let you know after my last comment.
ReplyDeleteGraham, I read your comment and published both from the comment say it's okay thingy and only this one worked. God Google must be resting.
DeleteFabulous shots Adrian.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ian.
Delete