Fresh off the presses, a tiny white moth fluttering on a grass stem in my garden this morning.
Alight
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Tag Archives: nature
More tiny secrets
I thought I’d follow up yesterday’s post, The secret world of the smallest things, with more of the most miniscule critters in my garden. They are little more than moving dots to the naked eye but the macro lens and cropping reveals another world.
Possibly a very small sort of wasp.
I am not going to be able to identify some of these tiny creatures. I know when I am out of my depth! I am content just to enjoy them, and their colourful landscape.
Definitely a midge.
Some are not so welcome, or pretty. Don’t bite me! But isn’t the sumach leaf lovely?
Uphill is hard work!
I promise no insects tomorrow.
The secret world of the smallest things
Misty morning
As Autumn sets in and the larger, more showy insects start to disappear, my macro lens turns to the smallest creatures, so small that I can only see the details by photographing them and cropping. Each of these critters is much smaller than they appear here, hardly noticeable as they go about their secret lives.
Tightrope
Carrying your prey across a tightrope of the thinnest grass stem is just showing off.
Golden grasses hide a wealth of miniature life
I like to show these critters with plenty of space around them, to show how very small they are. And their landscape can sometimes be as intriguing as the insects themselves.
Small but deadly
Beware the silken hammock
A beautifully woven hammock of silk catches the light. Inside, a tiny green spider awaits its next meal.
When I first posted this I identified it, rather hesitatingly, as araniella cucurbitina, the cucumber green orb spider. I suspected a female given the size of that shadow. The males are more streamlined:
However, I now think the spiders in this post may be nigma walckenaeri. Any experts around? There are several rather pretty spiders lurking among the turning leaves of my sumach tree. I can’t positively identify the next one through all the silk but it may well be another araniella cucurbitina. Or maybe not…
It is definitely spider season here. I wish all the huge ones presently invading my home looked like these instead.
Incredible flying bees
Despite the drop in temperatures over the last couple of days, the hardy carder bees have still been out and about, seemingly tougher than the honey bees who have almost disappeared. Believe it or not, this geranium is called ‘Jolly Bee’!
They are still happily visiting carder bee heaven. I can now be more specific than my earlier identification of it as a member of the mint family; it is Agastache ‘Blackadder’.
This one isn’t flying, but I liked the light so included it anyway.
There were a few bumble bees about this morning. This is the first time I have seen them feeding on the solanum jasminoides flowers. Perhaps they are less fussy at this time of year when other flowers are fading. Look at that pollen sac! Amazing that it can fly at all.
The first day of Autumn
This week there has been a nip in the air. There are suddenly fewer winged insects about and a first-day-of-the season safari round the garden this morning yielded some distinctly Autumnal sights. This harvestman was crouching on a fading rudbeckia flower.
The lychnis coronaria have gone to seed. I took a quick photograph before shaking the seeds liberally over the border. They are very reliable self-seeders in my garden, even colonising the lawn given half a chance.
The hollyhock seed heads are opening. I do love the way the seeds are wedged in – they remind me of oysters.
Despite the chill, the speckled bush crickets are still about. This male stared at me rather belligerently, I thought.
All these shots were taken at 3,200 ISO. Not too shabby. The new camera passes the ISO test.
By evening’s light
“Light always follows the path of the beautiful.” (Anon.)
Mystery plant revealed…
A helpful friend on Facebook suggested the mystery plant from yesterday might be a member of the mint family so I went outside and did the leaf-rub test. Low and behold, and without a shadow of a doubt, it is spearmint. Thanks, Harry.
I was pleased to find the following interesting, and apposite, minty mythology:
“Mint has been regarded as a symbol of Hospitality; ancient Romans strewed it around at feasts and banquets as a sign of welcome to guests.
The genus name Mentha comes from Greek Mythology. Legend has it that Menthe was a nymph who loved Pluto; when Pluto’s wife Persephone discovered this she turned the nymph into a mint plant.
It is also believed that the Ancients scoured their tables with this herb when preparing for the gods. Furthermore, the gods had fields of mint that bees used to make honey.
According to an ancient legend, Demeter drank a special drink called cecyon (kekyon) at Eleusis. This sacred drink of the Eleusine Mysteries was made by blending wheaten gruel with mint. Female initiates carried vessels of cecyon bound to their heads. The Greeks also believed that mint increased love-making. Moreover, mint, rosemary and myrtle were used in the final preparations of the dead in ancient Greece.”
www.modeflowers.com/flower-varieties/mentha-flowers
I like it that the gods grew fields of mint for bees. They knew a thing or two, because the bees really do love these flowers! (Although I haven’t noticed any honey bees on them yet.)
Carder bees are smallish bumble bees and they make their nests in old mammal burrows or tussocks of grass. They have a reputation for being feisty if their nest is threatened but while foraging in the garden they are as harmless as any other bumble bee. In fact, even more placid in my experience.
For more information on carder bees see here.
Carder bee heaven
It has been several days since a buggy post! Most unlike me. But never fear, the carder bees are here! They have been very happy this weekend, enjoying the lovely warm weather among the late summer flowers in my garden.
I have forgotten the name of this purple flower but no matter; it shall henceforth be known as carder bee heaven.
Making a bee line
It was rather special, sitting in the border surrounded by gorgeous late summer colour and hordes of very happy bees.
Nearly there!
These small bumble bees are very cute. Or is that just me?
My favourite
This last shot isn’t quite as sharp as I would normally like but I just couldn’t help include it: geronimo!
Heavy lifter
If you want to know my technique for shooting flying bugs, see my earlier post, In-flight entertainment where I reveal all my secrets!
Bungee beetle
Whee!
A beetle enjoying a spot of bungee. I think this is a field chafer, phyllopertha horticola. Taken from the towpath of the River Wey Navigations.
Focused Moments 