What is buzzing or flying near you today??

Saw a Comma on some brambles a couple of days ago but it would not stay still for a photo.

 

Out with some friends yesterday in the Tarn department and came across this beautiful moth. It's a Giant Peacock moth (Saturnia pyri), and it has a wingspan of six inches! In flight, it's sometimes mistaken for a bat. Its close relative is the Emperor moth found in Britain - it's even bigger though.... but not usually found outside Southern Europe. It was on the ground in a cobbled street, so I picked it up and moved it. It was wider than the palm of my hand by quite a bit. Wonderful to get to handle such an incredible creature.



[ 05. May 2007, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Hyla arborea ]

 

Lovely photo HB,nice specimen

 

A real beaut.Hyla

 

This little chap spent a couple of hours walking in circles on our patio. Tried to fly but kept crashing. He appeared intoxicated, but eventually sobered up enough to find some aubretia where he soon got his snout in the trough.

 

Hair of the dog Dave? :D Cracking Picture

Hyla Arborea,that is a lovely shot too.

 

Here are 2 which I class as not a happy sight, albeit bugging not buzzing.



I assume the red spots are wounds caused by the aphids


This one had me puzzled at first, but after trawling the net found it is a crab spider, which does not spin a web, but lies in wait for a bee or other insect to visit the flower, it then clasps it with its front legs and applies a venomous bite to the neck. It can slowly change colour over a few days if it changes flowers, usually whites or yellows


Cheers MIKE

 

Incredible macro pictures Mike! Just amazing! I have never seen red dots like those in your second picture - what kind of plant is it? The crab spider pic is great too - even the tips of it's legs look slightly browned - just like the patal! Isn't nature wonderful!!

 

Wow Dorsetmike fantastic pics

 

JarBax
The aphid shots were on a rose stem complete with thorn and on a developing rose bud.

The spider was in a Calypso (rose) flower.

(camera Minolta 5D with sigma 90mm macro lens, when a DSLR scores over a compact)

Cheers MIKE

 

Absolutely amazing - I just have to keep coming back for a second look! I see the rose bud now you mention it! I wonder if some plants come out in a 'rash' - a sort of reaction to being damaged - the notion is ringing distant bells! There just seem to be so many puncture spots!

Anyway, feeling inspired, I went out in the rain, and took a couple of shots myself.

Took this shot just for the rain droplet (which really didn't come out well!) - but look what I captured sheltering under the leaf...!!! Honestly didn't see it under there til uploading onto computer! Uncanny!

 

Fantastic shots Hyla, Dave, Mike and Jarbax. Since I love spiders I was especially taken with the crab spider.

 

Apologies - this is a pretty poor shot, but I couldn't resist these two pecking happily about in the farmyard just fifteen feet from the house! I had to take this through the glass of the upstairs window, too, which didn't help as I only have a 3x zoom... But here they are - a pair of red-legged partridges which visit us quite often these days. I could watch them for hours...
(And yes, I will be spraying the weeds - when it stops raining!!!)

 

Young Slow Worms recently born under the mypex matting in the polytunnel at work.

 

Super!! Hope you found 'em a good home, Strongy! They look to be in superb condition. Beauties.