what are you reading?

I don’t know what the book was that caused this damselfly to go bug-eyed and blush right down to the tip of his tail, but I think he looks as if he wants to tell someone about it:

large red damsel fly

idiomatic

I’m not sure if this counts as a hairy situation:

bee and clematis tangutica seed head (old man's beard)
It’s clearly not the cat’s whiskers. But it might be the bee’s knees.

iridescences

I’m back in the village and back to posting pictures of dead bugs. After all, when they’re this beautiful, how can I resist?

dead carpenter bee

The bugs in the poem below aren’t dead. They are, however, as bright as jewels in the early morning sunshine.
Continue reading “iridescences”

waspish

Do not be deceived.

hover fly
There are many imitations.
Continue reading “waspish”

flowerless thoughts

As I said in “what’s been bugging me“, the local insects may be impressive, but most of them aren’t very colourful – at least not the ones who sit still long enough for me to take pictures. That’s what I like about flower photography: the subject doesn’t run away when you point a camera at it.

At the moment, though, there aren’t many blooms around to brighten the blog pages. It’s partly because of the heat – all the vivid wildflowers of a month or so ago have dried back to straw, and even in the garden the few plants that are in flower are mostly wilting and ragged.

But it’s the insects who are responsible for the chewed petals and holey leaves, so I’m in two minds when I see a bright bug to know if I want it to stay put for a photo or hop, crawl or fly away and leave my plants alone.

green grasshopper