I usually like to know or discover the identity of what is out and about in the garden, but this morning it seemed more important to catch the warmth of the sunshine and to photograph the insects (and a few other things).
The world may seem a strange place at present, but it was heartening to look around my home patch and find that spring was definitely in the air. Ladybirds, in particular, were out in force and one pair appeared to be mating. I even caught a fleeting glimpse of what appeared to be a large wasp-like creature, almost the size of a hornet.
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| Bees and hoverflies were on the wing and on the bushes |
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| Cherry blossom is just beginning to appear |
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| Flowering Currant |
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| Dandelion |
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| Two tiny ladybirds... |
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| ... I think they are Pine Ladybirds |
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| Another tiny ladybird with rimmed elytra, perhaps 0.2-3cm |
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| Look at those legs! |
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| What a joy to see those pollen sacs! |
I may not have known the names of all the insects and other creatures I encountered in a limited space and a short time, but it was exciting to see so many small things moving about after the long winter months. And having posted these photos, I am now keen to add some of my sightings, and especially my 'mysteries', to
iSpot...
P.S. In case you miss this comment, I shall repost it here, with grateful thanks to Conehead54:
All the small ladybirds are indeed Pine Ladybirds. The top hoverfly is one of the dronefly group. Eristalis pertinax + the small bees are some sort of Andrena.