HeyJude who runs a great website The Earth Laughs in Flowers has invited us to go out into our gardens in the month of April and take some close-ups.
I thought I’d have a go even though flower photography isn’t my strong point. So I dutifully took a daffodil, and then luckily I saw a peacock butterfly and some bees.
The Inner Workings of a Daffodil ©HelenBushe
Peacock Butterfly ©HelenBushe
I’d learn to learn a bit about bees this year now that I am beginning to fully realise how essential they are for our food supply. I bought a chart showing all the common ones, but to my untrained eye a lot of them look pretty similar. Hence the macro photography of bees as I am hoping that sitting with a photograph on the screen and with the chart beside it, it might be a bit easier slightly possible. I’ve given up with trying to identify moths as there are over 4,000 kinds in UK (mainly brownish and nocturnal too). Now butterflies, on the other hand come only in 57 (yes, exactly 57) varieties in UK. I am a keen photographer of butterflies as some are also quite big and they sit still.
A Bee on a Leaf ©HelenBushe
8 Comments
mithriluna · 28 April 2016 at 02:39
Fantastic macro images.
HMB · 28 April 2016 at 06:47
Thank you
Leah · 26 April 2016 at 14:38
Beautiful pictures Helen. The butterfly is absolutely gorgeous!
Just the mention of moths had me cringing (weird phobia); I was so relieved you didn’t have any close ups.
Just yesterday, I was digging around in the leaves on top of my garden beds and I disturbed a bee of some sort. I replace the leaves to let him return to his slumber (it’s still too cold overnight for my bees and lady bugs to be out in the open). I realized that I have no idea what kind of bee it was, and was thinking of educating myself. You’ve given me a further push to do that.
I talk to the insects in my garden, especially the bees. I remind them that we’re friends and that I’m partially responsible for the flowers they enjoy, so we should all just get along. After a couple decades of playing together, I’ve still not been stung. Dirt-crusted fingers crossed my luck continues to hold.
Laurie Graves · 26 April 2016 at 14:18
As we would say in Maine, that is some butterfly.
HMB · 26 April 2016 at 14:20
Thanks Laurie. As a Glaswegian I’d say “Och aye. It’s a stoater!”
Laurie Graves · 26 April 2016 at 14:35
Love it!
Heyjude · 25 April 2016 at 20:47
Wow these are fabulous shots Helen, I won’t comment on the bee because most of the bees I have photographed turned out to be hoverflies! Who knew! Well, actually Ark, one of the contributors did… so best of luck with the bee ID 😀 Thanki you for joining in the challenge. It is a great way (for me) to meet other photographers.
BTW I love your name and identity! I shall come back and browse your site – I spy a few interesting items 🙂
Jude xx
HMB · 25 April 2016 at 22:53
Thanks so much for your encouraging comments, Jude. Your website is such a pleasure to view. I used to think that all these insects were either bees or wasps . Then I found that the “wasps” we’re hoverflies and then there’s hornets – not too sure what these are. Plenty to learn and that’s good. Thanks again for your challenge.