Welcome to the 'I couldn't think of a title' blog update...

 Hello!

I have been writing and publishing these blog updates for more than a decade now, but this one is going to be different, very different.

There have been some seismic changes to both the world, and my own personal circumstances that have me wondering what it's all about, and I am sure that many of us will be feeling the same way.

It brings into sharp focus the superficiality and frivolousness of sitting here hour after hour constructing these updates. 

And so, I am seriously contemplating the usefulness of continuing to do so, both for you dear reader, and myself as author.

For now though, I do have a good many photos that I feel I can share, and as I am short on words, (never thought I would write that) I will let the pictures do the talking...

A tiny nymph I discovered in my garden: possibly  Deraeocoris lutescens

Superb looking Jumping spider in the house: possibly Pseudeuophrys sp? But keep in mind that I currently feel brain-dead!

Next, a couple of Common blue butterflies...

And a few images against a dark background by way of a change...

Deraeocoris ruber nymph: probably! Once again though...who knows? Not me!

It's a Damselfly ;-)

And a late-evening butterfly (Gatekeeper) photo...

I do happen to know that these are pictures of a Red-legged shieldbug nymph...

Just because I rarely see one: a male Garden spider

Odd looking fly (Look who's talkin')

More flies...being flies and doing what flies do...

Issus hopper (If I forget what this one is called, you'll know for sure I've lost the plot)

Okay. That's all. Thanks for partaking.

Much love

JJ. 

No it's not a vice ring!

Well you never can tell what's around the corner can you. I fully expected to be back here sooner than this; in fact I did attempt to update the blog, but was thwarted.

Self pity isn't a great attribute, and so this is just by way of an explanation of enforced changes, rather than anything else. My right eye has been affected by something called a Weiss Ring which is a form of PVD (Posterior Vitreous Detachment) which has left me with this view out of that eye...

It is there all of the time but floating around, and working at the computer is quite difficult. I am told that it is permanent, although in time my brain will learn to ignore it. That could take anything from 3 months to in excess of a year.

And so meantime, I am going to have to update less often, or possibly make the updates shorter. You see....there's always an upside eh! It might be a good thing to abridge these entries, I do tend to write a tome when a quick résumé with a few pictures would suffice.

Okay then, without further ado, let's crack on. Who needs perfect vision anyhow, I only need to be able to see as far as next year for 2020 vision!

After beautiful February turned into mad March, the weather finally relented, and the first signs I had of an impending spring were these  bees that were crawling around on the forest rides a few days ago. They might be Tawny Mining Bees, but equally well may not. My ID skills for bees are not great with 2 eyes! Come to think of it, they don't look at all tawny do they.

If I was excited to find those, and I was: I was apoplectic when I spotted this next one...

I think this is one of the Nomada species of Bee. I discovered it sleeping on the needles of a pine tree. You can see how it has its mandibles clamped to the needle. Fabulous eyes these have eh. 

I also spotted this bug exuvia the same day. I have been trying to work out what it might have belonged to, and more to the point, how on earth has something so delicate survived the winter?

Bug exuvia (disguarded skin)

The butterflies are back too: I have seen Brimstone, Red Admiral, Peacock and Comma already...

A Comma Butterfly

That's all for now, back as soon as I can

 

Butterflies and The Bard.....

Just back from a week in Oxfordshire and whilst there I managed to find time to cross the border into Warwickshire and pay a visit to the Butterfly Farm at Stratford-upon-Avon.

Billed as 'The UK's largest tropical butterfly paradise' and located on the south bank of the river Avon,opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, I had read about it and was keen to take a look for myself.

Even after preparing my camera for the humid conditions by sealing inside a plastic bag, it was still around 20 minutes before it had settled enough to allow me to take any pictures:Very hot and humid inside there. 

However, once I'd sorted that, there were subjects a'plenty to photograph and aside from the constant,but expected interruptions caused by the numerous parties of schoolchildren being ushered around, at what seemed to be every 15 minutes,I was in butterfly heaven.

I didn't find photographing some of these insects at all easy using just natural light indoors but even though it would have been possible, I really didn't feel I wanted to add flash.

It was also a little challenging to get anything other than distracting backgrounds. There was lots of rich vegetation and not much space between planting. I suppose I had around 90 minutes at the farm and could easily have spent all day getting the shots I wanted but there were other things to do that day and anyhow, I was already starting to flag in the heat.

I have to add that having said how I struggled with getting the photos I wanted, I met a Frenchwoman with a little 'Ixus' camera that she described as 'cheap but very good' and was impressed by both how close it allowed her to focus (I think from memory she said something like, less than 25mm) and then how great her photos looked onscreen.

Tree Nymph Butterfly

I wish I could provide identities for all of these wonderful insects but I am unable to do that without extensive research and try as I might, I could find no relative information at the farm. 

Blue Morpho Butterfly

This selection illustrated here is but a tiny proportion of the total I could have photographed and as well as the insects there were plenty of caterpillars too...

Then I found some eggs to add to my haul. I think these may well be moth rather than butterfly...

Actually,looking at them again here,I'm not even sure they are viable. They do seem to be a bit messy.

In the caterpillar room, by the way that's not where I found mine, those were on the foliage inside the main dome with the butterflies, I had a go at photographing some pupae. These were all either behind glass or netting...

Again,I'm almost ashamed to admit it but I have no idea which insect these pupae represent but some of the most spectacular ones I have ever seen were these golden ones...

And so a visit to the butterfly farm was a terrific way to spend some time and I will certainly be returning sometime soon. There is also an 'Insect City' with stick insects, beetles, leaf-cutting ants, as well as millipedes,snails and crabs in the mini-beast section that I didn't even manage time to visit this time.

I was however struck by the amount of butterflies,in fact,almost all that I photographed, that showed signs of damaged/tatty wings. I thought about it a lot and decided to e.mail the farm for an explanation;asking if this is common in the wild or something related to how they are kept indoors. I have as yet not had a reply but will publish it here should I get an answer from them.

Until the next time then...

More information on the butterfly farm....HERE