A Pink Oyster mushroom

John's Tree

                                                                                                                                                                   

                                         

John's Tree Cornus "Porlock"

Today is Saint Mary Salome Day. She was the wife of Zebedee and a witnessed the Crucifixion from a distance. She also asked Jesus to have her sons, the Apostles James and John, to sit to his right and left in Paradise

A Painted Lady

A Painted Lady (Vanessa carduii) feeding on the last of the budlleia. I was pleased that I caught the eye and proboscis.

Ruddy Darter

This Ruddy Darter was posing for me this afternoon.

If one is a vegetarian . . . Shield bug and Plume moth

Whilst walking around our garden first thing this morning I noticed this Shield bug and Common Plume moth  'resting' on our caterpillar decimated Purple Sprouting.  The Shield bug has large protruding red eyes.

If one is a vegetarian can one avoid eating these very small creatures?

Comma butterfly . . .

I particularly liked this Comma (Polygonia c-album) for its ragged wings, fur across its abdomen and drum-stick like antenna., so I photographed it. It is feeding on late blooming buddleia. And though common in Southern England's mature gardens and hedgerows, it is unusual for it to be seen in the month of October.  Of course the buddleia's nectar would be a great attraction.

Beef . . . excellent examples of cattle on the meadows.

A Painted Lady

A Painted Lady enjoying the last vestiges of an English summer yesterday, with its proboscis inserted into into buddleia. Painted Lady's are immigrants and do not survive an English winter.

Water droplets suspended . . .

Water droplets suspended on a cobweb that is attached to the black grass Opohiorogen Planiccarpus Nigrescens. The Nursery spider, Pisaura mirabilis, is hiding among the leaves on the far left side.

A male Helophilus pendulus . . .

A male Helophilus pendulus feeding on Allysum. This is a common insect that can be seen on many varieties of flowers, including gardens,  and different habitats.  It is known to travel a long way from its breeding areas.

A Forest bug . . .

This is a Forest bug (Pentatoma rufipes) at Hillier's.  As its name suggests, it lives on trees and feeds on sap and occasionally fruit. It also eats wiggly creatures such as caterpillars and small insects. 

A spider reminding one of Tolkien's Shelob in Lord of the Rings . . .

A  spider with its prey, a wasp. It should remind everyone of Tolkien's Shelob in Lord of the Rings.

Life in . . .: Is this an alien from the Green Planet?

Life in . . .: Is this an alien from the Green Planet?: Is this an alien from  the Green Planet  which is about 500 light years from us on planet Earth? Notice the four dots, that make a squ...

Is this an alien from the Green Planet?

Is this an alien from  the Green Planet  which is about 500 light years from us on planet Earth? Notice the four dots, that make a square pattern,

Dancing partners at the "Ugly Bug Ball"

This adorable and loving couple of Squash bugs are in the spotlight and have all the right moves at the "Ugly Bug Ball" , and though this photograph could be better, if you look closely, you will see that they only have eyes for each other. 

Knot Grass caterpillar . . .

Another view of the Knot Grass caterpillar munching its way through our strawberry plants this morning.

This upside down Knot Grass moth caterpillar is decimating our strawberry plant; look at its head !

Is this a Mexican stand-off . . . ?

Is this a Mexican stand-off or insects sun-bathing?

A Red Admiral butterfly

An English Red Admiral butterfly that many people say is "beautiful". However, look at its face and eye. It has fine markings, good antenna, and a well curled proboscis. It is feeding on buddliea.

Speckled Wood butterfly

  

This Speckled Wood Butterfly is sun bathing. 

Hover-fly feasting on Allysum

This is a harmless hover-fly Eristalis nemorum feasting on honey scented Allysum. Entomologists are emphatic that it does not have political views, and does not sting, however, we can see it has it eyes on us.

Rare conjoined Small White butterflies

A rare pair of conjoined Small White butterflies. In the lower image one can clearly see the eyes. They rested on the leaf of a French climbing bean plant for at least ten minutes before flying off. The outer butterfly was effectively carrying the inner one.

A Cabbage White butterfly with eggs

A Large White butterfly. In the lower image we can see the eggs the butterfly has just laid, but in the upper image the eggs have not been laid yet. There is perhaps as much as much as a single minute between the taking of each photograph.  If you look closely at the face, you will see she is smiling!

This is Common Darter dragonfly looks as though it has six wings due to the detailed shadows. Moreover, its teeth look in excellent condition.

A Flesh Fly

This is a common Flesh Fly that has large pads for its feet, therefore, making it ideal for walking across food and other matter.

This is a Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) and it feeds on insects.

A Hover-fly (Valucella zonaria) photographed on the River Avon, Salisbury, England.

This Flesh fly (Sarcophaga carnaria) was resting on our purple sprouting at lunch time. Note the huge eye and the legs.

A Gold Ringed Dragonfly resting on a raspberry leaf

An angel gave a child a Hellebore because . . .

A Christmas Rose, the Lenten Rose, a Hellebore. This is not the best example, however it has been with us in our garden for many, many years.

The legend attached to the Hellebore is that an angel gave one to a child because he did not have a present to give to the baby Jesus; hence it being called a Christmas Rose.

British and American Forces departed this beach . . .

The British and American Forces departed for France on 5th June 1945 from this beach in England.

A few bricks and pieces of concrete are all that remains. The camouflaged birds are unaware of . . . 

Bing Crosby sang "the red red robin came bob bobbin along" and this is what this little chap did when he came to talk to me this morning.