I noticed this interesting fellow the other day and was pleased to get an in-focus shot of it, both whilst hovering (him, not me) and later while resting.
I wasn't fast enough to snap him inside an aubergine flower. Having read up on the Hoverfly, I realise they are a great help in our new vegetable garden.
I'm not sure of this guy but he looks very helpful and I didn't see him snacking on any zucchini leaves.
I know lady birds are responsible for damaging aubergine & zucchini leaves but they're so pretty I can't bear to hurt them. I have no such qualms about the grasshoppers who haven't made it into this post; I squash them left, right and centre.
There are lots of these yellow and black lady birds but I just shoo them away. No squashing going on there.
I have seen a couple of cabbage moths but not managed a photo. This rather tattered fellow rested up on the onions this morning. Don't think he's long for this world.
There was a blue banded bee hanging around the other evening. Probably looking for somewhere safe to rest for the night. This particular photo was taken at my sister's house where she has quite a few of them lining up to rest on this twig. I just couldn't press the shutter fast enough to get a shot of my guy at the time. I'm sure lots of them die unnecessarily because they sound like blow flies as they zoom around. If someone is too quick with the fly swat or spray, they'd be done for.
Of course, there are lots of native bees because I still have a couple of hives in the yard. They're a great help with the fertilisation of plants like zucchini. One feels so grubby doing all that 'impregnating' one's self.
No doubt, this hairy spider is a helper by eating up the harmful bugs.
I'm thinking I should build one of these insect hotels that I spotted at the local flower show a couple of years ago to assist all my helpers as a way of saying thank you.
I am surprised to learn that you are a grasshopper murderer! I had thought that all God's creatures were sacrosanct in your world.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard Badger but when I could see our hard work disappearing down their little gullets, I acted. Not only that I have murdered a few yellow and black ladybirds too. We farmers have to have hard hearts or we'd all starve.
DeleteBeautiful images and interesting insights!
ReplyDeleteIn an earlier post (could not find a comments box there) you showed a moth that reminds me of one I once saw in a palm house here (the moth sat on the other side of the window, in the so-called Butterfly House, so it probably was not a native one):
http://www.viennaforbeginners.com/2012/03/sunday-morning-in-city-emperors.html
Thanks Merisi. I have to confess to the slaughter of many more ladybirds since I first published. They were sucking the life out of the plants. I feel bad though.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the lack of comment box on Flight of Fancy. I have rectified that now. Every now and then I forget to tick the right box! Perhaps its ancestors travelled here as eggs in a Viennese gentleman's luggage??