Butterflies and other insects 2017.

Just a few photos to add this year!

Two-banded Longhorn Beetle (Rhagium bifasciatum), May 24th.

 Dark giant horsefly (Tabanus sudeticus), June 26th. 

A worn Comma butterfly, July 3rd.

Zoe uncovered a freshly molted earwig.

Fresh Comma butterfly, July 9th.

This Banded Demoiselle visited one day in July, but they are not one of the many resident species in the garden.

Tivon's photo of Bumble bee, Bombus lucorum agg. on Inula Hookeri.

Pimpla rufipes, a parasitoid wasp (female). Thank you for the id. Stuart Dunlop!

Two fresh Comma butterflies, September 17th.

 The Comma butterfly used to be rare sight here, not anymore.

Bombus pascuorum, also known as the carder bee, on Tivon's Dahlia.

I was delighted to see these bites out of Rosebay willowherb leaves in the garden in July because.... it has been eaten by a leafcutter bee, a wonderful creature! This photo shows what delights me in the garden, not only the bees, butterflies, flowers and fruit!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Butterfies

 A butterfly, being the symbol of transformation, is an appropriate subject to resume this blog with, here are a few that we saw in the garden this year.

A Peacock butterfly nectaring on Aster, both looking a little past their best as the days draw in. October 9th.

Small tortoiseshell butterfly and honeybee on Telekia speciosa, Heartleaf Oxeye, growing down at the pond. September 3rd.

Telekia was very popular! September 6th.

This mint has lovely dark stems, it was originally labelled Chocolate mint. September 3rd.

There were up to 20 Small tortoiseshell butterflies at any one time on this mint, the honeybees loved it too. September 6th

Small tortoiseshell butterfly on Eupatorium maculatum atropurpureum, Joe Pye weed. September 3rd. It's a super late season plant for bees and butterflies.

A white butterfly on Knautia arvensis, Field Scabious, this seems to flower all summer and autumn. 

The Verbena bonariensis, also in the photo, is a good nectar plant too. August 21st. 

Small copper on Aster, August 18th.

Comma butterfly on Aster, August 16th.

Painted lady butterfly on Buddleja × weyeriana, August 11th.

Small white butterfly on Brachyglottis greyi, (Senecio greyi). July 27th.

Meadow brown butterfly, July 27th. The meadow was full of meadow browns!

In the spring there were holly blues fluttering in the meadow, too unsettled for the camera and I can't remember what else during the year! 

October wildlife.

 

 Bumble bee on Heptacodium miconioides.

Red admiral butterfly on Buddleja × weyeriana.

Chaffinch eating Phlomis russeliana seeds.


Grey wagtail on the small pond. 

July bees and butterflies

July is a fantastic month in the garden! Bees, butterflies, hoverflies.... fill the air with Life.

Here are just a few snapshots.

 Comma butterfly.

 Underneath the wing the comma that gives the butterfly its name is just visible.

 This poor red admiral is very worn out! resting on Echinops.

Honeybee on the Romneya.

Honeybee on borage.

 

  Honeybee on Allium.


Knapweed is a principal player in the meadow.

 
Teasel with bumble bee.

Hoverflies on Helenium.

Bumble bee on Monarda.

Bumble bee on Telekia.

Solitary bee on  perennial Rudbeckia  brilliant star.

Spider residing in the Arum lily.


Bumblebee on Mallow in the meadow.


Common darter dragonfly.

Fantastic foraging on Rue/Common Rue (Ruta graveolens).

 The garden is thrumming with life at the moment. This morning though, the Rue/Common Rue (Ruta graveolens) was an especially wonderful sight with honeybees, wasps, at least 4 kinds of hoverflies, bumble bees and small tortoiseshell butterflies all foraging on one plant simultaneously!

Hoverfly.

Honeybee with yellowish pollen sacs.

Hoverfly.

Small tortoiseshell butterfly.

Lucorum agg. Bumble bee.

Hoverfly.

Tree wasp.

Marmalade hoverfly.