Dangling Marsh Lover

 

I wonder what you imagined this post would be about when you saw the title...

The Latin name for the hoverfly in the first three images is Helophilus pendulus which means "dangling marsh lover". It is the most common species of hoverfly and has quite striking markings with bold colours.

The eagle eyed visitor to this page will have noticed that the fourth image is of a different variety of hover fly (I cannot specify which) which is busy sucking up nectar from the tiny flowers.

Bug

 

I went to Brockholes in Lancashire last week for a spot of wildlife photography as that is something I have not done much of lately. Unfortunately the weather conditions were shocking to begin with but as I had to pay for parking I wasn't going to leave without something. So between downpours I had a lovely time walking around the reserve and while there was not a lot of birdlife to photograph I decided to concentrate on bugs and managed to get a few decent images so all in all I had a productive day.

I have lots more images to go through but today I have also been out taking photos at the Hoylake Sand Yacht Regatta and i need to edit a few pics for the Sand yacht  club page so I will put the bugs on hold for a little while.

Sunbathing

This hover fly was taking a moment to rest on the wooden handrail of a bridge across a small stream. With the sun beating down it was a good opportunity to warm up.

If you can, zoom in to enjoy the detail in this shot; those wonderful shiny compound eyes and the soft fur. There is so much to appreciate when you look closely at these fascinating insects. They're great pollinators and they don't sting or bite so they're great little critters.

The Great Pretender

I love bees and I get a buzz when I get to photograph them because they're not at all easy subjects.

But this is not a bee, or a wasp it is a hoverfly, one of the 300 species that are native to our country. They don't sting like bees or wasps but they mimic them as a means of defence against predators. They are important pollinators just like bees and just like bees their numbers are declining as a result of the increased use of  pesticides.

Just like bees they are interesting subjects for photography and luckily for me this one sat around long enough to get a few decent shots.

A Feast Of Yellow

Following on from yesterday's pictures of a bumblebee today I have this gorgeous hoverfly for you. 

I know that gorgeous might seem an unlikely adjective for a flying bug but with its shiny metallic thorax, glassy wings and intricate compound eyes this bug is a little beauty. 

Add the brilliant yellow flower into the mix and these are fantastic shots even if I do say so myself.

Bugs Life

I love macro photography because it means you can get in close and see detail that you would otherwise miss. Flowers are great with delicate petals, stamen and pollen for example and of course they are magnets for insects like this beautiful hoverfly.

Bugs can be quite tricky to photograph because they rarely stay still for very long and if they are in flight you need good light and a very fast shutter speed as well as a degree of luck to get the perfect shot.

Of course when they do settle on a flower for a little while you have to be ready to capture the shot. When I took this picture the light was fairly poor so I used a small hand held torch to illuminate the subject meaning I could highlight the shiny body and the glass like wings.

I guess the hoverfly uses its colour scheme to deter predators by tricking them into thinking it is a wasp or bee packing a powerful sting but they don't. They can go about their business pollinating flowers undetered.

Episyrphus balteatus

There are apparently over 250 different species of hover fly in the UK. Lots look like and are often mistaken for bees or wasps. This little beauty is actually one of the most common varieties with very distinctive colourful bands. It was feeding on the nectar of this little flower growing on the wall in my garden, they are quite harmless and very beautiful.

Busy Bees

For the eagle-eyed among you it will be obvious that strictly speaking the title of today's post is not 100% accurate, more like 66% but even so every picture is a winner.

About a week ago I posted a couple of pictures of humble bumble bees busily at work sucking up the nectar and today I have a couple more, plus one of a hover fly at rest on the stem of a wild rose. 

I love my Canon 100mm macro lens because it lets me get right up close to the little things and there is always so much we would miss without a closer look. Take a close look at the final picture and you can see the individual hairs on the mandibles, the segments of the antennae and the barbs on the "foot" clasping the petal. 

Hoverfly

Here's another colourful insect for today's post.  This is a hoverfly or sweat bee as they are sometimes known.  The light was just right to show its fine colours off at their best as this hungry little fella ate its fill of sweet nectar.