Ugly Bug Ball

 In contrast to the beautiful dragonfly images I shared in my last post I have opted to share a selection of  images that many of you will consider grotesque and by all means if that is how you feel about flies then perhaps you should look away now. 

If you choose to stick with me then be prepared for a close look at three different species of flies that I spotted recently.

Flies are almost invariably seen as pests; that buzzing nuisance around the house or that irritating presence at a picnic, and given some of their habits they are understandably considered dirty and unwelcome. However, if we stop to think about "what is the point of flies?" it becomes clear that these grotesque, dirty creatures play a vital role in the functioning of our whole ecosystem. 

They clean and recycle waste, breaking down organic matter and releasing nutrients back into the soil.

Flies are the second most important pollinators after bees. Without flies wildflowers and food crops would disappear. And a fascinating fact that I have found is that cacao trees are only pollinated by a specific group of midge flies so without flies there would be no chocolate, learning that I have become the biggest fan of flies!

Flies (and their larvae)are food food a huge variety of other insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and fish so again they play an important role in the food chain.

Finally flies also play a significant role in scientific and medical advancement because fruit flies share almost 75% of human disease causing genes so they are an essential part of genetic and cancer research.

None of the above will make a fly welcome at a picnic or make it any less annoying as it buzzes around the house on a summer day however hopefully we can all respect the role they play.

Now to the photos; these are three different species of fly they are not pretty by any stretch of the imagination but they are fascinating and a closer look reveals some interesting detail so be brave and scroll down, and leave a comment to let me know what you think...

Tachinid fera

Painted Graphfly (graphomaya maculata)

Green Bottle Fly

Making a Difference

 I have been busy with my camera recently which has been nice after a bit of a break and this weekend I have shot 1300 images. Initially for the star trails (see previous post) and then at the Rhyl Air Show and it was my intention to share a few images from the air show today but I realised I still have a few good shots from Sizergh to post and while I will come back to them after I have posted some shots of planes I decided to first go for these bees.

The reason for this choice is because today we gave my grandson a book that was written and illustrated by my very talented niece, all about a bee who felt unimportant. It is a little reminder that just like the bee we are all important and have something to give, we can all make a difference in our own unique way.

Plus I really liked the bold colours and the fine detail in these shots which have a really summery feel. 

These are Hideous!

 I am not going to try to pretend that these are anything but hideous. On a hot day out in the countryside I am always plagued by flies and biting insects which  drive me mad, but that doesn't stop me from finding them fascinating. They are quite ugly too, but again that doesn't stop me from finding them interesting as subjects to photograph. I think it is because up close there is so much more to these pesky things. They are really quite complex and when we brush them away as they buzz past we don't ever see the detail.

So every now and then I do like to pause for a moment and take a closer look. It doesn't make them look any better and I still get annoyed every time they buzz around me but I do try to appreciate them a little more, as part of the complexity of nature and the fact that annoying as they are they still have a role to play.

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.

Look Into My Eyes!

I had intended on posting some flower images today but looking through the folder of pictures I spotted these shots of a hover fly and decided that I would follow up the past two days pictures of bugs with these before moving onto something a little prettier.

Although I say prettier I think you will agree these are quite spectacular and as you look closer at the compound eyes you can see how magnificent they really are. I love macro photography...

Do you ever wonder how things look to these creatures with such complex eyes?