This beautiful Gatekeeper butterfly was from August in the garden. Giving me time and different backgrounds to get some fairly decent shots.
(c) K Wicks
Gatekeeper Butterfly
Wildlife
Red Admiral Butterfly
I have been treated to a wonderful array of visitors with the buddlia blooming with big white buds this year. A few small purple ones, but it’s worked wonders. A mini butterfly farm in my own graden! This post is for the Red Admiral.
(c) K Wicks
Drone fly
Another regular to the garden, and to the buddleia.
(c) K Wicks
Bumblebee slow motion take off
Yesterday saw the arrival of the very large bumble bees, I don’t think I have seen ones that big since being in Spain. But they also love the buddleia, even disappearing into it on their forage. But this one was a timely hit of the record button in slow motion as it took off. It was only after playing it back did I realise that the sound had picked up the wings sounding like a chopper 🙂 – sound on for full effect.
(c) K Wicks
Red Admiral slow take off
The buddleia has been attracting many butterflies and Bees today. I managed to catch a shot of one taking off while filming in slow motion. Check out the YouTube vid.
(c) K Wicks
House guest
We have a few house guests that have taken up residence. Two appeared in the utility at opposite ends, but one was having a photogenic moment.
I also rescued a small one out of the bath yesterday and put it on the bathroom fern, so presume that one is still around too. I don’t mind them if they don’t surprise me. And they live if they stay off the floor. My dog has a habit of ‘playing’ with them, which never ends well for the spider.
(c) K Wicks
Buddleia, bees and butterflies
It has taken a while, but finally the buddleia bush is blooming. Not so much on the purple this year, the white has decided to shine through on this tri coloured variety. Although up until now, it’s only been purple last year, purple and white this year, so not sure where the third colour has gone. The birds kept nipping off the little buds when they appeared in spring, so maybe that did something to affect it. But since it has gone for it, and the weather has warmed again, it has been inundated with bees and butterflies. Red admirals, honey bees, tortoiseshells and bumble bees. Also had a small white yesterday as well. I have finally got the right flowers!
(c) K Wicks
Bombus hortorum bee
Some of the new flowers I bought earlier in the year that survived the postage, the wildlife and the weather are now in full bloom and are bringing many bees in. I didn’t know they would be so bee friendly, but it’s a nice suprise. This visitor went through every flower on the salvia ‘hot lips’ one. It was quite a task to get some shots in while it was doing it’s thing, bit I got a couple of awesome ones. In the third picture you can really appreciate how long their tongues are to be able to get to the nectar with such long petals in the way.
(c) K Wicks
Meadow brown butterfly
Quite a change to the usual situation where I see a butterfly and they immediately sense my excitement and leave. Or they are often just passing through, as they do. But this one stayed for a while, even moving onto different plants and a leaves and waiting for me to take a shot. First three pics are from this month, the last one is from last year when it was the lavendar tempting them in. The buddleia has now established itself, so hopefully that will give them plenty to stop by for.
(c) K Wicks
Tiny snail on basil
This morning there was a tiny snail making his way over the basil…
(c) K Wicks
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