Since I have been using a smart-phone camera, I have gained a great deal of satisfaction from taking photos. Yesterday on a seaside walk hubby pointed out the mini-bugs on a ragwort plant. I looked at them and carried on walking. He was surprised that I hadn’t taken a photo.
I turned back. The photo was not easy to take. There were stems of another plant across the views I wanted. I had to hold these out of the way, position my phone and touch the screen to take the photos.
MinibugsMinibugs
I think the caterpillars are known by a nickname involving footballers’ jerseys. The beetles are going forth to multiply.
This week’s photo challenge from the Daily post is Satisfaction.
I had a different photograph of a flower for B. Then I decided to use it under another name for a letter later in the alphabet. You’ll have to wait and see where it appears!
Bluebells in our garden
Not all bluebells are the same. Here in the UK there are native bluebells and invasive foreigners – in this instance, Spanish ones. Some bluebells may be pink or white. That is an oxymoron (or a contradiction in terms). I was disappointed to learn last year, that our garden ones are Spanish.
Hyacinths are similar to bluebells, but with much bigger blooms. Planted in the garden, they may flower for many years, but become smaller. They begin to look more like bluebells.
Bluebells were growing in our garden before we lived here. Wild flowers are propagated by many means. Birds and animals spread the seeds. Bluebells go to seed, but they also have bulbs. Plants with bulbs or corms often produce new ones underground. Bluebells certainly spread easily. I usually cut the dead flowers off before the plants use lots of energy making seeds. The foliage dies back later in the year and is more likely to nourish the bulbs. In any case dead-heading is a relaxing occupation.
Bluebells in a wild flower garden
There are other plants beginning with B. The blackthorn flowers early in the year. Later there will be sloes in the hedgerows. Buttercups begin to bloom in spring, when blossom of all kinds brightens the view. Bumble bees and other insects pollinate the flowers. Bees are fascinating. We have had bees living in the garden previously. They set up house underground. I wonder whether they’ll return this year. I know at least one beekeeper and have written about bees in posts on Sue’s Trifles. There are short posts there for the April challenge.
Do you find the natural world fascinating? What about creepy-crawlies?
