I saw the last swallowtails of the year in August although other butterflies were still around until early October. A very good year for them all. The swallowtail made picture taking very easy as it lingered on the Joe Pye weed, a plant they love.
Tag Archives: Insects
METALLIC BEE
The bee was working on a deadline, busy collecting pollen in mid-September. Its colour is striking; among the most attractive of bees.
SOLITARY DAMSELFLY
I thought the season for damselflies was over for the year when I saw one a week ago, perched on a stem. We’re still seeing the occasional Monarch but this is the only damselfly I’ve seen in over a month. A wonderful sight indeed.
BEEZZ (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
The bees are making the most of the late summer flowers. They were everywhere that morning. Some worked together, some worked alone and some like the bee in the first photo didn’t want any company.
SULPHUR BUTTERFLY (TWO PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s been a terrific year for butterflies in my part of the country. When visiting a local botanical garden, in among the clouds of painted ladies was this solitary sulphur butterfly. I went back a day later and I saw it again. Unlike the painted ladies who were constantly on the move, the sulphur, Pink-edged or Clouded (I’m not sure which) savoured the nectar for a while.
HUMMINGBIRD MOTH
A friend had some success photographing a hummingbird moth at a wildlife garden we frequent. Luck was on our side too on a recent visit. This moth beats its wings at great speeds so I was pleased to get this photo and several others in decent focus (of the hundreds I took). Not an easy subject but oh, when it works😊.
METALLIC BEE
This is a metallic or sweat bee. Their attractive colouring make them one of my favourite bees. We don’t see many of them but when we do they often have a dusting of pollen that makes them stand out even more. You might notice another insect making its way up the underside of the flower. Had I seen it when I was taking the photo I would have remained to witness the encounter.
