fly-tanic

05/09/18

A quick trip to the Botanics. I had remembered that a year ago there were tremendous displays of RAs on specific white plumes in the herbaceous border. Last year was a great year for the Red Admirals and you'd think that if they all were busy reproducing, then this year would be even better. So far this is not the case but it is perhaps too early to tell. Last year I was only seeing the first of the RAs about the end of August and it the 20th Sept when they were out in force on the white flowers in the botanics. Blog here. Which might explain the lack of white flowers and Admirals last Wednesday.

In fact there were no butterflies at all - weird in a place full of attractive flowers - but I suspect the local butterflies prefer local flowers, and the Botanics is not the place for huge amounts of buddleia. However there is always something good to look at there. Even though a lot of the Summer flowers were dying back and the Autumn explosions of colour had yet to get underway.

This was the first time I had seen the Buddhist shrine, near the Chinese garden. It is really well carved and sits very handsomely in its setting. And of the religions of the world it represents one of the less silly ones. I would have had a lot more to say had there been representations of virtually any other religion in this place, and I'm unsure of what the relevance or background for this carving is. I can't find anything on the website etc. But it is well done and looks rather pleasing.

I have never been disappointed walking through the gardens, it is a lovely relaxing place to be, but there was something of a lack of obvious spectacle and the sun would disappear behind clouds from time to time making even less available light. Then something would catch my eye - just what the hell are those hard knobbly growths on the Campbell's Magnolia??!

I think they are seed pods from which the seeds will burst.

As I was lamenting the lack of butterflies I did notice the large amount of hoverflies. Just about every flowering bloom was attended by one or more hoverfly. Most of them were the small ones only just visible to my failing eyes. Luckily the camera is better with small stuff than my eyes. I decided they could stand in as photographic models to replace the butterflies and they were most accommodating.

need more light for a faster exposure

Downcast by the lack of butterflies I went for a wander and almost immediately came across this amazing plant. It was under some trees and quite poorly lit so I was surprised the photos came out so well. It looks like something from under the sea. Or Star Trek.

there are always interesting plants and diverse shapes and patterns to photograph

These Lilies were asking to be photographed and the dark background made them stand out. Then I noticed the hoverflies and zoomed in on them. The anthers on the stamens reminded me of Chicken Maryland primary school dinners which was long thin pieces of chicken and bananas(!) done in breadcrumbs.

Wrenching myself away from hoverfly maryland, I visited the rock gardens on the way to the exit. There were a few things of interest but I got caught up again with more insects, a different sort of hoverfly - larger this time - on the delicate and miniature white flowers that they also have in the herbaceous border. 

I was loving the slightly desaturated bridal feel these flowers have.

So I will return to look for the long stemmed white blooms in a couple of weeks and see if the Red Admirals have returned in numbers. What a great place!