larger than life

 

16-09-26 Another macro safari in Warriston Cemetery. 

Giant Polypore - huge fungus

Although there was an occasional butterfly about (admirals and speckled woods mostly) I decided to put the macro lens on and concentrate on the insects on the yellow flowers just in front of the crypts. There was a decent showing of them although not much exotic - mostly hoverflies, drone flies and bees.

Phaonia angelicae

geese fly past overhead
making distant honking calls

probably pinkfoot or greylag

last photo taken with 400mm zoom

Syrphus ribesii

on to the macro lens

Harlequin ladybird

There is always the hope that I will photo a non-harlequin ladybird but the majority turn out to be that invasive and dominating species. I suppose it is better to have them than none. They have many different appearances so I'll presume I am photographing another type until I get home and the app says Harlequin again.

Syrphus ribesii

Eristalis tenax - drone fly

Lygus spec.

Syrphus ribesii

as above

Harlequin ladybird (again)

Lucilia sericata - greenbottle

Lasioglossum spec.
(Green furrow bee?)

Phalangium opilio - common harvestman

Syrphus ribesii

Eristalis tenax

Carder bumblebee

various insects on marigolds etc.

Lygus rugulipennis, Tarnished plant bug

Harlequin ladybird

Tachina fera

Syrphus ribesii

Phaonia angelicae

Eristalis tenax

Sarcophaga spec.

as above

Medetera spec.

common wasp, Vespula vulgaris

red admiral near Dunedin St.

On the way home it is no longer possible to cross the high wooden bridge at St Marks Park over to Broughton Rd and you have to divert over the lower bridge into Powderhall and via Dunedin St to access McDonald Road, which is a pain. The council have said the bridge is closed because of structural deficiencies (although as this coincides with it being really handy for the construction company doing building work that straddles St Marks Path for the next year or 2, and it is very much in their interest not to have that section of path open, we can only guess at the truth), and wait for the construction to finish before the bridge and path are reopened. 

The only upside was passing a few buddleia bushes which are all but finished now. But for a couple of weeks had painted ladies and a pretty decent comma visiting. And, of course, red admirals. It has been such a busy season for admirals on buddleias that we have to force ourselves to remember it is not always like this. As other nectar sources become scarcer the few sources still flowering; asters, scabious, buddleias, rudbeckias and the like, can become very busy on sunny Autumnal days. One of the few bonus balls at this time of the year.

5miles in 3hrs39m