New Hide

Some attempts from the new hide, a converted toilet tent.  Amazingly the blue tits reacted to the slight movement of the draped lens.  I hope they will get used to the new thing in their territory.  The arm of the kids' swing is directly in line with the feeder, which will have to be moved.  

Botanic Gardens

The Gardens were finally opened to Friends by timed appointment only.  We took Sadie and Meredith and their cameras.  I took the photos of Meredith with her camera and she took the one of me.

More Bugs

As the weather warmed up a little we walked from Toft to Kingston along a path where the insects were shaded from direct heat.  All taken with the diffused Metz flash.

More Flies

A Flesh Fly and a larger Hoverfly than in the last post, showing off their proboscis. Then some very small Greenfly - the largest about two millimetres.  The two tubes on the rear of their bodies are called cornicles - they exude pheromones and a defensive fluid, possibly the pink stuff to be seen in the photos.   

Is There Honey Still . . ?

Grantchester in June; full of students and tourists in the four pubs, the Orchard Tea Garden (founded 1897) admiring the Old Mill Pond and the Old Vicarage.  Not this year.  The Green Man is derelict, the Rupert Brooke is offering Free NHS Meals (honey sandwiches, perhaps?) cars are laid up by the Red Lion, the Tea Garden is empty, as is the Old Litter Bin.  Only the Gin Distillery in the Old Car Showroom was open.  

Sphaerophoria scripta

The Long Hoverfly is a migrant to England.  It is about 10 mm long and attractively coloured.  The Megabombus is a common bee.  

Macro Bugs

We met up with Barry and Sue at Kingston Old Railway Reserve with close-up lenses.  From top: Mullein Moth Caterpillar; 7-Spot Ladybird; Ladybird Larva; Hoverfly and Leaf Bug.