17-JUN-2015
Snails
Diane photographed the two snails in the above photo, identifying the one on the left as Cepaea sp, and the one on the right as a Grove Snail, Cepaea nemoralis.
Great crested flycatcher
This bird sat and sat on the birdhouse and allowed a number of shots. I was half hidden behind a shrub and the flycatcher seemed unaware of me.
18-JUN-2015
Beetle eggs
These may be the eggs of a ladybird beetle (Coccinellidae). At any rate, ladybird beetles lay golden oval-shaped eggs such as these, but so do some other beetles.
18-JUN-2015
White-marked tussock moth caterpillar ((Orgyia leucostigma)
On the underside of a walnut leaf. This is an early instar... it gets a lot bigger than this.
18-JUN-2015
Cocoon on white pine needles, possibly that of a green lacewing
This was minute and difficult to photograph as it was both dark under the tree and windy. But I put it here for interest's sake.
18-JUN-2015
Fourteen-spotted ladybeetle Propylea quatuordecimpunctata)
Common, but so small (3-5mm) they often go unnoticed. Like many insects, they come in a variety of patterns and can be both white and yellow.
18-JUNE-2015
Longhorned beetle (Clytus ruricolor)
I think these medium sized (about 14 mm) beetles are rather elegant looking and though common I don't see them as often as I'd like. Barry found and photographed this one.
18-JUN-2015
Four-lined plant bug (Poecilocapsus lineatus)
Numerous at this time of year, these large (for a plant bug) insects are especially common amongst goldenrods, although they can pretty well be found on most plants.
15-JUNE-2015
Monarch butterfly ( Danaus plexippus)
As far as I know, this is the first monarch butterfly sighted at the garden this year, and a welcome sight it is.
June-2015
Hover fly (Lejops subgenus Anasimyia) on iris
Another view of the very attractive bee mimic hover fly at the iris.
June-2015
Hover fly (Lejops subgenus Anasimyia) on iris
Iris flowers attract a lot of insects including this really pretty little hover fly (Syrphidae).
18-JUNE-2015
Crab spider, male (Misumena vatia)
This tiny male crab spider is a fraction of the size of the much, much larger (and more colourful) female. We don't often see the males, no doubt because they are so small and unobtrusive compared to the big females which boldly sit on top of plants waiting for prey to land.