Hairy-footed Flower Bee (Anthophora plumipes)

I have seen both female (all black) and male (ginger with 'hairy' feet) Hairy-footed Flower Bees (Anthophora plumipes) busy in the garden on the Dead-nettles, Pulmonaria and Primroses today. I haven't been quick enough to photograph a female but here the male, with the feather-like hairs on their middle legs (“plumipes” means “feathered foot”). The females construct and provision  nest burrows in old walls etc. This bee has a characteristic darting and hovering flight plus a high-pitched 'buzz' which contrasts with the ‘booming’ buzz of a bumblebee. Males patrol areas in search for mates and hover behind females to then ‘pounce’ and attempt to mate. The male’s feathery leg hairs are displayed during mating.

Garden Waterlife

I have various containers of water in the garden - usually temporary for washing off any weed I am cleaning out from the pond so I don't destroy any water creatures sheltering in the excess weed. I thought I would see what had washed off from a previous pond session and delighted to discover this larval Cloeon dipterum larva (the Pond Olive) which correlates well with the adult photographed near the pond last year. 

Spring Markers 2025

 As today is officially (according to some!) the first day of Spring, I did my usual recording of what is in flower. There seem less species around - perhaps as a result of the very dry summer. Violets and celandine are two species that have declined and are certainly woodland 'cool/wet' species. The Kingcups, Comfrey and Ground Ivy are not yet showing buds. (2024 comparison Ann Miles Blog: Spring Markers 2024)

 Many thanks to Ann, Mike, Carina and Stephen for coming over from Paxton to clear some of last year's dead stalks and leaves from the garden  and give the pond its annual rake out. Frustrating to have to watch but I certainly don't want to end up delaying my recovery from surgery.

Inverts Emerge from Winter Hibernation

As the temperature climbed to 19 degrees insects and spiders emerged from the vegetation. Gwynne's Bee is always one of the first to be recorded and please to see a Zebra Jumping spider holding the usual territory on the summerhouse wall

 

First Insects etc of the Year

 The warm sunshine yesterday brought out quite a lot of flies, spiders and bees in the garden. Recovering from surgery is frustrating as I can manage the camera and macro lens but no fill-in flash and chasing bees is definitely out! Anyway here five invertebrates to start 2025 garden records

Home at Last

 After 4 weeks in Addenbrookes Hospital, I am home and trying to recall how to work the computer, logins etc. It was great to be greeted by a host of garden birds on the feeders and in the pear tree (blossom is just emerging). Through 3 panes of glass so no quality!!

Lichens Circles of LifeI

I was working on this panel of images before being rushed into hospital 3 weeks ago (still captive}

Lichens from a wetter woodland area at Paxton Pits. 

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Trip to London 1

 We preceded a visit to the theatre in London on Wednesday with a look round the Portrait Gallery. It has undergone a lot of renovation work in recent years and now has special blinds that protect the artworks from damage by the sun but also create some fascinating silhouettes. A brief walk to our lunch stop at Ham Yard and then to the Harold Pinter theatre to see The Years - a wonderfully produced and acted play but not for the faint-hearted in places. 

Toft Garden Trees 1

After sessions at Paxton Pits identifying trees, I decided a catalogue of what is in my Toft (Cambridgeshire) garden would be a good plan. Hopefully this first batch are correct - note to self - label twigs as I remove from tree/bush as some are very difficult to distinguish.  We start with an oak kindly given to me as a birthday present about 20 years ago, now a fair-sized tree that needs the leader shoot cut back every year or two - host to a huge number of insects - thanks Tricia Kreyer