Common Wasp Life cycle

I continue to marvel at the intricacies of insect life. We had to have a wasp's nest destroyed as it was in a totally inconvenient place - right next to the lawnmower in a rolled carpet in our shed. Normally I am happy to live alongside wasps as they help control garden pests. Part of the nest remained when we dragged out the carpet and the wasps here had survived and were busy with their daily routine of bringing up the young. The eggs are laid in the paper cells and when hatched fed by the workers on caterpillars etc . They also keep the cells clean and move the grubs around etc. When they are mature the grubs spin silk cocoons and then pupate and transform into the adult wasp, biting their way out. Some of the workers act as guards - in the last two images, a guard wasp sensed my presence and came forward with wings vibrating. I did get one sting in the process of photographing but generally they were unperturbed by a camera lens and ring flash a few centimetres from them.

Lee Valley Cornmill Meadows and White Water Centre

We visited planned a visit to Cornmill Meadows to photograph dragonflies on Monday and ended up with photographs of canoeists, wasps and other insects but no dragonflies. The canoeists were taken at  1/1600th down to 1/15th second showing the very different appearance of fast-flowing water at different shutterspeeds.

I liked both the low-key and high-key insect portraits that resulted from using a small flash gun with dark and light backdrops. More wasp images and still not the one I want!!

Sliver-Washed Fritillaries

The Silver -Washed Fritillaries at Gamlingay Wood look as if they are going to have a good year. Once the sun came out (nearly an hour's wait!), the thistles and brambles were full of the large vibrant butterflies. Very difficult lighting with the sun coming and going but pleased with some of the shots. Eight other butterfly species photographed and two Odontera - Common Darter and White-legged Damselfly.

Soft Beauty of Barn Owls in flight

The silent feathers of the Barn Owl are in strong contrast to the sharp eyes and beaks. Images taken at the Raptor Foundation near St Ives Cambridgeshire.

Colourful World of Butterflies

My granddaughter, Meredith, was fascinated by the Butterflies at Butterfly World today. Unfortunately the weather was cool and damp so there were no native butterflies on the wing though lots of colourful flowers and other insects for her to explore and enjoy including the two large colonies of leafcutter ants. Here a main worker together with a small caste of soldier ants that rides on the leaves to fend off any intruders. The lady called them minions but I haven't found that term used in the information on the web yet.