Buzzers and Flutterers Unlimited

For all the bees and butterflies I saw while out running in the morning, I had no photography success apart from this little bee I spotted on a dandelion like a sunspot on the sun as I ran opposite the power station. It's a solitary bee of some kind, perhaps a mining bee, but I really have no idea.

It is very pretty, and it is only about half the size if that of a regular honey bee.

"Like a sunspot on the sun"

So we have a buff striped abdomen, with a gingery thorax

Somehow managed to get a decent shot of the wings with my mobile phone

This really wasn't enough for me, one solitary bee when there were so many photo opportunities flying about today. So in the afternoon I headed out for a walk through Clay Lane park, along to the Forgotten Reserve, Friary Road park, and then the Castle.

My first success was to somehow photograph of brimstone on the wing. This took no skill, rather, random wavings about of my Moto G while firing off the shutter. But it did net me these two photographs. This was a glorious citrus yellow male.

Lucky capture

Not such a clear shot

Next up, a trip through the Forgotten Reserve, which netted a honey bee and a rather flighty peacock at a distance.

Had very full saddlebags, this bee

Don't even think of flying away, damn you

Nothing put on a show in the Friary Road park, but in the Castle grounds a very obliging small tortoiseshell put on a fine display for me as it fed off forget-me-not. The photographs make it look like it is flying through a Willy Wonka landscape!

Compared to others I've seen, this butterfly was in good condition

Only forget-me-not interested this specimen

Bertie Basset flowers

Underwing view as it feeds

Surrounded by red mushroom trees

I got a slightly better shot of another nervous peacock as I neared home. I so need a better camera!

I hope you have seen some flying sighs on spring today.

Si