Butterfly Love

During my afternoon walk, I spotted what I thought what would be the main subject of today's post. While examining a patch of flowers looking for insects, I spied a tawny mining bee, a dazzling female, and was able to follow it back to its burrow, a pronounced little mound with a hole in the top.

I kept an eye on it, and was able to photograph this beautiful insect as it emerged and sat quietly on the edge of her burrow.

But the poor buzzer got upstaged!

As I neared home after my second walk of the day, walking through the library gardens drinking a can of the divine Rubicon guava, I noticed some fluttering near a bush in the distance. Closer, and I could see it was a pair of gently spiralling small tortoiseshells, seemingly engaged in some kind of courtship routine although the male didn't seem to be getting very far.

All his attempts to move in however meant they stayed still just long enough for me to photography them.

Best pic of spring so far!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.03.19