Red Admirals and Ivy Bees

 We are deep into autumn now, the last of the hirundids are gone and the winter thrushes are arriving from Scandinavia. Locally the feral geese are arriving at their favourite muddy field down by the river. Cold morning cycling has returned, so its buffs, hats and gloves for me on my commute. 

But there are still bright days and enough verbena and ivy in flower to attract pollinators. The hardy red admirals, always the last butterfly on the wing every year, are still plentiful, and although it took me a while, I found my first ivy mining bee of the season.

I have upped my running, getting in a 10km run at one point, and it certainly seems to be helping with my mental health and burning off excess ADHD energy and reducing tourette tics. 

So let me show you what I've seen while out and about, and I hope you like it.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 16.10.23

Nature Sketching

 I've some how ended up having a flu shot and a covid shot at the same time today when I wasn't expecting it, so I'm sat here with a rather sore arm sneezing and feeling a bit rough. 

I suspect tomorrow may be worse!

I was feeling bored, so decided to do something I've been procrastinating over for a while - trying my hand at doing colour sketches of some of my nature photos in my childlike style, using a packet of ten felt tip pens and a dinky sketchbook. 

So, here's what I spent 5 minutes doing earlier, a sketch of one of my ivy mining bee photos.

Don't be harsh on me.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 31.10.22

Ivy Mining Bees...and a Fat Spider!

 As is the case at this time of year, as the ivy blooms with its strange corona-virus looking flowers, the ivy mining bees emerge to gather with the honeybees, hoverflies and wasps who also make use of this vital autumn supply of pollen. 

With their vivid yellow-orange stripes, they are probably the second most beautiful bee species, after the female tawny mining bees that fly at the opposite end of the season in early spring. They are fast moving and to get good photos of them is a bit of a challenge but my Pixel 6A seems to be a lot better at focussing quickly that my Motorola G7 was. 

Also lurking was about the fattest, palest orb spider I've ever seen.

Perhaps it has eaten a good few ivy mining bees!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.09.22