Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Insects (assorted) Page 4

Image Taken on 07 Mar 2014 at 16:18 Image of day on 17 Apr 2014

A few Bumble Bees were warming themselves in the sunshine on some lichen covered Willow trunk behind the Duck-shaped pond. We think this is a Buff-Tailed Bumble Bee

Ref: 20140417_p10_20140307_1618_564 buff-tailed bumble-bee on lichen covered willow bark (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 27 May 2016 at 12:36 Image of day on 08 Jul 2016

A 10 metres stretch of 'Green Alkanet' (which has Blue flowers!) attracts more bees than any other single feature. But bee numbers so far have been terrible - this one of about 10 Bumble Bees feeding - we couldn't see a single Honey Bee on the blooms. The same goes for the Oil-seed rape crop (now at last starting to relent it's endless yellow domination) where all we see is a handful of white butterflies.

Ref: 20160708_df3_20160527_1236_162 buff-tailed bumblebee (bombus terrestris) feeding on green alkanet flower(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Sep 2013 at 08:14 Image of day on 05 Nov 2013

Next day they were still busy eating the Lime leaves, but 3 days later we could not find any on the tree or ground.
According to our reference book "when nearly full grown and ready to pupate they descend the tree and construct underground chambers in which they pass the winter as Blackish-Brown pupae".
We will leave them in peace!

Ref: 20131105_p10_20130902_0814_016 buff-tip moth caterpillar on half eaten lime leaf(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Sep 2013 at 10:57 Image of day on 05 Nov 2013

The Buff-tip Caterpillar are now on consuming their third branch of the Lime tree. Enjoy the natural light shadows of the caterpillars on the other side of the leaf near the bottom.

Ref: 20131105_a77_20130901_1057_049 buff-tip moth caterpillars on lime tree (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 15:40 Image of day on 27 Oct 2013

Our only Lime tree showed a twig with the leaves completely eaten away. The culprits had moved to an adjacent twig where we found about 10 Buff-tip moth caterpillars continuing their search for food.

Ref: 20131027_p10_20130831_1540_014 buff-tip moth caterpillars on lime tree - 10 insects feeding (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 13:50 Image of day on 27 Oct 2013

Our only Lime tree (as opposed to Large-leaf Lime) showed a twig with the leaves completely eaten away. The culprits had moved to an adjacent twig where we found about 10 Buff-tip moth caterpillars continuing their search for food.

Ref: 20131027_p10_20130831_1350_004 buff-tip moth caterpillars on lime tree - 2 passing either side of branch (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 13:51 Image of day on 27 Oct 2013

Finish your greens before leaving the branch!
Our only Lime tree showed a twig with the leaves completely eaten away. The culprits had moved to an adjacent twig where we found about 10 Buff-tip moth caterpillars continuing their search for food.

Ref: 20131027_p10_20130831_1351_006 buff-tip moth caterpillars on lime tree - 3 insects on last leaf on twig (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Sep 2013 at 08:15 Image of day on 05 Nov 2013

Ref: 20131105_p10_20130902_0815_024 4 buff-tip moth caterpillars on lime tree twig (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 19 May 2024 at 09:24 Image of day on 15 Jun 2024

Ref: 20240615_r70_20240519_0924_040 bumble bee (prob buff-tailed) entering foxglove flower spattered with pollen(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 19 May 2024 at 09:24 Image of day on 15 Jun 2024

Ref: 20240615_r70_20240519_0924_091 bumble bee (prob buff-tailed) entering foxglove flower spattered with pollen(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 19 May 2024 at 09:24 Image of day on 15 Jun 2024

This 1.5m tall Foxglove is growing up the metalwork of the conservatory security gate, and is a favourite with the local bees. This appears to be one of our regular Bumble Bees species - a Buff-tailed.
We had no idea that Bumble Bees could fold back their proboscis in this manner.

Ref: 20240615_r70_20240519_0924_006-024 bumble bee (prob buff-tailed) hovering at foxglove flower folding proboscis (2 second montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 19 May 2024 at 09:25 Image of day on 15 Jun 2024

A montage of the Bumble Bee over about a quarter of a second.

Ref: 20240615_r70_20240519_0925_104+106 bumble bee (prob buff-tailed) visiting foxglove flower (montage over 250ms(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Apr 2020 at 12:25 Image of day on 08 May 2020

A Bumble Bee flying in to feed on the flower of a White Dead-nettle.

Ref: 20200508_df3_20200419_1225_014 bumble bee approaching white dead nettle(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Jun 2009 at 16:19 Image of day on 29 Jul 2009

A stop off for a mid-flight refuelling for once taken by pressing the shutter button to override the normal computer controlled trigger.

Ref: 20090729_da1_20090623_1619_340 ft1 bumble bee feeding on clover flower head (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 01 Aug 2019 at 15:44 Image of day on 17 Sep 2019

This Bumble Bee makes a couple of 'circuits' of this ring of flowers around this teasel.

Ref: 20190917_df3_20190801_1544_034 bumble bee feeding on ring of teasel flowers(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Jun 2009 at 16:18 Image of day on 29 Jul 2009

Far more bumble bees this year than we are used to, but distasterously few honey bees.

Ref: 20090729_da1_20090623_1618_325 ft1 bumble bee in flight at clover flower head (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Jul 2009 at 11:15 Image of day on 29 Aug 2009

A bumble bee netted feeding on Great Willow Herb near a bramble patch - most likely the cause of the slightly tatty wing edges.

Ref: 20090829_da1_20090725_1115_079+1313_267 ft1 bumble bee in flight with great willow herb flowers (montage)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 04 Apr 2009 at 12:46 Image of day on 24 Apr 2009

Bumble bee on Blackthorn flower. There seem to have been far more bumble bees than usual this year.

Ref: 20090424_p34_20090404_1246_950 bumble bee on blackthorn flower (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Apr 2013 at 10:19 Image of day on 06 Jun 2013

The warmest day so far brought out a few insects including some precious pollinators.

Ref: 20130606_df1_20130423_1019_024 bumble bee on cherry flower (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 25 Jul 2009 at 11:20 Image of day on 29 Aug 2009

5 minutes later released on to a thistle flower it had a quick feed on that and then moved to a clump of Great Willow Herb & spent several minutes sampling the many flowers.

Ref: 20090829_db1_20090725_1120_211 bumble bee on great willow herb flower (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

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