Praying Mantids

I saw an insect flying clumsily in an alfalfa field a few weeks ago and those who know me will probably guess what I did next – well I followed it until it landed and to my surprise it was a praying mantid. Not the most graceful flier :). The praying mantid gets its name … Continue reading Praying Mantids

Air Show

I saw an awesome display by some dragonflies during my lunch walk yesterday. Dragonflies have beautiful colours, delicate wings and very big eyes. In some species the eyes meet at the top of the head and they can turn their head 360 degrees. You have to be quite stealthy approaching them - took me a … Continue reading Air Show

The Beauties

Butterflies – imagine beautiful sunny days, meadows, flowers, colours; snap - don’t fall asleep :). There are lots of butterflies flying around the valley; such gorgeous array of colours - purple, orange, yellow, white, you name it. They are difficult to take pictures of though. We saw some colourful ones flittering around during our hike … Continue reading The Beauties

Bees bees bees and “flying pandas”

The bees are busily working away and we have seen quite a lot. It is always nice to see them since they are invaluable. Without them we will have quite the restricted diet and will not able to enjoy some of the delicious fruits, berries and vegetables that abound in the valley. Don’t forget honey. … Continue reading Bees bees bees and “flying pandas”

Scarlett Malachite Beetle

I was pleasantly surprised when we came across scarlet malachite beetles in Armstrong. It brightened my day a bit after our encounter with the armyworm caterpillars. These beetles are not very common. They are good beetles; the adults feed on pollen and the young on other bugs. We saw more of these beetles in Enderby. … Continue reading Scarlett Malachite Beetle