Potter Wasp collecting clay

Glad you liked the pink damsel yesterday. I was very pleased with too. I had to do a combination of two shots, to get the depth past the eyeballs and put a lot of effort in to merge the join. No one mentioned the depth so I guess the effort paid off.

After yesterday's meager takings, the blip monster was being very nice to me today. I nailed two good butterfly shots early on and then the wasp. At this point, the blip search was already over, as I knew the wasp would get the prize, but the bounty continued with not one, but two snakes, a huge brown mantis and three good dragon shots.

I was particularly proud of the snake sightings, as they were both on the far bank of the stream, in the bushes. The air was still and so I was able to use what I learned last week, by watching for foliage movement. A set of leaves would bend and sway slow and deliberate and on closer examination, the snake became visible. I captured images, but too far away to compete for blip.

I was excited when the wasp images came up on the screen. It was the same species that I blipped on August 29, it was collecting mud for making a pot, to entomb a paralyzed grub with eggs laid on it. You can clearly see that she collects the grit and glues it together with saliva, forming quite a large ball, to carry back to the pot site.

I did have full frame images, but decided to crop in close to show you the detail of the operation. I was lying flat on the ground, six inches from the beastie, with no chance of escape if things got ugly. A short year ago, I would not have been seen within three feet of this menacing looking bug, now all I see is natures raw beauty.

Are you brave enough to go even larger!

T'was a great blip day, hope you like my choice.

Dave