Colour on a dull day

It's been a pretty bad 24 hours for the South Island of NZ, with a major weather front doing a lot of damage through snow and rain.  I was in Nelson and it hasn't been so bad there but the rivers on the way home were really wild.  My thoughts go out to everyone stuck in bad conditions.

After my meeting I had to stop in Richmond for some quick shopping before heading home, so I ducked around to my butterfly tree just on the off chance.  Most of the butterflies were closed to conserve warmth but this wee group had found themselves a dry spot and were enjoying the end of the day - there was no sunshine but at least they weren't wet and shivering.

Now to TinyTuesday#3.  Thanks Barb (WalkingWombat) for asking me to judge this.  I think I will forgive you - one day!  This has been really hard, with such a wonderful selection of images, and I have pored over them all, and angsted over the photos I have had to leave out of my list.  Anyway, in no particular order:

Buggy things:
Osuzanna – because one day I want to take this photo
Sefferdog – beautiful composition and focus
Jensphotos – it takes perfect focus to show those markings like that
Maura 143 – freaky!  Just freaky, okay! (love those patterns)
Hesscat – this is as much about the plant and composition as it is about the spider
GoateeBooknerd – focus!
Davidc – getting that eye in focus takes seriously steady hands!
Incredibish – here’s looking at you - love the patterns in those eyes

Droplets – we all know I love them!
Trudie K – beautiful reflection and diminishing droplets
Beckett – such opulence of droplets
Marlieske – more opulence
Farmergirl – This was a really hard choice because I work with her – but after seriously questioning myself, it does belong here – beautiful refraction

Plantlife:
Greg-Lovett – looks like something alien – great take on scabiosa
Biker Bear – great use of narrow dof

Other stuff – because macro doesn’t have to be about nature alone
Lizellen’s ribbon  
 
My favourite four for no reason other than that for me they resonate:

Connections – just beautiful – dof, subject, focus -  all work for me
Winchwench – the focus on that antennae!  Love this composition
Tie Breaker
Helwild
Clearly for me it’s about bug sex this week!

Good luck to who ever takes this on judging next week!

Thanks everyone - and sorry ALL the images couldn't make my shortlist.