ASAP

Oh dear. I was trying to find the latest copy of New Scientist magazine after breakfast, and realised that in my enthusiasm to fill the blue recycling bin I must have put it there. The bin men have already been and emptied both green and blue bins. Fortunately I get it all - and more - digitally. I always enjoy the cartoons, and Tom Gauld’s one this week really made me smile.

I was going to have a break from blipping macros of insects. But, again early, I found two crackers in the garden so I’ve put those in extras.

First up was a huge fly with a very striking yellow nose. It is larger than most of the bumblebees visiting the garden and flies like a hoverfly. A bit of research and I’ve identified it as a hornet hoverfly. They mimic hornets, are the same size, and lay their eggs in the nests of social wasps. The larvae live there, eating waste and other detritus and unharmed by the wasps.

Second was our first red admiral butterfly of the year. It has spent much of the day in the garden, feeding on the wallflowers, and particularly partial to our two zinnia flowers. I planted seeds much earlier in the year, and didn’t have much success with the seedlings, but somehow two zinnias pulled through and are looking good.