Cherries

As summer got under way, last year's crop of cherries looked like they weren't going to be outdone this year.  

Black fly.

I was a bit disappointed as last year was fantastic and they are probably my favourite fruit.  Disappointed that is, until I spotted my first ladybird on the tree.

Ever since then, I have overlooked the curling leaves and instead, hunted for ladybirds and their lavae munching the black fly.  I mentioned the other day spotting eggs, and lavae and a couple attaching themselves to leaves in the start of the metamorphosis process.  

What I noticed was how the forming pupa wriggled and writhed inside the shell of the lava.  They rear up on end and drop back down again, twitching as they change. Quite alien like but I've been totally fascinated.

So, when I got back from a walk today with Liz and the dogs at Swinsty & Fewston Reservoirs, I was back out to see how my little ones were doing!  After watching no movement for a few minutes, I turned to another one and noticed it was rearing up on end.  

Dash for camera.  

After a few shots of that, I went back to the original one which was now up on end.  As I glanced to a third one on a leaf behind, I noticed it had changed colour.  Peering closer, I realised it had split and was on its way out!  It looked quite a challenge -  getting out of a back-to-front jumpsuit with your hands tied together.  

The whole thing lasted only a minute or so, so I feel quite privileged to have seen it.  I have a few photos during the process but this one is my favourite.  The lava suit is round its ankles and its proudly upended itself to catch a little air.  I thought it looked like it had its trousers down!  

It's now hardening off and darkening in colour but still its bottom is stuck to the leaf so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

No cherries?  Supermarket.

Thank you for your lovely responses to my moment yesterday with the owl. It's a memory I will treasure as is this one but in quite a different way.  Nature never ceases to amaze me.