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Category Archives: insects

Cones, Bush Cricket and Another Creature

We find lovely things in the strangest places. We were at the dump taking more prunings, this time from the overgrown Jasmine, when I spotted pine cones at the top of the tree against a beautiful blue sky.

I think what we found on the Jasmine was a Speckled Bush Cricket but it might be a Short Winged Cone Head!

The next creature, looking like a twig or a bit of Autumn leaf on our newly painted trellis, I can’t identify. It didn’t move while we were watching. It’s about 1″ tip to tip. Can any UK readers help?

PS 26th September 2020
I sent a photo to the Royal Entomological Society yesterday and this is my reply today. Thank you Professor Hardie!

Hi

It’s a plume moth, family Pterophoridae, and we have some 45 species in UK. This one looks like a common or brown plume moth, Emmelina monodactyla.

Best wishes and take care

Jim Hardie

Professor Jim Hardie,

Director of Science, Royal Entomological Society,

11 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on September 25, 2020 in Cornwall, insects, nature, Photography, Postaday2020, Uncategorized

Tags: Professor Jim Hardie, Royal Entomological Society, Short Winged Cone Head, Speckled Bush Cricket

Treen, Cistus and Unknown Flower

03 Jul

1 I’m still putting things back into the nearly renovated dining room and ‘discovered’ our treen all over again. This little round box, about 4″ diameter and 2″ tall, is a lovely example.

Treen box

The two sections can be unscrewed, and there are three pieces inside.

Opened up

When assembled, these make two beautiful candlesticks, about 3 1/4″ tall, and a snuffer. We’ve never used them and I don’t think my Mum and Dad did either but we’ve had them as long as I can remember.

Candlesticks and snuffer

2 The White Cistus is covered in flowers that look like poached eggs and the bees are loving them. The whole bush appears to be buzzing.

Bee on White Cistus

3 This delightful mauve flower has seeded itself in my herb garden and serendipitously, its flowers co-ordinate with the Thyme, the Sage and the Chive flowers. The flowers appear from a furry little bud which uncurls to form several flower stems with lots of little flowers on each. Can anyone tell me what it is, please?

Unidentified flower, self seeded

P.S. A neat little thing I noticed as I posted – this is my 651st post and today my 651st follower joined me in my quest for the beautiful things in our lives.

11 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on July 3, 2013 in bees, flowers, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013

Tags: candlesticks, chives, herbs, sage, snuffer, thyme, treen

Humanist Wedding, Johnson’s Blue Geranium and Brooke’s Sister

22 Jun

1 I conducted a beautiful Humanist Wedding Ceremony this afternoon. I do love these weddings – they are so individual, special and unique to the couple involved. Enjoy some of it with me.

Before the Ceremony, which took place under the tree

Bunting in the barn, made from fabrics with special memories for the Bride

Hedgerow flowers on the tables

Bridesmaids with sunflowers

The Beautiful Bride

The Cake, the Loving Cup and the Whiskey

2 The Johnson’s Blue Geranium is very beautiful and is buzzing with bees.

Bee on Johnson’s Blue Geranium

3 Yesterday I discovered a new blog Brooke’s Voice. It is one of the most beautiful I have read and I wanted to tell you a bit about it so that you can, please, visit it and be moved as I was by the love for her sister and the talent of a young writer who is still at school. Gosh, how I would love to be her English teacher to nurture this talent. What a way with words this young woman has, painting pictures with her lyrical sentences.

15 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on June 22, 2013 in flowers, Humanist ceremony, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013, Weddings

Tags: Brooke's sister, Brooke's voice, english teacher, home-made bunting, Humanist Wedding, Johnson's Blue Geranium, nurturing talent, wedding ceremony

First Rose, Bumble Bee Bum and Tree Fern

05 Jun

1 Our climbing rose has just opened. I’m hoping that the Wisteria that you can see to the left, still in bud, will come into blue blooms to be a beautiful contrast to the roses.

First climbing rose

2 Just look at the pollen sacs on this bee – so full and heavy, he could barely get from violet to violet.

Bumblebee bum and pollen sacs

3 At the weekend I had almost decided that our Tree Fern, new last year had not made it despite all the watering and loving attention I have given it. Three days of really warm sunshine and here are the new growths. My friend, John, said on Monday to be patient and he was right!

Tree fern unfurling

13 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on June 5, 2013 in flowers, garden, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013

Tags: tree fern, Wisteria

Bluebell, Clematis and Bombylius Major

24 Apr

1 Our first Bluebell is just about to open. I love bluebells.

Our first Bluebell

2 There are lots of pretty blue and white Clematis Macropetala flowers in the front garden.

Clematis Macropetala

3 While taking more photos for the Weekly Photo Challenge, I could hear buzzing so set off to find the bumblebee. I had never seen a bee like this with such a long proboscis so came to look it up and discovered that it may be beautiful to look at, it is not beautiful in its behaviour and it isn’t actually a bee but a Bee Fly.

Bombylius Major on the Lithodora, Heavenly Blue

Another view – Bombylius Major on the Rosemary, showing the wings

According to Wikipedia, The large bee fly, Bombylius major, is a bee mimic. The eggs are flicked by the adult female toward the entrance of the underground nests of solitary bees and wasps. After hatching, the larvae find their way into the nests to feed on the grubs.^[1]

9 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on April 24, 2013 in environment, flowers, garden, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013

Tags: bluebell, Bombylius Major, bumble bee, clematis macropetala, Lithodora Heavenly Blue, rosemary

Weekly Photo Challenge – Lunchtime, Bees and Planting

17 Mar

1 Beautiful warm sunshine took us outside today and our first lunch in the garden this year – a simple one of sun-warmed tomatoes and home-made guacamole with melba toasts followed by sweet clementines.

First lunch in the garden this year

2 Bees were also enjoying the sunshine and the Spring flowers.

Bees on the Muscari

3 We’ve also done our first plantings – two varieties of shallots and a big Birch tree, something the lovely Mr S has hankered over for years and has at last achieved.

Beautiful Birch under-planted with bluebells

13 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on March 17, 2013 in Eating out, flowers, Food, garden, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013, Uncategorized

Tags: al fresco lunch, bees, home-made guacamole, multi-stemmed birch tree, photography, Postaday, postaday 2013, weekly photo challenge lunchtime

Sign of Spring, Fly and A New Chocolate Cake

11 Jan

1 The honeysuckle is beginning to bud already. I hope the promised freezing weather doesn’t do too much harm.

Honeysuckle bud

2 I love the iridescent colours on the body of this fly which has landed on the Cistus.

Iridescence on a fly on a Cistus flower

3 Today I have discovered a new cooking blog and a beautiful sounding cake, Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Cake, which I have made this afternoon.

Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

Served with raspberries and cream

15 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on January 11, 2013 in baking, flowers, Food, insects, nature, photography, Postaday2013, Uncategorized

Tags: baking, chocolate cake, Dark Chocolate and Raspberry Cake, honeysuckle, iridescence, Postaday, postaday2013, Spring

Carn Marth Gig, A Murmuration of Bees and Hairy Dieters’ Delicious Dish

19 Aug

1 The gig at Carn Marth was beautiful! It was a lovely relaxed affair with the barbecue burning, children playing, scarecrows were being made for the competition and all while we were singing our hearts out, all 100 of us, all taught by Claire, and, after an horrendous forecast of torrential rain, the sun shone on us! Brilliant! I only have a picture of the three choirs enjoying our warm-up.

Inglehearts, Suitcases and Riversiders warming up prior to Carn Marth Gig

2 When I came home, I sat in the arbour at the back of the garden, knitting and listening to nothing but the murmuration of the bees and was reminded of this lovely piece by Tennyson, especially the last line.

“……………. and sweet is every sound,

Sweeter thy voice, but every sound is sweet;

Myriads of rivulets hurrying thro’ the lawn,

The moan of doves in immemorial elms,

And murmuring of innumerable bees.”

3 For supper tonight I made a delicious dish from the Hairy Bikers turned Dieters – Spanish Style Chicken Bake. I’ll post the recipe if anyone is interested. It was warm enough for us to eat outside tonight too. Lovely.

Spanish Style Chicken Bake a la Hairy Dieters with a couple of variations

P.S. For your information and delectation, ‘murmuration’ is the collective word for a flock of starlings as well as the sound of murmurings. Just thought you might like to know!

14 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 19, 2012 in baking, Carn Marth, Cornwall, Food, gigs, insects, music, nature, poetry, quotations, senses, singing, Uncategorized, Words

Tags: Carn Marth, Claire Ingleheart, Hairy Bikers, Hairy Dieters, Inglehearts, Postaday, postaday2012, Riversiders, Suitcases

Butterfly Proboscis, Translucent Nasturtium with Bee and Dancing Caterpillars

18 Aug

1 A friend sent me this beautiful picture today.Isn’t it just remarkable? Thank you, John.

Butterfly Proboscis…Tip of a Butterfly Tongue (720X) by Stephen S. Nagy, M.D.

2 The bees were very busy round the nasturtiums today. It was their sound that drew me over to them.

The sun shines through the nasturtium and through the bee’s wings

3 On one of the leaves of the nasturtiums, I found these little caterpillars and they were dancing! If you look carefully, you can see that some of them have their heads up – you can just see the shadow underneath. They did that for a second or so, rested a moment and were off again in almost synchronised movement. It was delightful to watch but very hard to capture on film.

Caterpillars dancing!

I’ve just looked up ‘dancing caterpillars’ and apparently they do it to put off predators. I must have looked very threatening but it was Mr S they needed to look out for!

25 Comments

Posted by mybeautfulthings on August 18, 2012 in birds, insects, nature, Uncategorized

Tags: butterfly proboscis, Postaday, postaday2012, Stephen S Nagy M.D.

Small Copper, Tin and Copper Mine and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

14 Aug

1 Mr S spotted a beautiful little butterfly on the trellis early this morning. It’s a Small Copper.

Small Copper butterfly

2 We loved doing the first of our walks from Sue Jackson’s book “Discover Cornwall” this morning! So good to have the author on the end of the phone when we got ‘lost’ – entirely our fault! The view from the top is amazing, all the way across Cornwall from one coast to the other! Photos from the walk follow –