Maximum temperature here today 10⁰C, minimum -2⁰C. Dry . 9km/h North-Easterly winds with gusts up to 26 km/h. If the forecast is right it starts raining again tomorrow and the temps stay low.
The past week the weather has been great and the bugs and lizards have been out and about - think they have now all gone undercover again. I have been gardening so no time to go out for walks.
On another note, I had my second COVID jab yesterday and no reaction other than a slightly sore arm.
Japanese Quince (Chaenomeles japonica).
Daffodils.
Japanese camellia (Camellia Japonica).
Two-spot ladybirds can have up to sixteen spots! And then to confuse matters further, the ten-spot and harlequin ladybird can also have two spots. I was presuming this 16 spot was (Adalia bipunctata)... On second thoughts maybe this is the Asian Ladybug (Harmonia axyridis.)
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As above...
As above...
As above...
Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis)....
As above with a Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) commonly known as the Gendarme beetle. It was totally ignored presumably not very tasty!
Large Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis polychloros) on the viburnum tinus...
As above...
As above looking a little battered! ...
As above...
As above being bombed...
As above.
Lawn daisy (Bellis perennis) with what I believe to be Sweat bees (Halictidae).
Hoverfly and I think (Eristalis tenax).
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna).
Take care everybody, keep well and stay safe.
My local list of wildflowers. (90 Species 23/08/2020).
See also my
Hi Diane,
ReplyDeleteNature is spectacular.
Beautiful photos, I especially loved photo No. 10, of the butterfly.
Take care, hugs
I am surprised that there are so many butterflies around. I hope they all take cover as the next week is going to be horrible so it appears. You take care also, warm hugs, Diane
DeleteEven though the temperature is still cold there 10 ° C, the weather looks sunny and beautiful. Ladybugs, bees, lizards dare to come out of their existence ... even flowers, seem to bloom freshly beautifully.
ReplyDeleteAmazing natural scenery
I am sure your gardening activities are very enjoyable.
Thank you for inviting us to enjoy the beauty of nature and share beautiful photos with us.
Have a nice week
Regards
Thanks you so much for the kind comment and the visit. Sadly the weather goes downhill for the rest of this week so I hope all the creatures find a worm cover somewhere.
DeleteKeep well and have a good week also, Diane
I much prefer your March flora and fauna to what we have this month.
ReplyDeleteI think we are always ahead of you, but we are a bit ahead of ourselves this year. The change back to winter is tomorrow with more rain. keep safe and enjoy the week, Diane
DeleteOh, very pretty, Diane! Dirty snow here that is finally starting to melt. The daisy and bees so pretty but the ladybug rules! Stay safe and have a good rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteHi Pam, hope all is well over there. Thankfully we did not have snow here this year, but nothing is impossible with the change in weather this week! I also love ladybugs and they eat the aphids :-)
DeleteHave a good week and stay safe, Diane
Really like the one of the moth and the bee in the background.
ReplyDeleteThere were several bees bombing it but I was not quick enough!!! Keep well Diane
DeleteSo good to see the beautiful flowers and critters back in your garden. I have some bugs that look like the good ladybirds but they are not friends to my garden, they are pests that destroy my plants.
ReplyDeleteDo you not know what they are Nancy as they sound horrible. I was happy to see all the insects back but they have all gone into hiding again as winter returns. Hope all is well have a good week, Diane
DeleteHi Diane - the time of year when the weather moves up and down ... but the buds are burgeoning. Your photos are wonderful ... and I truly love that japonica - we used to have a hedge of it (small one!) such a gorgeous colour. I must identify a bird I saw recently sitting on the groynes here. Glad you've had your 2nd one ... mine will be May Day! Enjoy the garden - Hilary
ReplyDeleteThanks Hilary for the comment, things were looking up but we have had two heavy frosts over the last two days so not sure what is happening to the insects. Most of the garden seems to have survived so far though. You seem to be having far longer between vaccines than we are having, mine was 3 weeks. Keep safe and have a good week Diane
DeleteIt is good news, Diana, that you have had your second vaccination. I assume that his Imperial Nigelness also was jabbed. So now you will have a sense of invincibility as you meander hither and yon, safe in the knowledge that the virus has been banished, within the confines of your body at least! Perhaps lunch with the mayor is on the horizon, Scrabble games with the masses, air kisses and warm hugs. You must be giddy with the thought.
ReplyDeleteHi David, you assume wrong, Nigel has not had any vaccines he is too young!! The Dr's and the pharmacy have now started doing vaccines so we might be able to book him in with one of those, this is all very new, and he will phone tomorrow to see if he can get a booking. I think though that is the AstraZeneca jab and not the Pfizer one which I had. No restrictions lifted here and no sign of the curfew going as yet, Next year may be better!! Diane
DeleteAnd I do realize of course that you are Diane and not Diana, although wasn't Diana a goddess of something or other, which I am sure you are of course!
DeleteGorgeous photos of the garden critters. I'm glad to hear you are gardening. I haven't started yet. I hope I can do a bit before the weekend because rains will start again on Friday but I've got a lot to do this week so I may not get to it for awhile yet. Happy week ahead to you.
ReplyDeleteI have done a fair bit of digging so far Penny but we have a big area so it takes time and we are much slower than we used to be! Rain returns tomorrow so that will stop me from working in the mud that will probably develop!
DeleteHave a good week Diane
Hi Diane, sadly I think your second thought is correct - an Asian Ladybird or what, in UK, we refer to as Harlequin Ladybird. They are a major threat to our other ladybirds, and in UK we are urged to destroy them.
ReplyDeleteSuper photography, great wildlife, and delightful flowers in your wonderful and productive garden.
I'm delighted to hear that you've had your second shot of vaccine already - still take great care!
Best wishes to you both - - - Richard
Richard yes I pretty much decided that my second thought was right!! Next ladybird I see I will take more notice at the time, I now realise what the difference is.
DeleteYes I am glad that I have had two shots, we now just need to get Nigel with a first shot. Chemists and Drs, it was announced yesterday will be giving the AstraZeneca jabs, so he will try tomorrow and see if he can get a booking. I had Pfizer.
Keep safe and enjoy the remainder of the week, best wishes also to both of you. Diane
A treat to see all your photos, so good to know spring is around the corner. It was 70 degrees F. here yesterday but supposed to snow again on Monday. I certainly hope that forecast changes! All the best and enjoy the rest of your week :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise, frosts and rain have returned here but hopefully spring will return again very soon. Keep safe and have a good day Diane
DeleteLooks like full blown spring had arrived and sounds like it will soon be chased away.
ReplyDeleteYes you are right it has been chased away, hopefully not for too long!! Keep well and enjoy your warmth. Best wishes from us both, Diane
DeleteNow lovely to have these spring like breaks Diane, I can imagine how welcome they would be, and you certainly make the most of them, super series of macros here. Hopefully the return to winter will not last too long. Btw my cough seems to have disappeared for a while, but I have a feeling it will return at some point, it always does ✨
ReplyDeleteMy cough also comes and goes for no apparent reason but this has now been going on for many years so I am just happy when it goes!! Take care Diane
DeleteGreat shots. The Japanese camellia is such a pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteThe canellia ia lovely and lots more blossoms arriving. Have a good week Diane
DeleteAll fabulous and very enjoyable images Diane. Love the framing on your photos also. Glad to hear you had no ill effects from your covid vaccination. May I ask which type you had? We have not had our second shot yet but hope to be able to make an appointment soon.
ReplyDeleteDenise I had Pfizer but but husband is due for AstraZeneca tomorrow so we shall see if any difference. Keep well Diane
DeleteThank you Diane, I suppose we will be getting Pfizer again when we go back for our second shot. No word on when that will be yet but it should be any day now.
DeleteHello again, just to let you know we received our second vaccination and have had no ill effects. I wrote about it today :) All the best and enjoy the rest of your week.
DeleteHi Diane, have a wonderful Sunday.
ReplyDeleteTake care, hugs Maria
Thanks Maria, a quiet day with a chilly wind!! have a good week Diane
DeleteHappy to know that you have received your two covid vaccinations. Your garden shows that spring is definitely arriving in your area, the blossoms are lovely.
ReplyDeleteYes I am glad that I now have had two but I gather full immunity only takes 3 weeks after the second one. My husband is dur his first one tomorrow. Keep safe, Diane
DeleteLooks a lot like Spring. Glad you have had the jabs. We are still waiting but we don't have any infections in the community only in quarantine hotels.
ReplyDeleteYou're already have your second jab? That's fantastic! It will be much later in the year before I can get mine.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely as ever, especially the ladybirds! Great that you have already had your initial vaccines.. ours are being talked about, and we have an online registration system but not sure when they will arrive actually. In the meantime just staying safe and away from contact as much as possible! Luckily we still have a lot of open spaces, and freedom :)
ReplyDeleteHi Diane,
ReplyDeleteHave a great week
Hugs