The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 40⁰C but feels much hotter; the minimum tonight is 21⁰C. 16km/h Easterly winds with 30km/h gusts of wind. We need a lot of gusts!!
My last post at the end of June, was the start of May. I will endeavour to finish May off today, sitting in the office with the fan full on!
Carpenter bees in the garden at home ( Xylocopa ) Les Xylocopes on a Sweet William flower.
Most of the following photos were taken up North near Argenton-sur-Creuse, where we decided to have a break. It was even hotter there than at home!
Greater Stitchwort (Rabdera holostea) La Stellaire holostée. Something obviously enjoys the taste of it!! The insect is a Common Globetail or Feather hoverfly (Sphaerophoria script) Le Syrphe porte-plume. See a closer shot of the hoverfly near the end of this blog....
Common Mallow (Malva sylvesris) La Grande Mauve.
Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) Iris des marais.
Bird's foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) I think! Le Lotier corniculé.
Broad-veined or Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) Le Gazé ou la Piéride de l'aubépine.
Common knapweed (Centaurea jacea) La Centaurée jacée with a Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) L'Abeille européenne.
Beautiful demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) Le caloptéryx vierge...
As above, I think, despite it not looking quite the same colour!
A walk in the woods.
Blackberry flowers (Rubus fruticosus) La mûre, mûre sauvage ou mûron, aussi appelé meuron.
On our walk in the woods, we also spotted these tiny 'fairy' houses. We did not see any residents!
Argenton-sur-Creuse, La Creuse River, looking at the old bridge.
Argenton-sur-Creuse - Catholic church 'SaintSavior'.
Returning home, the last photos taken in May.
Beefly (Bombylius cruciatus) Bombyle, on the Sweet William.
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) La Petite tortue ou Vanesse de l'ortie. On the lavendar.
Common Globetail or Feather hoverfly (Sphaerophoria script) Le Syrphe porte-plume on the lavendar.
Love is in the air! Italian bug or harlequin bug (Graphosoma italicum) Le Graphosome d'Italie ou Punaise arlequin. It is on the 'gone to seed' Wildflower (Orlaya grandiflora) Lace flower, which you can see in flower at the top of the last blog.
Finally, I have caught up with May, now to try and catch up with June!!!
Beautiful series of captures, Diane. Thank you so much for sharing. 😊
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda It is a joy to take photos here and share them with you. Take care Diane
DeleteWe had a few days of over 40C last week too, so I feel you. You took some really amazing macro shots. The view of old bridge and river look so serene and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYes, you have had the heat as well but we seem to be much worse. This has been going on now from the last week in May, other than one single shower, and a couple of days in the mid-twenties! I wonder how much longer it will last, but next I will complain it is too cold!! The latter I hate more than too hot!! Keep cool ,Diane
DeleteWell done catching up. I guess its cooler inside. You sure have been having a heatwave. You might have to think about air conditioning. We have reverse cycle air con, cools in summer and heats in winter. We have solar panels on the roof so we don't pay for electricity. The trouble is European homes were never designed for heatwaves more for snowy winters.
ReplyDeleteNope, we will not have aircon, it makes me ill, and I have had pneumonia 3 times. When we fly I mask, and I will not even have it on in the car!! At least the house has very thick stone walls, and the lounge, which only gets late afternoon sun, remains cool. Keep well. t'other, Diane
DeleteOh that must be hard being allergic to aircon. But you have found a way to keep copol. that's good. LOve your insect photos and the old buildings.
DeleteThanks, it is cooling down a bit, at last we are back into the lower 30s!!
DeleteNice to read from you and see your beautiful images once again. I've been hearing about the heatwave in Europe and in France in particular. I think you're probably much better off in the country in your stone house than in the city. Keep hydrated and keep cool Diane. x
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Penny the thick walled stone house certainly has its advantages in summer. I guess it also works in winter, in that it keeps the heat in from the fire, but sadly that does not spread to the remainder of the house whish is narrow and long!! Thanks for the comment, it is still very hot here and a high of 40C expected again today. Keep well, Diane
DeleteYour photographs are always a delight, Diane, so clear, portraying a wide variety of organisms, and clearly labelled in English, French and scientifically. It makes it such a pleasure to read your blog. Don’t worry about not being caught up. We are not going anywhere and it’s always good to know that a backlog of excellence will be on its way sooner or later. Gros bisous - David
ReplyDeleteThanks David, we have not been on line for a bit so we realised. N phoned this morning from his mobile and now the internet is back. They said there was no problem, but strange it suddenly started working after the phone call. Because it is so hot outside, I am in the house more, BUT, the office and computer are upstairs, and even with the fan on it is still 29 to 30C here. Photos are much harder to come by at present as the the garden is burnt brown. The birds are appreciating the water filled up for them regularly, but I can only take photos of them through the window. French birds are very nervous even out of hunting season!! Keep well and thanks for the comment. Bisous, Diane
DeleteHi Diane. Your insect pictures are truly brilliant. And the French names for them all are very French! Can't think of a better way to say that. We are hot today, but nowhere near 40 degrees, Enjoy,
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil. I think the heat could end my insect photos very soon.. The plants are all dying and the insects have mostly disappeared, but I still have June to catch up with and early July. Tomorrow we expect 42C !! Keep well Diane.
DeleteUnbelievably hot! Hoter than SE Arizona. I love seeing your crisp macros of life. Hard to keep up when traveling and busy. I'm still working on March. Be well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gaelyn for stopping by. It is hard work at the moment as the office is so hot being in the roof!! We expect 42C tomorrow!! Take care Diane
DeleteCool shot of the Harlequin bugs! Also, that black carpenter bee is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love the carpenter bees so long as they keep away from our roof beams!! They are good at drilling holes for nests!! I hope all is well, Still very hot here, Diane
DeleteHello Diane,
ReplyDeleteA nice post with wonderful pictures.
Nice all flowers. But the butterflies on shot 6 and 16 are very, very nice!!
and what a fantastic place on shot 13. Very well done!!
Many greetings,
Marco
Thanks Marco for the visit and the comment. Argenton-sur-Creuse is a very pretty place, but far too busy with visitors. Parking was almost impossible. We were staying close by though so it was OK. That was the start of the heat wave, while we were there and it still continues. The garden is dying before my eyes, so the insects have now almost all disappeared. I still have a few more photos thought before I catch up. Take care, keep cool, we expect 42C here tomorrow!! Cheers Diane
DeleteUn placer pasar por tu blog, me encantó el reportaje. Besos.
ReplyDeleteMuchas gracias Teresa, aprecio mucho tu comentario. Besos. Diane
DeleteYour eye for the beauty of nature is amazing. Hope you're having a nice summer and not too hot.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thanks Amalia, such a kind comment and I appreciate it. It is far too hot here, but hopefully we have a few cooler days coming up!! Take care Diane x
DeleteYour little visitors have been busy Diane. I agree with Amalia. Gorgeous photos as always!
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise, your comment is always appreciated. Cheers Diane.
DeleteI suppose the insects will appreciate the heat more than the humans or the plants! Nice set of pictures.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Sadly the insects are not enjoying the heat either as all the plants they need for nourishment are dead!! Keep well Diane
DeleteForty degrees sounds absolutely intense, so staying inside with the fan on high was definitely the smart move for blog writing. Your photos from the trip up north are spectacular, especially that close-up of the carpenter bee and the beautiful demoiselle. Those tiny fairy houses hidden in the woods are such a magical, unexpected find during a nature walk. Good luck catching up on the June posts, you captured some truly wonderful summer moments here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Melody for the kind comment. The heat has been almost unbearable, but finally, now it is cooling down a bit, and and we are in the low 30s Centigrade. I still have so much catching up to do, but the heat in the office does not encourage me despite the fan!! Keep well, all the best Diane
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