Monday 2 May 2016

Sheltering Stonewalls

Although the temperature is slowly climbing, it still does not feel like spring. 

The sun was out for a short while this morning but the winds had picked up over night and it was too windy to get any descent macro shot in the fields.

However, there is always plenty to discover in the shelter of the stonewalls. Not only are they great for lichen and moss, stonewalls are also a welcome storage heater. The bees in particular love resting on warm stones. The cool air is making it difficult for them to take off as they need a certain body temperature before they can fly. The honeybee for example needs a body temperature for of 35 degrees before it can fly. 

Often when it is cold in spring or even summer we find bumblebees or bees that look as though they are dead or half asleep. They often are stranded on the pavement or walk paths ... we can help them by moving them to a safe place.

Surprisingly I didn't have to venture far today to find quite a selection of 'stranded' insects sitting on the stonewalls. 



Hoverfly

Fly

A very 'sleepy' mining bee ...

 ... it wasn't interested in moving and patiently put up with my lens close up.


The beautifully vibrant solitary bee ... 

... it tried to make away but struggled to take off. I left it alone after this shot.

The woodlouse - I am always surprised by how these insects look when I see the captured images at home on the screen. 





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