Was the summer of 2008 the worst we've ever had? It was certainly no good for sunbathing. There were fewer butterflies than usual, but other insect life seemed to thrive. Here are some photos my younger son took in our suburban English garden with the Kodak digital camera we normally use to take beach snaps.
Ever seen a Garden spider catch a wasp? This one did, but it kept away from the sting.
1-0 to the Spiders.
This dragonfly larva pupa case (exuvia) was on a lily leaf in our pond. You can see the exit hole.
Inspiration for the film Alien?
Here's how it looked when it was still in its skin.
Here's a well camouflaged Green Shield Bug. Not well camouflaged enough.
And a rather nice female Speckled Bush Cricket.
This is a blue damselfly.
A beautiful big bumblebee on a myrtle flower.
And a not so beautiful pair of cabbage white caterpillars stripping a nasturtium leaf.
Never mind. Here is a lovely little frog on a lily leaf.
And what's this on the honeysuckle? Another shield bug? Perhaps he found a new species!
Still think you need to fly all the way to the Amazon rainforest?