France in Focus

The ox-eye daisies seeds we scattered around the garden have really borne fruit with the variety and number of insects they attract. The sprayed fields and uprooted hedges around here have seen a severe decline, so we created our own insect paradise here.
I saw this little chap yesterday, the first time for a long time. I was pleased to see my investment in an iPhone was not wasted, and surprised at the quality of the photo !!

Trichius gallicus - bee beetle

Then there was this :
Cétoine dorée - Rose Chafer

And this little beauty that I've never seen before with his lovely long nose :
Lixus Iridis

Wow! Never seen Beetle 1 or 3 before - beautiful little bugs! Unless I'm wearing my glasses doing close garden work, goodness knows what little treasures I'm missing!

Bayleaf wrote: ↑Sun May 26, 2024 9:38 am Never seen Beetle 1 or 3 before

I certainly haven't seen (or noticed) No. 3 before. He was sitting on a Giant Hogweed leaf and I only noticed him because I was photographing the giant hogweed ! He's definitely my favourite

Because I enjoy photographing and identifying insects and spiders, I've become a lot more observant. I'd never have noticed them before (what a waste !!)

I think we'll be going on the hunt for more beetles! When I've been in our little wet paddock that is the main culprit of hogweed (no animals allowed in there!), I have noticed the plethora of bugs on the toxic plants. Then I feel bad for wanting to eradicate their source of whatever is so attractive to them!

Fabulous photos!

Bayleaf wrote: ↑Sun May 26, 2024 9:56 am I have noticed the plethora of bugs on the toxic plants. Then I feel bad for wanting to eradicate their source

The lovely Cinnabar moth feeds on ragwort ....

Such pretty bugs.

Reading a book / le silence de la campagne / buzzing around my feet / ground nesting bees / takeoff and landing / mind your step.