#macro highlight

[photoblogdujour]

In motion. Dianthus in the spinning class at the local gym.

[donataelsner]

[omorfomyalo]

Untouched

[gastropodsgalore]

Queen Anne's Lace....🐌.

[aliceintulfes]

[bryonygrace]

The thing I love about macro photography Is noticing all the little details that you would never usually notice without the macro lens. 💜🌺

[willdmallow]

Beautiful morning

[marshfernportraits]

A blue dasher.

1/2000 f6.3 550mm iso800 Nikon z6ii with sigma 150-600mm handheld

Found in Seminole county Florida

All rights reserved ©Dana Schlotzhauer Topliffe. Using images without permission is theft.

[zdravkophotography]

Macro water drop 💧📸

[photoblogdujour]

That ship has sailed.

[donataelsner]

[omorfomyalo]

Drink me

[gastropodsgalore]

[aliceintulfes]

[dansnaturepictures]

My Great British Wild Year: Part 3 of 5-Dragonflies, damselflies and other wildlife

I had a dazzling year of dragonflies, from perfect moments by a stream at Nant-y-Pandy (The Dingle) on Anglesey seeing a colossal Golden-ringed Dragonfly to Keeled Skimmers in Pig Bush, New Forest’s boggy areas I had so many wonderful moments. Four-spotted Chaser was a star of my year with enchanting times seeing them at RSPB Valley Wetlands and Cors Dddyga as well as Hickling Broad, with brilliant Broad-bodied Chaser a key species enjoyed too. Emperors in all their masterful glory including one seen egg laying, eye catching and bold Southern Hawkers and marvellous manoeuvring Migrant Hawkers were ones I enjoyed fine views of locally and further afield so many times through the year. Hawkers dominated my year with gripping moments seeing distinctive Brown Hawker and also a fantastically fresh new species for us the Norfolk Hawker a key moment in my year on July trips to Norfolk and Rutland. Black-tailed Skimmer was a shining constant on my Lakeside walks in summer weeks, passing on the baton to scintillating Common Darter as well as Migrant Hawker as the season and year went on, the Common Darter another I had a great year for also seeing some mating. Delicate Ruddy Darter and Hairy Dragonfly were good to see too. A pivotal moment in my dragonfly year and an enchanting spectacle came at Thursley Common in late September when I was amazed to see so many slick, dainty and fabulous Black Darters.

Norfolk Hawker at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen

Black-tailed Skimmer at Lakeside in June

A Common Darter that was magical to see at Lakeside in August

It was an Azure Damselfly year for sure with especially at Lakeside Country Park and also at RSPB Cors Ddyga these splendid damselflies seen well. Especially at Lakeside Blue-tailed Damselflies were a strong theme of my year seeing so many, with strong showings from Beautiful and Banded Demoiselle this year. Pinnacles of my dreamy damselfly year perhaps were at at Hickling Broad when we saw a precious Emerald Damselfly, seeing them again twice in the September week off at RSPB Minsmere and Thursley.

A Blue-tailed Damselfly I enjoyed seeing at Cors Ddyga too.

I enjoyed immersing myself in other parts of nature I am less familiar with again this year especially other insects with some epic things seen both new and that I had before. Beetles playing a big part in this with tremendous views of Green Tiger beetle at Bentley Wood again, a striking Rose Chafer beetle seen at South Stack, Chrysomela populi at Newborough, Cardinal beetle, Swollen-thighed Beetle, Oedemera lurida, Black-and-yellow Longhorn beetle at Lakeside, oil beetles, bold Bloody-nosed beetle, Black Clock beetle and Violet Ground beetle on the Norfolk and Rutland July weekends respectively, many splendid Common Red Soldier beetles in the summer and Black-spotted Longhorn beetle at Bentley Wood. I did well for caterpillars this year too with Oak Eggar, Fox moth, Yellow-tail moth, Peacock butterfly and Garden Tiger moth ones standouts. Common Field Grasshopper, Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Long-winged Conehead and giant Great Green Bush-cricket a sensation to see on an insect fest at Durlston made it a strong cricket/grasshopper year for me. As well as a fair few Hornets themselves I had a really good year for seeing Hornet Mimic Hoverflies in the summer again and my first ever Lesser Hornet Hoverflies, truly appealing insects. I had great moments seeing Long and Marmalade Hoverfly this year too. One of my greatest wild moments of the year came in early August when I was euphoric to fulfill a goal of a seeing a Wasp Spider in the grass of Lakeside Country Park. An outstanding arachnid, and another was a treat to see a few times this year beautiful Nursery Web spider in a strong year of spiders I had with Long-bodied Cellar spider another key species especially in autumn. I got excellent views of Common Lizard and Slow Worm in 2023.

An eyecatching Chrysomela populi

Grammoptera ruficornis and Black spotted Longhorn beetle at Bentley Wood

Hornet mimic hoverfly on hemp agrimony at Winnall Moors

[willdmallow]

Little beauties