Tag Archives: bumblebees

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #245 – Environments

Oh I remember reading the story Tina mentions in her post, to my kids, when they were much younger. And I am that country mouse for sure. There is so much to enjoy in the countryside, the quiet being one of the best things. Here in Ireland we have so much lush green too – so peaceful and restorative. The wildflowers and wildlife are just the icing on the cake.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #231 – Favourite Images of 2022

John asks us to choose our Favourite Images of 2022. Some I have divided them into a couple of categories. Firstly (and probably not surprisingly) pollinators.

And then some wildflowers……………………

And finally some places.

Many thanks to John for getting us off to a good start for this year’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #226 – Textures

LAPC guest host this week is Jude at Cornwall in Colours – and she challenges us to find some textures.

last weekend, we enjoyed a lovely walk in the woods. I love all the different tree trunks.

Tree bark
Tree bark 2

Looking up into the canopy, the last few oak leaves clinging on to the moss and lichen covered branches.

Oak trees

And back down to the lake shore, where in the sheltered bay, the water was almost like glass.

Lake

And just for Jude, this was one of the last fuzzy bees I took a photograph of back in late September. Missing them and looking forward to seeing them back in the spring.

Bumblebee

Special thanks to Jude for hosting this week’s challenge.

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #225 – Wildlife Close to Home

Well this challenge is right up my street, many thanks to Anne of Slow Shutter Speed for hosting “Wildlife close to Home” for this week. Those who drop by regularly won’t be surprised by my first image. I just love bumblebees, and it is great to see them enjoying the flowers in the garden.

Buff tailed bumblebee

This summer and autumn we had a lot more shieldbugs in the garden than other years. I think these guys look pretty comical.

Shieldbug

Butterflies bring more colour to the garden.

And finally another favourite – this time a slightly larger animal and a rarer visitor to the garden, but always a joy to see – the Irish hare.

Irish hare

Great Yellow Bumblebee Project

This year, I have been lucky to be working for the Great Yellow Bumblebee Project. The Great Yellow Bumblebee is Ireland’s rarest bees and it occurs on the Mullet Peninsula and Erris coastal mainland of County Mayo in the west of Ireland.

Great Yellow Bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus)

We have been working with farmers looking at how best we can manage fields in a way that provides lots of flowers for all types of pollinators. This area of County Mayo is stunningly beautiful, and supports a unique flower-rich habitat called Machair.

Machair grassland

Machair is traditionally been used as winter grazing, which has benefitted the wildflowers that grow here and in turn these areas support a wealth of insects including pollinators.

Machair grassland

We find lots of different bees. And finding the the rarest of them all, the Great Yellow Bumblebee, brings deep satisfaction.

Great Yellow Bumblebee (Bombus distinguendus)

Other rare and vulnerable bee species can also be found in this special place.

Many thanks to Ann-Christine for providing inspiration for this post – LAPC #214 Favourite Finds

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #213 – Here Comes the Sun

This week Amy asks is to explore the sun.

I love the sun on water, the way it makes it shimmer and shine.

Achill island from Doohoma, Co Mayo

Without the sun we would not have plants. This one is a native Irish plant called the perennial sow-thistle. But I like to think of it as our own sunflower. They are tall plants – from 80 cm up to 150 cm with these glorious yellow heads and they are loved by bees and other pollinators.

Perennial sow-thistle

With the sun, comes shadows and butterflies too of course.

Wall brown butterfly

And without the sun we wouldn’t have sunsets.

Sunset

Many thanks to Amy for this week’s lovely challenge.

Six on Saturday – 11th June 2022

I have been missing out on Six and Saturday the last while. Life is busy and Saturday’s are equally so. But here are my six for this week. The wildflower meadow is just getting going.

Wildflower meadow

Lots of blues and purples in the garden – like this iris

iris with bumblebee

Sage is looking good.

Sage

As is the lavender.

Lavender

And for a change of colour – how about a pink geranium?

geranium

And finally this week an aquilegia seed head.

Seed head

For more Six on Saturday check out Six on Saturday’s host page here – The Propagator.