Category: insects

Still Raining – 28 July 2015

Posted on by Zogman

Another rainy day. Went to the gym and found that Windows was trying to shut down the computer at the gym. It looked remarkably like the shut down screen on Windows 95! Only 20 years out of date. Anyway, when Scamp went to the gym later in the morning, someone was trying to breathe some life into the old system and was hoping to get outside help to do so. Maybe the system will be running by the end of the year.

I felt like I was getting cabin fever today, so hitched the bike on to the carrier and drove to Auchinstarry for a wet, but warm run along the railway line past Dumbreck Marshes and on to the canal tow path. While I was there I watched some bees buzzing around the flowers. I thought it would be a good test of the high speed ‘motor drive’ on the E-PL5. I remember a few years ago I was in a group of photogs where there was a challenge among us to see who who would be the first to catch an insect on the wing. Lots of heavy duty technology was being used, but nobody got that shot. Today with a second hand Oly E-PL5 and a second hand Panasonic lens, I got the shot. I don’t suppose the wager still stands.

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Cycling away from home – 20 July 2015

Posted on by Zogman

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWell, today was the big test day for the bike carrier and it passed with flying colours.  More below. Not a long drive today, but enough to make sure the carrier carried! Drove to Auchinstarry and parked there and cycled along the Forth and Clyde canal to Kirkintilloch then back again via Dumbreck Marshes. On the way there, for the first time ever, I think, I saw the bascule bridge at Twechar working. It was raised to allow a longboat to pass through heading east.  Three or four motorists were standing looking a bit bemused as I was.  However, it was a good morning and a pleasant way to pass some time.  The canal towpath was quite quietOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA this morning, with only a few dog walkers and the occasional cyclist to block my way.  On the way back, I took the detour through Dumbreck Marshes and managed a shot of a soldier beetle.  I know it’s not really sharp, but it’s the expression on it’s face I like.  It’s like “Are you looking at me?”, but it’s hard to second guess a beetle as Christopher Robin will tell you.

Back to the carrier.  It’s a Saris Solo and as you can imagine from the name, it’s for only one bike.  Suits me fine as Scamp doesn’t cycle.  The other novel feature of the Solo is that it’s made from plastic. Surprisingly, it’s really quite strong with lots of reinforcing fins inside the structure.  Another innovation is that there are only four nylon bands that hold the rack on the car – two at the top and two at the bottom.  They seem to hold it securely to the boot but it will need a little more testing to give it a longer test on a longer drive.  So far, I’m impressed and willing to take it on that longer drive.  I’ll keep you posted.

The Hottest Day of the year – 30 June 2015

Posted on by Zogman

Today was hot.  Not pleasantly hot, but sticky, clammy, close hot with the threat of rain in the air.  Not a  day for doing the washing, but needs must etc.  So, I although I was up late this morning, I did get the washing OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAinto the washing machine and out on the line.  When Scamp came in she stated her intention to attack the field of grass in the front garden.  Being a non-gardener myself, I took the easier option and went out for a run on my bike.  As I’ve said, today was hot, so it was cycling top and cycling shorts for today’s run.  I went to the usual places and found very few damselflies and no dragonflies, so I started to look for the easier options of spiders.  It was while looking for the spiders I came upon a lacewing dangling from a leaf.  It took a bit of messing around before OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI found the right extension tube configuration for the image, but the result looked interesting.  Too many flies and midges to allow for any more photography here, so I headed home.  Just at the Barrs pond, I found lots of mating damselflies, but unfortunately they were all too far away.  Tried for a few, but without much luck.  The lacewing was the star performer of the day.

Today was hot.  I think I’ve said that before, but it’s worth repeating.  I am in Scotland after all.  Tomorrow is to be hotter.  Is that even possible?  There is the caveat that there will probably be thundershowers, but we’ve survived that in Venice, so it should be a dawdle in Scotland.