There’s a sort of spacious delight in taking the time to connect with wild creatures. Today has been a day of sharing time with insects.

On my morning walk I consciously courted the attention of this beautiful damselfly. I was late to go and view used cars but who can resist a basking damselfly, the sun glittering in her wings?

Dragonflies and damselflies often rest on a prominent, sunny feature near water – flitting to and from their perch. If you sidle up nearby, stand very still and hold your hand right out as a warm, sun drenched offering they will often land on it. Try it! If at first you don’t succeed it’s worth persevering for that moment of enchantment when one alights on your palm.

When they’re settled you may be able to move your hand. I moved this beautiful lady right up close, my gaze reflecting off her emerald green eyes until I blinked and she was gone.

Next stop (after the tension of used cars) – the beach. Sun, sand, sea and this little hoverfly conked out on the wet sand. One can occasionally become acquainted with hoverflies via the above method but this one, in a torpor of cold and wet was perfectly willing to be eased from the sand onto my finger and carried up the beach. A full five minutes I marvelled at the golden sheen of its thorax before encouraging it onto a sunny rock.

Home and the hustle and bustle of unloading a car full of children, bags and more sand – my mind already grappling with dinner creation on a half hour time budget. All stop for this little fella flaked out on the floor.


After a sugar hit of plum juice he perked up and flew away but not before I’d delighted in the fluffy white hairs on his legs and the clarity of his yellow markings – all with the added thrill of the possibility that he could sting me, mixed with the calm certainty that he wouldn’t.

Three beautiful encounters that bought little bubbles of peace and joy into a busy, frenetic day. Thank you little beings.

All photos taken with my Panasonic Lumix FZ45. For the damselfly I was on AF macro zoom. For the hoverfly pictures (and I think the bee – not 100% on that one!) I added my new Raynox 150 macro lens with AF macro. Enjoying this lens but it’s pretty tricky to get it focused and there’s no depth of field but great fun for a dabbling beginner!

Species notes: Female banded demoiselle damselfly (Agrion splendens). Hoverfly...not sure...possibly Syrphus ribesli. Male wool carder bee (Anthidium florentium) and I have to bubble over here - this is a much coveted first garden record of wool carder bee. A bee that cards the ‘wool’ off soft, fluffy plants to line its nest – how cool?!).