Nature's Place

She was about 8 inches long so I settled for the most intelligent aspect of any creature, the face.

In the face can be found the primary characteristics of any being. Seeing them/it is the job.

And the job is to negate what gets in the way of seeing what is, the movie pictures of mind.

At rest, unworried by the missing lower rear leg. Weevil being what weevil does.

Still and unmoved by the giant nearby. A perfect opportunity to become acquainted.

Up on the stick he became more lively, familiar sense of wood underfoot, antennae outstretched alert.

For whatever weevil might find. A tangle of dried roots at the end of a stick. That led back to the green.

Green Shield Bug with a drop of water from the hose, waiting out the shower.

Variations on the angle of approach, for background/contrast and eye level contact.

Pluck a leaf and raise ‘im up. Alarms the bug for a moment, enough to send it into hiding.

But not for long … turn the leaf over and there it is, exposed and hesitant – perceiving no danger.

Way to go … the upside down view of the world. Sometimes I think everything needs upending, for a fresher view.

As I was passing the Blue Banded Bee hotel I saw this on the wooden base below. A dead fly with no ants in attendance. And knew from experience what it signified.

Means there was nothing of it left to eat, or the ants surely would … A jumping spider I saw the day before had already extracted any nourishment, here with a new meal.

Change the approach angle slightly, keeping spider eyes the centre of attention, to get more of the scene in focus. You never know what you’ve got until it’s done.

Another angle, another opportunity to investigate spider eating fly. The small hole, about 4mm diameter, probably home to something else.

After the spider was done s/he was energetic enough to go in search of new pastures, probably looking for a mate. As all things do in time, separate and apart. … Such is life, or living.

A kind of shield bug, a pair mating on a tree trunk in the garden.

Was a little shy to begin with, presenting only a shot from the rear at first. Quietly does it, take what comes …

Only sensation, calm established, no alarming events in his little mind to relate as I come side-on. Aiming for profile …

Angle a little better, background still too dark and empty, but looking more his elegant self. Character emerging …

Communication established, an absence of the force of movement keeps the peace. The basis for introductions …

That’s better, a relaxed fly doing some preening exercises, indicates he’s focused within and likely to remain so a while.

Probably a good time to maneuver for the shot I want. Getting there in increments – move, frame, shoot, maneuver …

And there we are, more or less. A background window of blue sky comes into frame and he’s in his element. Little beauty …

Bug on a seedpod in the local bush, always found on this same plant, protected by design.

Hopper of a kind. Fell from a tree in the wild garden onto my arm, a forest of another kind.

I leave butterfly’s to lay in the garden, even growing greenery just for them. And some days the place is full of new ones.

The witchitty grubs are getting at the roots of the butterfly bush plants, but still enough flowering for these tiny midges.

Another bug caught at a meal of pollen. Messy table manners, but also a way to carry a little food for later.

Another little hopper from the garden. They all have their season, coming and going according to conditions only they know.

Called a soldier fly I think, resting on the fridge outdoors downstairs. It’s interesting the creatures that come and go.

A wasp I believe, though haven’t seen it before this summer. Hanging around the orange tail resin bee hotel – lovely blue eyes.

The one blue banded bee, it slept in the same spot for two months then disappeared one night. Such is life, and death …