A Jewel of Harlequins
On the white flowered Hibiscus in the nearby bush is a small herd of bugs, Harlequins they are called, don’t know why – possibly for the distinctive symmetrical markings on the ‘face’. These ones are real beauties; they go through many different colours in their little lives, blues, greens and reds. And there are times when they can be found with developing wings that make them look like something from a futuristic car show, and very elegant.
Anyway, these last days they are this wonderful blue with hues and patches of green and red and iridescent, overlaid on a very purposeful looking form. A very attractive little jewel of the forest.
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You have to know where to find them as they don’t appear on all Hibiscus plants, only a few I know of. And then you have to know how to handle them, with care of course. But they also respond to a kind of attention so it’s possible to get a few shots without disturbing them unduly.
And when they are done sitting I put then back exactly where I find them. This one is on my stick, the one I use for stabilising the camera at times is also good for shooting on.
I am usually in the nature just for a walk these days as the little people are shy or just not around after the drastic weather of the last year, and health permitting – other bugs I am catching are from visiting children, no fun at all, the bugs caught this way.
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It’s a simple pleasure of mine, this walking and seeing or sensing. To see the colours and form, the movement and the life in it all.
And then I go home, to tend the wildy garden I have encouraged and nurtured.
Just for a while now.
Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
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Macro Day Seven
Good to have James and Nigel along, and a pleasant and instructive day was had by all I believe.
A breath of fresh air, literally. A relaxed day, as much as can be. And a focus on what matters, the simple sensation – for peace of mind – and a picture of our small nature in its element. The only rule is to get the best picture I can, to present our overlooked nature in the best possible light, leave everything as it was found and do it relaxed.
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Weather was good, not too hot and the sun was shining with a lovely breeze refreshing continuously. It was lovely to be in the dark green of the forest. Generally there are not many creatures around after the rain so we went where I know some are developing and managed accordingly, you have to know where to look. And once you start looking there is no end to them, they’re everywhere.
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It takes time to gather the stress in the body, it takes time to dissolve it. Everything takes time, it can’t be denied. So you might as well relax while it’s happening …
Again I was more occupied presenting something for the others to shoot but I got some anyway.
And don’t forget to sat thank you, to the bee or the earth or the space it all occurs in, why not? A little gratitude beamed into the evolving creation is reflected back to you, in time. By a mechanism the easterners call karma.
Whatever you call it, it works that way.
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If you or anyone you know is genuinely interested in coming along for hands on experience of what and how I do what I do check these links : Macro Meditation Day, Macro Illustrated and Meditate, and email me at contact (at) beingmark (dot) com so you are on the list for mailouts. Put Macro Meditation Day in the subject line of any email.
Everything of relevance to my Macro Meditation work goes into my blog so if you are interested in what I do and want to keep up I recommend you subscribe via email. Go to top right of this page, there’s a button that reads – Click Here – for subscription. Type in your email and click. You’ll be sent an email with a link to verify the subscription, just click it.
All the best.
Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
Welcome To My Nature
Blue and Red, Black and White …
… Male and Female. The opposite poles of existence. The primary duality that predicates the multiplicity that spawns complication by a process of identification driven by the fundamental insecurity of emotional being – the first addiction or false identity that comes to be known as pain, impelling the search for truth or resolution – what doesn’t change or divide – One. The circle of being, unending.
Sense, no more wanting, door to the beginning and end, unifies the separateness of things in existence, completely resolving the psychological by right focus and necessary action. Behind it nothing doesn’t change, ever. Sweet peace of mind.
But don’t believe me, have a look and see for yourself …
… inside.
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I am told the blue is male and red female and I accept that for now, but it doesn’t really matter – to me, I am not a Harlequin Bug – depends on who ‘I’ am though, doesn’t it, since the ‘I’ of Intelligence is in all things.
What matters is the beauty, a quality of the deep psyche the bug is reflective of. Yes, even a bug is born of beauty sublime, why not? It also matters the form is as it is, wonderfully balanced and coloured while designed for survival in their world – not by anything known. Beauty rendered in sense as form and colour with function. Perfection.
They love the juice of the wild Hibiscus tree and breed and live their lives out on and around one in particular, that I know. I did a post on them – Hibiscus Harlequin bug – last year so I know a little about them. It’s good to see they are back again.
I saw just one female laying eggs on the tree a while back, about five weeks or so, and it is now populated by adults. So are there populations on surrounding trees, between them enough to generate the new season’s beauties. And on , and on, and ….
Wild and wonderful Hibiscus Harlequin Bug.
Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
Macro Day Six
It was a hot day today and after the rains there are few creatures about. At least you have to know where to find what is there, experience gives you that. I didn’t take many shots myself since I spent most of the time setting things up for the others because the little ones were not being very cooperative.
But never mind, we got some shots and I have more from earlier in the week that I’ll post later.
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Human nature is combative, no surprise there since it comes through the instinctive species. Thing is though, the ‘species’ only do it when necessary for survival, reproduction rights or/and dominance of the herd.
Oops! That’s when people do it too, though often unnecessarily. But we don’t have to be ‘controlled’ by instinct anymore, do we?
Well, we do our best.
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When nature presents something unusual or spectacular it usually means something and can readily be connected to a recent ‘event’. Nature is after all a reflection, to the degree the observer is grounded in sense.
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Plenty of Grasshoppers and Clown spiders about in places.
The occasional Assassin Bug with prey – a caterpillar here, nearly sucked dry.
Mating Weevils in the forest.
And a Hibiscus Harlequin Bug, little beauty.
From today what recurs to me is ‘relax’, and be alert, by a focus of attention where it is necessary to do so. First by calming the body by ensuring enough oxygen through breath control, second by dropping the tension in the body, and third by taking control of what you give your attention to – sense. It’s simple.
And that is probably the most important exercise. Don’t forget to relax, by doing it when reminded.
What you attend to grows.
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If you or anyone you know is genuinely interested in coming along for hands on experience of what and how I do what I do check these links : Macro Meditation Day, Macro Illustrated and Meditate, and email me at contact (at) beingmark (dot) com so you are on the list for mailouts. Put Macro Meditation Day in the subject line of any email.
Everything of relevance to my Macro Meditation work goes into my blog so if you are interested in what I do and want to keep up I recommend you subscribe via email. Go to top right of this page, there’s a button that reads – Click Here – for subscription. Type in your email and click. You’ll be sent an email with a link to verify the subscription, just click it.
All the best.
Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
That Time of Year (Life?) …
… when it could as easily rain as shine. Not good news for the market business, but then there is no good news for the market business except it is actually covering costs, though not technically. Chandler is not the right market for my product but it’s the wrong time of year for making enquiries of the right market, everyone’s busy, too busy. Early new year I’ll try get on the Riverside market where people sell my kind of stuff, original works, prints and paintings, etc.
Maybe. The other point is there is not a lot of money about, or being spent. There is a world recession on after all, a lack of confidence in the future – who can blame them.
Then again it might just be time to pack it in. Can’t tell what’s next from where I am.
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The red fly is from the rainforest, a particular spot where there were a few more of his kind. The red Hibiscus Harlequin Bug on the underside of a flower, also from the rainforest. The Squash? Bug chipping away at some hardened white bird droppings along with a posse of ants, must be the nourishment, also in the rainforest nearby. A Lady bug of some kind, hard to keep from blowing highlights with these fellows. Another bug I caught as it ran along a nearby branch, just one shot. And a humble fly, magnificent creatures.
© Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
Wild Hibiscus Tree – Harlequin and Friends
I’ve been observing the activity and tracking the residents for a while now, down in the forest, on the wild Hibiscus tree. The tree has white flowers with a dark red heart, beautiful clean colour when new. And a contrast that reaches deep inside, in sense.
The leaves have been mostly eaten for a while now, since the tree is also home to a few other creatures besides the Harlequin bug. There are small reddish brown beetles that roam all over the place, including all over the harlequins, who seem to mind quite a bit, getting very agitated when one climbs on their back.
The flower houses a host of squat dark flies that only seem to leave that dark heart when I disturb them, by moving the flower. Lately there has been a burgeoning of other bugs, such as the black and yellow assassins pictured, who seem to transform to the red and yellow beauty by climbing out of their old jacket.
Nothing like a new set of clothes to set you free.
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The Harlequin is definitely the star of this show though. At first I thought I was lucky to get a few shots of an individual. Then I got a few shots of a few more individuals. That’s when I realised the hibiscus tree is home to these beautiful creatures, they didn’t go away.
Over time I visited the tree and observed the Harlequin bug in the various stages of its development. I watched it mature, eat, commune, grow wings, mate, lay eggs and guard and incubate them. Saw the young hatch and then herd themselves around the tree with the adult looking on for a short while.
It has been an eventful time, Hibiscus Harlequin time.
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A privilege really, to witness the life of these beautifully coloured creatures. And here you have it in the comfort of your home, no need to go down the bug infested forest, with mozzies and little black biting midges chasing you.
© Mark Berkery ……. Click any picture and click again to enlarge
Nature's Place 
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