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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 1d

More fungi from our front lawn today. I know very little about mushroom identification, but wondered whether this could be one of the Laccaria species (Deceivers)? #Staffs #fungi #macro #photography

Close-up image of fungi growing on a Staffordshire garden lawn, possibly one of the Laccaria species.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 1d

We have a nice selection of fungi on our front lawn, including Fly Agaric. #Staffs #macro #photography #fungi #mushrooms

Macro photograph of Fly Agaric mushrooms growing in a Staffordshire garden.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 9d

I had to look-up "macrolabic", but I'd guessed from the photograph what it meant! Always more things to learn ...

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 10d

My morning leaf-litter hunt didn't result in any springtail photographs today, but I did snap this little psocid (barkfly) that was under a Laurel leaf. #psocoptera #Staffs #garden #macro #photography

Macro photograph of a barkfly in a Staffordshire garden.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 13d

The globular springtail Sminthurinus aureus (dark form) in the garden this morning. Very small (< 1 mm). #Staffs #collembola #springtail #LeafLitter #mesofauna #macro #photography

Macro photograph of a globular springtail in a Staffordshire garden.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 16d

Yes; I struggle with wasps, even the social species! I'm a photographer though, not an entomologist, but I do like wasps and photograph them whenever they oblige (I don't generally take specimens).

Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 17d

Thank you Karl; I'll have a read-up!

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 17d

I found a tiny little wasp (~2-3 mm) under a wet leaf on the lawn this morning (was looking for springtails actually). #WaspLove #Staffs #macro #photography

Macro photograph of a tiny wasp found under a wet leaf in a Staffordshire garden.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 19d

Still lots of social wasp workers collecting nesting material in our #Staffs garden. #WaspLove #macro #photography

A social wasp worker collecting nesting material from a wooden post.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 22d

I'm fortunate in knowing someone with a fine collection of vintage automobilia. He lets me borrow bits to photograph; here's a lovely old jack (apparently supplied with some early Rolls Royce and Bentley cars). #vintage #stilllife #torchlight

I still-life image of a vintage brass jack; light-painted with torchlight.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 22d

Female Field Digger Wasp (Mellinus arvensis), leaving her nest hole in our #Staffs garden. They're out hunting early today! #WaspLove #macro #photography

Macro photograph of a Field Digger Wasp leaving her nest hole.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · 29d

A globular springtail - Sminthurinus elegans - under a fallen Beech leaf in the garden this morning. I'm a bit out of practice photographing things this small (~0.5mm) but will improve as the damper weather progresses! #collembola #mesofauna #macro #photography #Staffs

Macro photograph of the globular springtail Sminthurinus elegans.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Sep 8

Nice and damp in the garden this morning so thought I'd do a little springtail hunting. Didn't find many, but DID find this tiny (~2mm) wasp with a minuscule parasitic mite on it! #wasplove #acari #Staffs #parasitism #macro #photography

Macro photograph of a tiny wasp with an even tinier parasitic mite on it.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Sep 7

When it brightened-up a bit, I spent some time at the garden Ivy to see what visited; lots of things (naturally)! Just a reminder that if you really have to remove Ivy, please wait until it's finished flowering. #Staffs #biodiversity #pollinators #macro #photography

Composite photograph of various insects visiting garden Ivy flowers.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 31

First Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) that I've seen in our #Staffs garden this year; a male. Lots of other invertebrates on the Ivy too, showing what in important resource it is. #bees #SolitaryBees #pollination #macro #photograph #biodiversity

Macro photograph of an Ivy Bee on garden ivy flowers.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 27

Was having a tidy-up in the garden shed yesterday, so thought I'd do a bit of still-life photography. #photography #stilllife #still-life #vintage #flowers #dried

Light-painted still-life photography featuring dry flowers and garden tools.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 16

Attractive little sawfly in the garden this morning. The black head, "shoulder pads" and wing margins, suggest it could be the Turnip Sawfly (Athalia rosae)? This individual was on a rhubarb leaf. #macro #photograph #Staffs #sawflies #Symphyta

Macro photograph of a sawfly, possibly the Turnip Sawfly - Athalia rosae.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 15

A Dock Bug (by the look of it) in our #Staffs garden yesterday. It was very warm but unlike most insects in the garden, this was sitting-still on a plant. Makes life somewhat easier! #maro #photography #TrueBugs

Macro photograph of a Dock Bug - Coreus marginatus - in a Staffordshire garden.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 14

A Honeybee (Apis mellifera) nicely positioned in the centre of a garden flower. She just had to be photographed! #macro #photography #bee #honeybee #pollinator

A Honeybee worker sitting in the centre of an orange flower.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 13

European Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) as it should be; in our garden today. #macro #photograph #spider #Staffs

Macro photograph of a European Garden Spider in its web.

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 7

Female Coelioxys (sharp-tailed) bee in the garden this morning. These are cuckoo bees that lay their eggs in the nests of leafcutter bees. #macro #photography #Staffs #bees #SolitaryBees #pollination

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Aug 7

Just a record shot, but first Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) that I've seen in the garden this year. #macro #photography #Staffs #butterflies #garden

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Jul 30

Male Field Digger Wasp (Mellinus arvensis). This is the first time I've photographed one in July in our #Staffs garden. The first ones usually turn-up well into August. #macro #photography #garden #wasp #WaspLove

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Jul 27

An attractive little wasp feeding on a garden Eryngium flower today. One of the Ancistrocerus species possibly? #macro #photography #Staffs #WaspLove #pollination

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Ed Phillips @ed-phillips.bsky.social · Jul 26

Another composite image of insects visiting our garden Sea Holly. I'm seeing various diptera, solitary and social wasps and solitary bees feeding. No social bees yet. Interesting to watch. #garden #diversity #pollinators #Staffs

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