hoverfly – Daffodil Hill Photography

The Winter here is not as bad as those with tons of snow but at least you have the opportunity for some great shots. Us here in the Heartland have had gray, more gray and well gray days. For those who are having the same I searched out this macro, all bright and sunshiny.

I Am A Fly Not A Bee

Not a very catchy post title but the truth none the less.I have taken a few shots of the Hoverfly in the past but never knew what they were exactly. I found them almost exclusively flying around or feeding of flowers. It turns out the Hoverfly feeds on nectar, is a pollinator and an important player in controlling the aphids. They also can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Or simply put , I am a fly not a bee, though a very important fly indeed!

More Macro From The Day Past

Yesterday I posted a macro picture I took using extension tubes on my Sony A300. For that photo I used a Sony 35mm f1.8 prime lens. Today post features two I took using the same camera and tubes but I used an old manual Minolta lens in place of the Sony lens. The Minolta lens is a MD 28mm f1.8 lens I purchased to use with The Bride’s Minolta X-370 35mm film camera. After discovering I could use an adapter ring to us it on the Sony I was kind of geeked out. The only down side is it can on be used in manual mode and the light metering is not totally accurate. I liked the ethereal feel of the Sony lens but could not figure out how to manually adjust the aperture. On the old Minolta lens that is done by a turning a ring right on the lens so I was able to adjust on the fly. Feel free to comment on which one(s) you like and why. Or not. So here is a couple using new-ish tech and old school-cool lens.

A Dew Kissed Fleabne And Friend

Seeing as I was out till a little after four AM, this is all I got but I think for such a little thing it speaks volumes to the senses. Enjoy your day!

Small Wonders

I was out early this morning trying the AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) setting on my Canon Powershot but was not having much success at getting my head around this new-found tool. Maybe it was a lack of coffee but I just could not dial it in so I headed back home. Along the way I found this little purple bloom and a Hoverfly resting upon it. Just what I needed. Nothing big just small wonders.

Two Of The Little Hoverfly

Hoverflies are obviously part of the fly family but also pollinators and apparently very good ones from what I have read. So today when I was able to catch about thirty-minutes of sunshine I was out and in search of something to photograph. When I spotted these two I spent sometime watching them and soon realize they do not scare away easily so shooting them was relativity easy. So here is two of the little Hoverfly.

An Imperial Moth

I was mowing today and almost ran over this impressive moth. Since I am unfamiliar with most moths I looked it up and discovered it is an Imperial Moth. Follow the link to read more about this impressive Moth.

Notice the Hover Fly under the right wing and you get an idea how big this Moth is. — Notice the Hover Fly under the right-wing and you get an idea how big this Moth is.

Some Fleabane Love

One of natures little wonders on our place is the Fleabane. It is a delightful and delicate looking but very tough plant with many blooms. The flowers are made up of small, thin petals of white or pink (Well at least around here they are) and has a yellow center. They can withstand severe dry or heavy unrelenting rains. And they are wonderful little filling stations for pollinators. Some here is some Fleabane love!