2018-29
Hello 🙂
Here’s a picture of a Map (Araschnia levana), the butterfly best known for having two forms: levana (spring brood) and prorsa (summer brood). levana individuals are primarily orange in colour, and prorsa individuals are mainly black with some white markings. This here is a summer brood showing off its beautiful underside (a map like pattern which look the same in both broods)-
Here’s a picture I took during my vacation in Sicily, a beautiful Violet carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea)! This bee is huge, about 3 times the size of the biggest bumble bee we have here in Holland. Unfortunately I only had an old iPhone at hand, in real life its dark blue-purple colour was much nicer.
I like big bugs and I cannot lie
Wish we had the Map in the UK, so beautiful.
July 22, 2018 at 5:42 PM
I didn’t know you don’t! Yes, it’s very pretty, the pattern is gorgeous 🙂
July 22, 2018 at 6:13 PM
Yes I guess the Channel / North Sea is too much of a barrier.
July 22, 2018 at 8:19 PM
It might show up soon(ish) though.. We notice that species from the south are becoming more frequent up north as well, for example the violet carpenter bee has been spotted in Belgium and Netherlands this summer.
July 23, 2018 at 6:20 AM
Here’s hoping! I know a few have been seen but there are some people who like to give nature a er ‘helping hand’
July 23, 2018 at 7:22 AM
I wanna have a dress with that butterfly patterns!!!!!
Sent from my iPad
>
July 22, 2018 at 5:55 PM
Send the idea to your favorite designer! 😉
July 22, 2018 at 6:13 PM
Great shots, Calee! I love big bugs too! 🙂
July 22, 2018 at 8:33 PM
Thanks so much, Tom! I like these lyrics more than the original 😉
July 23, 2018 at 6:14 AM
These are fabulous, Calee! I am with you with big bugs 🙂
July 22, 2018 at 9:32 PM
Thanks so much, Pete! Every time I hear that song I think of bugs 🙂
July 23, 2018 at 6:15 AM
Beautiful, Calee.
July 22, 2018 at 9:50 PM
Thanks so much, Francina! 🙂
July 23, 2018 at 6:15 AM
Lovely butterfly. Super colouring.
And a giant bee taken on an old iPhone – great shot – and it proves that the best camera is the one you have with you. 🙂
July 23, 2018 at 7:47 AM
Thanks so much, John! Fully agree about the camera, but I saw so many interesting bugs I’d love to go back to Sicily (not in high season though) with a proper camera 🙂
July 23, 2018 at 9:02 AM
I have to confess, I’m not sure I would like that bee as much as you did, but I WOULD be impressed. 😉 The butterfly photo is nice, the way it shows off the undersides of the wings, which are so intricate. I can’t think of anything quite like that here, but I bet in eastern North America there are similar-looking species. I did see a new butterfly the other day, and it stopped for me! Yes! It was an Admiral – maybe you have those? A Lorquin’s admiral, which is the Pacific northwest version.
July 25, 2018 at 9:59 PM
Thanks so much, Lynn! 🙂 I’ve never seen a Lorquin’s admiral except in pictures, they’re very pretty! We have another kind of admiral butterfly here.
July 26, 2018 at 5:31 AM
I had a feeling you’d know those butterflies! 🙂
July 30, 2018 at 10:08 PM