White Ermine Moth Caterpillar

 

From what I can see online, this is the White Ermine Moth Caterpillar. It was crawling along the ground. Caterpillars can be fast moving at times!

Signs 21st May 2025

Another Signs post this week! Linking to Tom's Signs Wednesday: https://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/

I saw this little sign at Madame Tussauds in Blackpool when we were there earlier this year. I thought it was nice of the staff to put this up. I said to the girl behind the desk and she said I was the first person to mention it that day. She seemed really grateful for me saying thanks and appreciating it!!!

Checking Me Out

 

This Gull wasn't sure of me at first but he was checking me out in the second photo. I really love that little head tilt that birds do when they are looking at me.

Hair Ice

 

I took these at the end of January. This is Hair Ice, it looks so like candy floss! It is very beautiful. The wonders of nature!

It Has 3 Heads!

 

Click on the photo to enlarge it!

I saw a tree down, in the centre of the photo and I thought it looked like a 3 headed snake! I like looking for images in trees. With a decent imagination you can see a lot!!

Darwin's Barberry

 

Isn't this a lovely flower. 

Common Darter

 

A few Common Darter Dragonflies. I took these photos a few years ago. I love seeing Dragonflies and often spend a wee while trying to get a good photo of them! 

Single Ladies

These girls were gathering at the pond, so I decided to give them some seeds. 2 look like they are dancing almost!

Signs 14th May 2025

Not done a signs post in ages. Linking to Tom's Signs Wednesday: https://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/ 

We were out in Glasgow a few weekends ago and I saw this. I thought it was really cool. I liked the artwork and the quote!

Cali And Cleo Update

 

Cleo is the black cat and Cali is the black and white cat. Both girls have settled in well. We got them on the 20th of February, so they have been here just under 3 months. They are both settling in really well and enjoying their new house. Cali likes to sit at the kitchen window and watch the world go by and Cleo loves watching the birds in the garden. Cleo has formed such a strong bond with Stitch too. 

Cali had problems with Jethro but things are getting better. I have tried to show her that Jethro is not a baddie. They are getting better slowly, these things take time. 

Cali is very chatty and likes to talk but Cleo hardly speaks at all. I wonder if it is a black cat thing, because Stitch hardly speaks either and he is a black cat.

Hoverfly Pollinating

 I caught this little Hoverfly in my garden on a Cuckoo Flower. It has some pollen on its wings.

Let's Play Hide And Seek

 

This is one of the sheep at Chessington Zoo. It wanted to play a game of hide and seek with me! She was a lovely sheep and very friendly.

Tansy

 

This is the Tansy Flower. It is very bold and bright yellow with a lovely pattern.

Guinea Pig

This is a little Guinea Pig from Briarlands Farm. It's a nice wee place to visit not far from Glasgow. They have all kinds of things for kids and adults. I really enjoyed it there and will be going back again soon.

Bactrian Camel

 

This is a Bactrian Camel, we saw it at Blackpool Zoo a few months ago. It looks like it was happy and relaxing!

More Toads And Frogs

 

Some more froggy toady photos from March when they were out spawning. I really love their little faces. The last 2 needed help getting to the pond, so I offered them a free lift!!

Mushrooms

 

I found these mushrooms deep in the forest. I am not entirely sure what they are, best I could come up with was Honey Fungus

Noble Fir Cones

 

These are cones from the Noble Fir Tree (Abies procera). 

Graceful

 

I caught this lad at the right time! What a graceful wing flap this male is making.

It's Huge!

 

This is a Birch Polymore (Fomitopsis betulina) growing on a tree. It was huge! 

A Butterfly And A Beetle

 

A Common Blue Butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) and a Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) are on this Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare). The insects love these Daisies.

Common Periwinkle (Whelk)

 

This is a Common Periwinkle or Whelk. They are basically sea snails! I took this photo through the water. Sadly in parts of the UK they are eaten, not by me though!

Thanks to David for spotting my typo/bad spelling!

Water Avens

 

This is a Water Avens (Geum rivale). It is lovely.

Foxgloves

 

A few different Foxgloves (Digitalis). They are fairly common here in Scotland and the insects love them.

Definitely A Scottish Bee

 This is a bee on a Thistle. The Thistle is our national flower here in Scotland.

What A View

 

Breathtaking!

Almost Yin Yang

 

Following on from yesterday's post, these 2 Common House Flies (Musca domestica) are almost making the Yin Yang symbol. They are on an Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) which is a larger form of the Daisy. There is a little insect at the bottom left trying to get in on the act!

Benzene Ring

 

These are 3 little moths (Micropterix calthella) on a Buttercup. I studied a few years of Chemistry in my late teens and for some reason when I took this and looked at the moths, they reminded me of how I would draw a Benzene Ring. If you know about chemistry you'll know what I am talking about. Otherwise, enjoy these little fellows on the yellow flower!

He Hides Well

 

I thought this Soldier Beetle was hiding quite well on this Nettle!

Make A Wish

 

As children in Scotland we are told if we blow the dandelion in this state and make a wish, it will come true. We are basically pollinating it! What would your wish be?

A Cloud And The Sun

 

The Sun is hiding behind this cloud. I really liked the effect it created.

Happy Customer

 

One happy customer!

Blue Tit

 

This is a blue tit at the feeding post. The feeding post is a tree stump. Me and a few of the other walkers put seeds for the birds and squirrels on it. Great place of seeing all the little song birds and great place for photos.

Reflection On The Pond

 

This is a reflection of the Life Buoy at one of the ponds near the pond I visit. I really like reflection photos.

He Caught Me Looking

 

This male mallard caught me looking at him! I took a photo then he got back to doing what he was doing.