Under a Plantpot

I had put a plantpot containing a seemingly dead orchid to one side a few days ago.
When I moved it this morning I was surprised how many minibeasts started scurrying about.
None were longer than about 1.5mm



I used the slow motion video facility on the iPhone to video this.
Action is about half speed.
The last time I used slow motion I mentioned that the start and end sections of slow motion videos were at normal speed and wondered why. Apparently that is normal so I invested in another app which allows me to slow down those sections as well.

A Sticky End

Close views of a Sundew leaf showing all the sticky blobs waiting to trap any unsuspecting insect.
The sticky blobs surround nectar glands.  I assume those are the red bits seen in close shots.

Taken with the iPhone:


Closer views of the very sticky blobs on the end of each tentacle.
Focus stacked shots with the Canon 50D + 135mm lens + Raynox DCR-250 macro lens.

44 shots with ring light, which is reflected in every sticky ball


60 shots without the ring light


Notice how the tentacles bend over to trap anything which lands on the leaf.
Both those sets of stacked photos were processed with Zerene Stacker.

Finally 20 focus stacked shots with Canon 50D + 200mm + Raynox MSN-202 macro lens.
 

This time processed with Affinity Photo as it gave a better result than Zerene Stacker.

For more information visit the Grow Sundews site.  Not an https secure site.

Monday Montage

Last week's WidsMob Montage modified photo



was correctly identified as



an owl garden ornament by Adrian, Ragged Robin, Wilma and The Weaver of Grass.

This week's modified photo is



If you can work out what I photographed please leave you guess in the comments.
They will be revealed, along with the original photograph, next Monday.

A Drop or Two of Rain

It's a good thing yesterday's short sharp shower



only lasted a few minutes as it was falling at the rate of nearly two inches an hour.

In the evening the crescent Moon was visible between the dark clouds:



At the same time visible to the naked eye but more difficult to photograph was Venus:



You may have to click on the picture to see a larger version.
Venus is the small white dot half way down on the right hand side.

Winemaking Anyone?

Local elderflower is in full bloom:



Looks very pretty in the hedgerow but a real pain in my garden. There used to be masses of it in next door's garden. That has been dug out but the hundreds of berries which kept falling my side of the fence are growing with a vengeance.

I'll Just ....

.... rest my paw on this biscuit while I have a nap:



to make sure no one can steal it without me knowing.

In the Rockery

While I was having a weeding session in the overgrown rockery I spotted some of the wildlife sheltering there. First a large frog leapt out. Next was a daytime flying moth. Unfortunately it wouldn't settle long enough to photo or identify as it fed from the flowers on the rockery pinks. Even while it was in one place feeding its wings never stopped moving which made it difficult to make out any markings.

The find I most liked was:



A young toad.

A closer crop from the above photo:


I sometimes see fully grown adults but this is only the second time I have seen a young one.