A missed opportunity!

This gorgeous specimen of a bug was spotted in amongst my Geraniums a few weeks back. Was it a Firebug? Nope - not the right shape & different markings. After a bit of detective work I found out that it was in fact Corizus Hyoscyami, aka a Cinnamon Bug.

Well, I took a picture (a blurry one I must admit, but at that point my macro filters were winging their way to me via Royal Mail, so I was unable to pick him out in all his glory) & found out that they are pretty rare in the UK, never having been found any further north than Liverpool.

I thought that was it, but whilst idly googling the other day I came across a fact that I was completely unaware of until that point - that the Cinnamon Bug is so called because it SMELLS OF CINNAMON! Aaaargh! Well it was long gone & I'd missed my opportunity to have a good sniff - boo-hoo!!

So, why are bugs so brightly coloured? 

Aren't they picked off more easily by birds if they are so obvious? No - why? Because to a hungry bird that bright colouring means "Don't eat me, I'm poisonous" even if the bug is not! 

Plus, as a female bug looking for a mate, you want to choose the best male to father your offspring & the brightest colours & the most symmetrical markings are a sign of being strong & healthy.

I feel bad I didn't get a good whiff & I don't feel my photo has done this lovely chap justice, but hey it's another species added to the list & a rather special one at that. 

5 little speckled frogs

I can't believe I forgot the frogs in my last post!

I'm not sure how many visit us, but I've seen at least 5 together & on a hot sunny day they like to sit on the rocks under the waterfall (which incidentally I don't put on for fear of filtering out a large part of my little eco system) where there is a dark cool pool of water for them to have a dip in as and when they feel like it. 

And this year I was ridiculously excited when I found our first ever batch of frogspawn! Unfortunately, so were the newts I think, because I saw few tadpoles this spring and zero froglets & a tadpole is a protein packed snack for a hungry newt.

Apparently frogs can't see you unless you are moving, but I think my frogs know when I'm there. Peering into the gap between the waterfall and the rocks is a daily event for me & they always seem to be staring straight at me when I eventually spot them in the gloom.

A pocket of perfection

Our little rill - the very first day...

Our little rill - a year on...

...but just look at it now!

Blooming with colour, not just from the flowers on the fence & the submerged plants within the water, but from the beautiful damselflies who choose it as a prime spot to meet their mates, lay their eggs & live out their nymph stage within the water. 

On a sunny day we are honoured to be visited by up to 13 individuals at any one time! The Large Reds & Common Blues take centre stage & it is fascinating to watch them dart about & to watch the female being clasped by her mate & laying her eggs in the pond weed.

Not to mention our Hoverfly, who seems to think it is ALL his territory!

And the beautiful bees - one day I'll work out which species they all are.

And when you start to explore the water you find a little self sustained eco-system (or maybe even a few) - we have seen so many species from pond snails to dragonfly nymphs, damselfly nymphs to newts, newtlets to freshwater shrimps, bloodworms to Pond Skaters. 

And the most amazing thing of all is, they chose OUR little rill to live in, reproduce & die. They've chosen to spend all their precious days in our little rill. I feel very honoured.