Celebration

I believe that this is my 3000th blip, which is pretty surprising given that I have a low boredom threshold and a strong track record of abandoning commitments. It says a lot about the community here that I find this project so very hard to walk away from. As ever, I'd like to thank the Powers That Be for keeping the show on the road, and the people who take the time and trouble to read my posts - you're all special, and it's a pleasure to know you, whether in person or virtually.

I've chosen this woundwort shieldbug today for three reasons:

Firstly, because I've been reporting on the development of this shieldbug nursery for several weeks, and this adult represents the final stage of the nymphs' journey to adulthood.

Secondly, because Baby B was extremely interested in these shieldbugs when he stayed with us recently, pottering over to the clump of hedge woundwort at regular intervals, and asking me to find him some. I used them as a lesson in the need to be respectful and gentle with tiny creatures, which I'm quite sure he didn't really understand, but I hope it's knowledge that will become embedded over time.

And thirdly, because it quite nicely represents my own journey, both as a photographer and a conservationist: I saw a woundwort shieldbug for the first time in my life, photographed it with some difficulty, and blipped it, just over six years ago, and now I'm providing a breeding ground for them that produces scores of individuals each year, and casually photographing them during all their life stages. I tend (probably unhelpfully) to be more focused on my deficiencies than my achievements, but this genuinely feels like something worth celebrating.