Orchard insects

It was a glorious morning to be in the orchard: the pear and apple blossom was humming with bees and flies, and the many dandelions, drifts of white deadnettle and speedwell were all attracting pollinators. I took a lot of photos, then sat on the bench for a while just quietly soaking up the beauty of the light, colours and sounds. Then, as I reluctantly returned towards the house and the list of urgent jobs, the little blue butterfly fluttered past me. We live on chalk downland, so there should be blue butterflies, but although we often see them in various places around the area, I don't think I'd ever seen one in the garden before. I was so pleased when it paused on a very accessible leaf and allowed me to attempt a whole series of photos. The extra is my second favourite from the morning: I've always had a soft spot for ladybirds.