Attention seeker

Caught between a morning of necessary domestic and administrative catch-ups and an afternoon hospital appointment, I had literally half an hour at lunch time to get out with the camera and track down something inchrestin'. I started at the black horehound, but in the chilly and overcast conditions there were only a couple of bees foraging there, and neither was in the mood for posing. So I scurried back home and whisked round all the likely plants and shrubs in the garden, but didn't find much there either.

Walking back to the house, by now feeling slightly unhinged, I stopped to peer at the montbretia patch because it sometimes produces hoppers or cricket nymphs. Because I was looking for something very small indeed I completely failed to notice this Banded Demoiselle, and I felt pretty foolish when he decided to draw attention to himself by fluttering irritatedly across my eye-line. I'd have felt more ridiculous still if he'd flown over the fence and disappeared before I could get him on camera, but happily he landed again, and I was able to rattle off a burst of shots. I pointed out, politely, that he'd actually come down in a slightly tricky position for good photos, and he promptly moved to a place with better light and no intervening leaves, where I was able to angle the camera so as to get him sharp from frons to claspers. Which in the circumstances was more cooperation than I deserved. 

This evening I've been terribly saddened to read that Radish has died. Eight years on from losing Roley and Arthur, I thought my days of weeping over dogs were behind me, but it turns out that they're not. 

Durdle on, little chap.