Come on let’s crawl
Gotta crawl, gotta crawl
To the ugly bug ball
To the ball, to the ball
And a happy time we’ll have there
One and all
At the ugly bug ball
Richard M. Sherman / Robert B. Sherman
I remember that song so well from my childhood. Sung by Burl Ives in the film Summer Magic, it was a favourite on the radio stations my mother would have on while doing the housework (and back then, in the 1960s, naturally she did all the housework!) So did I grow up thinking all bugs were ugly? Not at all! I loved to see butterflies in our garden of course. But I was also fascinated by caterpillars, daddy-long-legs, even worms!
Today I see insects and other bugs mainly as potential subjects for photography. I love to stalk bees as they move from flower to flower. Or to hover a safe distance from a butterfly, hoping to capture a photo before I scare it into flying away.
So when Terri set insects as the theme for this week’s Sunday Stills challenge, I was keen to join in. Then Susanne, of Cats and Trails and Garden Tales, inspired me with her Seven Squared Bugs post, so like her I’ve selected seven insects to share for Becky’s September Squares theme of Seven. Some were taken close to home, others further afield on our travels.
The astute among you however will spot an eighth insect on this page! Let me know in the comments if you’ve found it please.
I’m away this week and have scheduled this post, so apologies if I’m slower than usual to reply to comments, although I will be reading them all.
Jersey Tiger moth on our garden gate, Ealing, west London
Honey bee in Walpole Park, Ealing, west London
Buff-tailed bumblebee on a buddleia in Cambridgeshire, England
Bee (Carpenter bee?) in Tavira Castle gardens, Portugal
Blue ground beetle (I think) at Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria
Dragonfly in the nature reserve at Lagarta Lodge, Costa Rica
Owl butterfly, Selvatura, Costa Rica
39 Comments
Annie Berger
Sarah, Don’t remember the song at all. Perhaps it wasn’t played in my native Canada? Good for Rose for spotting the eighth insect as I wasn’t able to even after her comment and your thinking it was so obvious! Great bee shots – you should submit them to the NY Times Spelling Bee as there’s always a new bee photo in the daily puzzle. I think I may have suggested that before to you!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie 🙂 Maybe that film wasn’t released in Canada? Yes, Rose did really well! I don’t think you’ve mentioned the NY Times Spelling Bee previously, but as I don’t have a subscription I can’t access that publication online unfortunately.
Susanne Swanson
Wonderful photos! and I remember singing that song!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Susanne 🙂
BeckyB
oh aren’t these fabulous, and thank goodness for Rose spotting the fly as I missed that like everyone else!
Sarah Wilkie
And yet I had thought it was too obvious when I posted this!
BeckyB
fascinating isn’t it what we see when preparing a post and then what our readers see
Sarah Wilkie
Oh yes, absolutely!
Alison
Fantastic close ups, so clear. Yes I remember that song and used to love it too. Couldn’t find the 8th one either.
Toonsarah
Thank you Alison 🙂 Rose found the eighth insect – see her comment below!
Rose
The Owl Butterfly is so interesting with so many circles on its wings… I didn’t see the ‘extra’ unless you meant in the photo at beginning of your post?
Sarah Wilkie
Rose, you win the prize 😃 You are the first person to spot that photo-bombing fly in my featured photo!
grandmisadventures
I love the shape and color of the tiger moth 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
It’s lovely, isn’t it? They’ve only quite recently spread to our part of the country
kzmcb
The bug on the roses petal under the carpenter bee?
Sarah Wilkie
Not what I was thinking of, I hadn’t spotted one there!
the eternal traveller
You described the act of photographing bees perfectly. Stalking is exactly how it feels as they go about their work from flower to flower. They never take the time to pose for a photo. :
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, I’m glad you liked that description 😃
Heyjude
I couldn’t find your illusive insect either. And I looked on my BIG screen. I do like that blue beetle.
Sarah Wilkie
I seem to have fooled everyone – and there was me thinking it was too obvious! I’ll reveal all later today if no one finds it before then 😃
bushboy
Lovely macros Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian 😄
thehungrytravellers.blog
Erm….is that a tail or wing of something on the buddleia?
Sarah Wilkie
I don’t think so – certainly not what I had in mind!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Then I have to admit defeat!
Sue
Like you, I have loved to stalk bees as they move from flower to flower. Or to hover a safe distance from a butterfly, hoping to capture a photo before I scare it into flying away…. These are great! Have happy travels
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue 😊
Ilze
Beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 😀
Ilze
You are welcome 🙂
margaret21
Happy travels Sarah! Is there something tiny in the background in the Tavira Gardens shot?
Sarah Wilkie
If there is, I hadn’t spotted it, so that’s not the one I had in mind!
margaret21
Back to the magnifying glass …
navasolanature
These are wonderful. How Interesting to see them squared! almost different perspective. If the Tavira bee was totally black then definitely the carpenter. I find them difficult to get a good photo. They gleam so beautifully and are quite big and none of my photos capture this. That dragonfly is pure lace. Unless the honey bee has another insect on the flower I can not see any more.! Quite a challenge.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much. I think that bee was completely black but I can’t remember for sure!
Anne Sandler
Great close ups Sarah. I couldn’t find your illusive insect.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Anne 😃 Do try again, I can assure you he’s here somewhere!
Terri Webster Schrandt
Love the poem Ugly Bug Ball, Sarah! You have some fabulous shots of bees and various insects! That blue beetle is pretty! I wonder if the birds can’t see them as well. Great to see your post. Enjoy your travels!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Terri 😊 I have no idea why that beetle would be blue, but it’s definitely a beautiful shade!