I was photographing a globular springtail (Dicyrtomina saundersi) in the garden, when a juvenile "elongate" springtail came scurrying into view. Remarkably, they're both reasonably in focus with this single shot. Two for the price of one! #collembola #mesofauna #macro #photograph

A selection of globular springtails found under fallen leaves on our garden lawn this morning. A Dicyrtomina species at the bottom and Sminthurinus aureus (dark form) and S. elegans at the top. #collembola #mesofauna #Staffs #macro #photography

The globular springtail Dicyrtomina saundersi in our #Staffs garden this morning. Between 1-2 mm long. #collembola #mesofauna #macro #photography

We're fortunate in having a few Fly Agaric mushrooms growing in our #Staffs garden. Being a photographer, I couldn't resist a bit of additional Photoshopery on this shot! #macro #photography #shallowDoF

More fungi from our front lawn today. I know very little about mushroom identification, but wondered whether this could be one of the Laccaria species (Deceivers)? #Staffs #fungi #macro #photography

We have a nice selection of fungi on our front lawn, including Fly Agaric. #Staffs #macro #photography #fungi #mushrooms

My morning leaf-litter hunt didn't result in any springtail photographs today, but I did snap this little psocid (barkfly) that was under a Laurel leaf. #psocoptera #Staffs #garden #macro #photography

The globular springtail Sminthurinus aureus (dark form) in the garden this morning. Very small (< 1 mm). #Staffs #collembola #springtail #LeafLitter #mesofauna #macro #photography

I found a tiny little wasp (~2-3 mm) under a wet leaf on the lawn this morning (was looking for springtails actually). #WaspLove #Staffs #macro #photography

Still lots of social wasp workers collecting nesting material in our #Staffs garden. #WaspLove #macro #photography

I'm fortunate in knowing someone with a fine collection of vintage automobilia. He lets me borrow bits to photograph; here's a lovely old jack (apparently supplied with some early Rolls Royce and Bentley cars). #vintage #stilllife #torchlight

Female Field Digger Wasp (Mellinus arvensis), leaving her nest hole in our #Staffs garden. They're out hunting early today! #WaspLove #macro #photography

A globular springtail - Sminthurinus elegans - under a fallen Beech leaf in the garden this morning. I'm a bit out of practice photographing things this small (~0.5mm) but will improve as the damper weather progresses! #collembola #mesofauna #macro #photography #Staffs

Nice and damp in the garden this morning so thought I'd do a little springtail hunting. Didn't find many, but DID find this tiny (~2mm) wasp with a minuscule parasitic mite on it! #wasplove #acari #Staffs #parasitism #macro #photography

When it brightened-up a bit, I spent some time at the garden Ivy to see what visited; lots of things (naturally)! Just a reminder that if you really have to remove Ivy, please wait until it's finished flowering. #Staffs #biodiversity #pollinators #macro #photography

First Ivy Bee (Colletes hederae) that I've seen in our #Staffs garden this year; a male. Lots of other invertebrates on the Ivy too, showing what in important resource it is. #bees #SolitaryBees #pollination #macro #photograph #biodiversity

Was having a tidy-up in the garden shed yesterday, so thought I'd do a bit of still-life photography. #photography #stilllife #still-life #vintage #flowers #dried

Attractive little sawfly in the garden this morning. The black head, "shoulder pads" and wing margins, suggest it could be the Turnip Sawfly (Athalia rosae)? This individual was on a rhubarb leaf. #macro #photograph #Staffs #sawflies #Symphyta

A Dock Bug (by the look of it) in our #Staffs garden yesterday. It was very warm but unlike most insects in the garden, this was sitting-still on a plant. Makes life somewhat easier! #maro #photography #TrueBugs

A Honeybee (Apis mellifera) nicely positioned in the centre of a garden flower. She just had to be photographed! #macro #photography #bee #honeybee #pollinator

European Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) as it should be; in our garden today. #macro #photograph #spider #Staffs

Female Coelioxys (sharp-tailed) bee in the garden this morning. These are cuckoo bees that lay their eggs in the nests of leafcutter bees. #macro #photography #Staffs #bees #SolitaryBees #pollination

Just a record shot, but first Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) that I've seen in the garden this year. #macro #photography #Staffs #butterflies #garden

Male Field Digger Wasp (Mellinus arvensis). This is the first time I've photographed one in July in our #Staffs garden. The first ones usually turn-up well into August. #macro #photography #garden #wasp #WaspLove

An attractive little wasp feeding on a garden Eryngium flower today. One of the Ancistrocerus species possibly? #macro #photography #Staffs #WaspLove #pollination

Another composite image of insects visiting our garden Sea Holly. I'm seeing various diptera, solitary and social wasps and solitary bees feeding. No social bees yet. Interesting to watch. #garden #diversity #pollinators #Staffs

I've been practicing for this year's Sea Holly composites in our #Staffs garden. This represents visitors over a 15 minute period. Lots of shots "blended" together. There'll be more! #macro #photography #garden #diversity #insects #Eryngium

Juniper Shieldbug on our garden summer-house this afternoon. #macro #photography #Staffs

No more Beewashing please! Why beekeeping doesn't help conserve bees. Pls RT if you agree. youtu.be/fiBYBmlKSYU

Long-cheeked (Dolichovespula) wasp worker on a garden Eryngium flower this morning. Note long gap between base of eye and mandible. Generally larger overall than Vespula wasp species too. #macro #photography #WaspLove

Tiny male Hylaeus (Yellow-face) Bee in the garden bee-hotel today. With the whitish colouration of the face, shape of facial markings, orange underside to antennae and suggestion of hairiness, this could be a Hairy Yellow-face Bee (H. hyalinatus). #macro #photography #bees #SolitaryBees

More Coelioxys (Sharp-tailed Bee) activity by the bee-hotel in our #Staffs garden. These are very difficult to differentiate (for me certainly), so no idea of species. According to @StevenFalk1's Flickr pages, I should have got a shot of the underside too! #macro #photography #Bees #CuckooBees

Female Coelioxys Sharp-tailed Bee on our garden bee-hotel just now. These are cuckoo bees that parasitise the nests of leafcutter bees. #Staffs #macro #photography#bees #SolitaryBees

Lots of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) drinking from the rock in our garden water-feature today. #macro #photography #summer #thirsty #bees

There noticed this swarm of honeybees in tree this morning and managed to get a photograph.

A Scarlet Tiger Moth (Callimorpha dominula) pair; in our garden yesterday. #Staffs #macro #photography #moths

We have a Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) nest by the door onto the patio; the new queens and males are out-and-about today! #bees #bumblebees #garden #macro #photography #insects

A German Wasp worker, feeding on a Knapweed flower in our #Staffs garden yesterday. #WaspLove #macro #photography

First Coelioxys (Sharp-tailed Bee) of the year in our #Staffs garden today. It's a male and he was on a fence by our bee-hotel. These are cuckoo bees; the female lays her eggs in the nests of leafcutter bees. #bees #SolitaryBees #macro #photography

A male leafcutter bee, warming-up at the entrance to a hole in our garden bee-hotel. Looks like Willughby's Leafcutter Bee (Megachile willughbiella). Note the expanded ends to the fore-limbs; characteristic of this (and some related) species. #bees #SolitaryBees #macro #photography #garden

I've seen three long-cheeked Dolichovespula wasps in our #Staffs garden this year; a Median Wasp queen, a Tree Wasp worker and yesterday, this one. I THINK it way be a Saxon Wasp (D. saxonica) worker, but I'm by no means certain. They are not recorded very often in this neck of the woods. #WaspLove

I sat by the bee-hotel yesterday mid-morning to check activity. Most was from wasps; not bees. Bees are on top row. Best called a hymenoptera-hotel! I guess the spider was abandoned by the Dipogon wasp that nests here. The social wasp is a long-cheeked Dolichovespula species; D. sylvestris perhaps?

Some of the guests in our bee-hotel this weekend. We offer rooms 2mm to 10mm in diameter that attract mason and leafcutter bees; and other solitary bees/wasps (including parasitic/cuckoo species). Also get a range of interlopers that just need a room for the night. Hours of entertainment! #Staffs

Dipogon spider-hunting wasp dragging a spider up the wall to its nest hole. This was in a concrete section of my garden bee/wasp hotel. #WaspLove #macro #photography

We get a variety of bee/wasp species nesting in our garden bee-hotels. I can generally guess who likely completed the nests holes by how they are sealed; but I'm stumped with this one. Can't work-out what's been used! #macro #photography #garden

I tried to get a sequence of a wasp worker collecting wood fibres, rolling them into a ball underneath them, and then flying off. Almost managed it, but for final shot, I wanted the legs off the ground. I'll try again! I think it's a German Wasp (Vespula germanica). #WaspLove #macro #photography

Wasp worker collecting wood fibres in our #Staffs garden just now. #macro #photography #insects #wasps #WaspLove

I think this is a Dipogon spider-hunting wasp. Whatever, I've spent a lot of time watching its antics. It spends ages collecting mortar fragments and other debris to construct its nest. Action is in a cement-based section of my bee-hotel. #macro #photography #WaspLove #Staffs

A fairly large male leafcutter bee resting on the bee-hotel today. #bees #SolitaryBees #Staffs

Pretty cool in the garden and most bee-hotel visitors unsure whether to venture out or have an afternoon in. The narrow wasp (Ichneumon?) actively-searching rooms though. Also first male Willughby's Leafcutter Bee (bottom-left) that I've photographed this year. #Staffs #bees #WaspLove