In the yard today – passionflowers, of course, plus other things.
I spent some time in the yard today with my Canon Rebel T2i. I love the convenience of having a camera in my phone, but it just doesn’t have the glass… with a 60mm macro lens, I can get a lot more detail, and catch more interesting things.
This is the Passiflora caerulea vine that has gone into the creekside and grows up the dead sumac bush.
Even with a considerable distance, the macro lens gets right in there.
There’s an ant on this anther.
Another flower on the same vine. The three bees were wrestling all over one another in a pile, and it seemed really odd – they usually do that for pollen, but not so much nectar in the passionflowers. Then, when I was looking at the images in the camera, I realized that they have RIPPED OFF the pollen anthers, and are working them over in the middle of the flower. They remind me of Macbeth’s witches around their cauldron.
A bumblebee on Passiflora incarnata.
This one, I could get right above – so I could focus close, and get a lot of detail. I really do love the camera, and this lens.
It’s the bee’s knees. Those are pollen grains.
Passiflora incarnata “Bill’s Delight.”
Close up on the center of the flower.
These corona filaments swirl around themselves in very odd patterns.
…and this flower is pollinating itself. I just hope it doesn’t go blind. I love how the anther looks like a tongue licking the stigma.
This exceptionally handsome Viceroy butterfly, Limenitis archippus, has set up a territory which includes the fig tree, the Maximilian sunflowers, and part of the creekside brush. He will aggressively chase any of the Fritilaries or other butterflies that come close, and sometimes he even buzzes the wasps. He’s a little petty tyrant.
At least he’s pretty.
I now have four different species of Cestrum – this is Cestrum aurantium “Orange Zest.” It’s hardy in our zone, and shoots out these bundles of cheery orange-yellow flowers all summer long.
I just wish they were as fragrant as their cousins – Cestrum nocturnum is my favorite fragrant flower in the world; I keep a bush in a pot, and bring it in to the bedroom when it’s in flower. It only flowers at night. This one has pretty flowers all day long – but no smell at all.
Michael, those are STUNNING photos. Wow, I’m envious!
Ohhh, I love your new camera and lens too! Lovely.
Can’t get enough of your passion flowers, Michael! The viceroy is indeed pretty. Are you still keeping chickens?
wonderful photos. and the wee incense that arrived has already grown 30 fold! now to contain it to the back fence!
What great photos! I’m going to have to show my husband as he loves photography.
Really so glad to have found your site, quite by accident. But as a quilter I love seeing this process and would really like to exchange blog links with you.
carli the quilter@ gmail dot com
The photos are wonderful! Please do tell what camera and lens you are using. You can get up close and personal with what you have. Nice work! Thank you in advance, Deborah
Deborah, it’s up at the top of the post – it’s a Canon Rebel T2i, and I’m using a 60mm macro lens. It takes great pictures!
Wonderful photos!
Hi Michael!
I was so excited to find your blog after reading about your passion vines and chickens. But I notice you’ve not posted since 2013. Does this mean you’re no longer about? Crossing my fingers that that is not the case.
Dragons! Because they rock!
Deni
Deni,
I’m still around. I’ve found that Facebook has been easier to keep updated, although I do miss the more thought-out, considerate approach that blogging gives. If you want to follow me on Facebook, look me up there – I’m not going to post a link, because I get enough spam, but I’m not hard to find.
Nature is so beautiful 🙂