Living in harmony

I find it interesting to observe the manner in which insects can be seeking food from the same source without necessarily coming into conflict with each other.  This photo shows ants and a bee sharing a flower quite happily – that is, neither is interfering with the other.  When a parsley plant was flowering recently, it attracted a variety of insects to it – bees, ants wasps, ladybirds, hoverflies to name the most obvious ones.  Each day it was a joy to visit the plant and to find yet another visitor to the garden and particularly to this plant.  Now I know that there are certainly occasions when insects will compete with each other, yet my observations on the flowering plants have been that they are able to be in harmony with each other in that scenario.  These insects also have tolerated my peering closely at them, and putting a camera very close to them as well, and not once have I been ‘buzzed’ by a bee or wasp.  It seems that I am included into the ‘family’ also.

A second chance

In my vegetable garden I try to interfere as little as possible in the balance of pests and predators. I observe, and try to learn from watching the cycle over a longer period of time than previously. Recently however, I came across a beetle eating my marrow leaves, and after a brief pause, I decided to squash it. Instantly I had a, well, how do I describe it? Just an instant knowing that I had committed a needless act of violence. Feeling regretful would not bring the insect back to life. I had to live with whatever consequences would arise.

This morning I came across another of the same species in the garden, and this time I refrained from doing any more than ‘shooting’ it with my camera. The lesson was learnt. If only I could learn all lessons so quickly and easily……the garden is a great teacher though, so perhaps I can be hopeful of being an apt student.

My new look for 2009

This is my namesake, Eremophila nivea, as a young plant in my garden in October 2008.

I have been away from this site for a while, and now I return with a slightly different look.  Thanks to the kindness of a friend I am now able to take photos with a digital camera, and it has opened up a whole new world for me.  It has been a great learning curve, not only to understand the photographic aspects, but also the technology associated with it.  I can’t say I understand it all yet, but I am slowly making progress.  More importantly, I am able to bring my world into the homes of others, and to share the joys I experience in the natural world.

Some of my photos can be viewed http://www.redbubble.com/people/enivea