The bee spread its wings and managed to take off from the hot flagstones… rising a mere inch before landing again. I watched him try and fail to achieve lift off several times over the next few minutes. He obviously had a problem.
“You’re braver than me,” said my son, as I let the bee crawl onto my hand and carried him over to the loosestrife, which, being full of flowers, nectar and dew would give him a safe place to rest, feed and recover.
The colourful, hairy caterpillar was doing its best and moving at a fair rate. It was obviously none too happy in the blast of direct sunlight… you could imagine that its tiny feet were speeding across the window because they were uncomfortably hot. It can have had no idea that the patio doors would take it so far from safety, food and shelter when it set out on its journey… the glass would simply be too vast for it to see.
Setting down the coffee cup, I picked up a fallen leaf, allowed the little vapourer moth caterpillar to climb aboard before transporting it to the armeria flowers… we had seen him there before on several occasions and knew he would be safe.
While I was there, I noticed a beautifully marked moth…quite a big one. Checking my phone, I found that he was a Jersey Tiger moth… a rarity in these parts and about to become even rarer, until I moved the tangle of discarded spider silk from around his wings. A few minutes later, he fluttered over to the windowsill, allowing us a glimpse of his vivid carmine under-wings… and then we saw that he was not alone, but had flown in with a friend.
As I was reading up on him, Nick pointed out the dragonflies over his pond… big, yellow and brown striped ones. For an urban garden, he does get a lot of wildlife. Although, the final ‘rescue’ of the morning had left the garden behind, made his way indoors… and was nearly mistaken for a stray leaf and stepped upon. Bees, moths and caterpillars are one thing. Frogs are less easy to catch when they need moving… especially when they are trying to dive beneath the heavy couch… He did seem awfully dry, though, and obviously happier within the damp shade at the pond’s edge.
As I ferried the frog to the pond, the fish gathered for breakfast. There are thirty-six of them, of several different species, ranging from adolescent koi to three foot long sturgeon. We know them all by name and character, and check on each of them daily. They know us too… and know just how to convince us they haven’t been fed in weeks… even when they have been fed half an hour earlier. The sturgeon’s tail can soak an unresponsive human with one swipe at the water. “At least,” said my son, “you always make my days interesting…” Which, being in the nature of a compliment, meant that it was, on the whole, and in spite of the soaking, a fairly successful morning.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Interesting and adventurous
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So many small wonders in a garden 🙂
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Indeed. And for you specially as you’re so sympathetic and kind.
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🙂
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It’s incredible that these tiny creatures (other than the frog) trust you enough to ferry them around.
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Even the frog stayed still once I picked him up 🙂
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You have an amazing gift.
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I don’t think they mind who helps them 🙂
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I don’t know, I think it’s pretty remarkable.
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I just feel privileged, Fransi, to be able to ‘meet’ these creatures.
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I understand Sue.
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They seem to behave differently when in need of help…
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Yes… as if they know who will help.
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I think they do!
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what a lovely interaction with nature, and your son. and interesting doesn’t begin to describe it
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That was the first slip into compliment h we had made in a while 😉
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Find your blessings bwhere you can 💜😀🌹🌹
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I do 🙂 x
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Me too 💜
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Sue, we have a habit in common – I am always ferrying insects out of my pool! Moths, spiders, bees, etc. Your six legged friends are lucky to have you!
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I’m too grateful for all the help I’ve been given to ignore a fellow creature in trouble 😉
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I love these post, and you did for the bee what we’ve done on numerous occasions, much to the amusement of passers-by, yet some have admitted they would do the same once we explained why. Love the fish and their characters. Great post Sue.
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Thanks, Di. I can’t juststand back and watch when something is in trouble. You can’t always help…and sometimes, perhaps, it is kinder not to. But sometimes you can…
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Exactly.
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Wonderful nature post, Sue, and you may enjoy my latest post as it also includes a special bee. I’m glad I found you through Michelle at Book Chat.
~Lauren
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Thanks, Lauren, I’ll wander over and have a read 🙂
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Thank you, Sue, for another blog full of information and new learnings,
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Glad you enjoyed it, David.
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It’s what we humans are supposed to do, isn’t it? 😀 … I was hanging the washing out this morning and spotted a damselfly caught in a spider’s web, but the spider got there before I could. I felt a bit bad for the wee creature,and got on with pegging the sheets to the line. A few minutes later I spotted another one that had got caught on the wrong side of the screen door, which I happily released. That, I’m sure, is the difference between being responsible for the consequences of our engagement with the environment, and letting Mother Nature do her thing. 🙂
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I agree. As far as I am concerned, the vaunted ‘dominion’ should be understood as care.
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You had unfettered trust in the bee, lol, not me. But the photos are stunning Sue. You should make a picture book of nature with all your stunning works of art ❤
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If colourprinting were not so expensive, I would, Debby ;)xx
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Arg, I hear you. Maybe one day! ❤
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❤
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Sounds like a veritable wildlife sanctuary! Hope the sturgeon doesn’t soak the mobile phone! 😉
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All gardens are that, as you know, Eliza 🙂
I usually photograph the fish with the camera…on zoom… for that reason 😉
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A lot of people ask me why I don’t shoo away the squirrels and chipmunk so the birds can eat. i just have a theory that all things living have a right to life. I can’t protect them from predators, but i can let them sort out how much of the feeder goes to who. They all need to eat. We need them all to live.
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That’s why the ‘bald-tailed squirrel’ still gets his chance at the feeder. Even rats have their place in the dance.
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Delightful, Sue!
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Thanks, Jennie 🙂
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You’re welcome, Sue.
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The fact they allowed you to help shows the intelligence animals have, and the fact they knew who they could trust to help them.
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