Ed Phillips

I've added a Blog post to my website today. It's about springtails and the method I use to photograph them. There are lots around in our #Staffs garden at the moment. #collembola #photography

Just finished re-vamping my old website. Now better reflects my current photographic interests; and provides a Shop. Please feel free to have a look and let me know what you think via the Contact page. Thank you! #photography #StillLife #Wildlife

A "new" species of bee in our #Staffs garden at the moment. Here on Tansy flowers, but have also seen her checking the bee-hotel. Think might be one of the Colletes species. She escaped from the spider! #bees

The wasp workers are out in force collecting nesting materials from the wooden structures in our garden. I think this is a German Wasp worker (Vespula germanica). #Staffs #wasplove

Found this fine tachinid fly in our #Staffs garden today; advised that it's Nowickia ferox, the Black and Orange Parasite Fly. Checked the county Fly Atlas and there are no previous records. That's why I've not seem one here before! It's a large and impressive beast. #diptera

I spotted this old saw in an antiques market and couldn't resist it. I've searched online but can't find more about it; anyone know its specific use (dovetail saw)? It's just over 12" (30cm) long. Can make out Made in England on blade. Intrigued ...

Male Broad-bodied Chaser by our garden pond yesterday. First dragonfly that I've photographed this year. #Staffs #dragonflies #garden

The hoverfly Sphaerophoria scripta in our garden today. #Staffs #hoverfly #pollination

When the sun shines on the bee-hotel, the occupants come to their front doors to say hello. #Staffs #garden #bees #biodiversity

I see a few of these in our #Staffs garden every year; the wasp Crabro cribrarius. The males have strange shield-like appendages on their front legs. They're a ground-nesting species but a few males visit our bee-hotels and sometimes spend the night! #wasps #WaspLove

More Beech hedge biodiversity. Lots of invertebrates are attracted to the south-facing Beech section of our #Staffs garden hedgerow, to warm-up on the leaves. Another varied selection! #biodiversity #pollinators

It's that time of year again when the south-facing Beech hedge in our garden is coming into leaf. It's a favourite place for invertebrates to visit and warm-up. I do these composites every year to show the biodiversity. #Staffs #garden #biodiversity #pollination

First Ashy Mining Bee (Andrena cineraria) of the year, in our #Staffs garden yesterday. One of my favourites; this female warming-up on my finger. #bees #SolitaryBees #garden #pollinators

A Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) visiting our Staffordshire garden this morning. Even managed to get a reasonably-uncluttered (and in-focus) shot! Don't see many of these in our garden ...

Just putting the finishing touches together, I hope some of you can make it. Open 11.00 - 16.00 hrs daily; free admission, free parking.

Always a treat to see; a lovely Ruby-tailed Wasp in our #Staffs garden yesterday. #wasp #CuckooWasp #SolitaryWasp

First Bee-fly of the year in our #Staffs garden today; Bombylius major. #bees #SolitaryBees #pollination #biodiversity

Found on the beach in Anglesey at the weekend. A seabird sternum perhaps?

A lovely fresh-looking queen Bombus pratorum (Early Bumblebee) in our #Staffs garden this morning. I think that what it is anyway! #bees #SocialBees

First Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) that I've photographed this year. Lots active in our #Staffs garden today. #bees #SocialBees

Psocid (Barkfly) in garden leaf-litter this morning. #Staffs #garden #Psocid #Barkfly

An "elongate" springtail in garden leaf-litter this morning, just a few millimetres long. #staffs #collembola #mesofauna

Announcing an exhibition of my still-life photography at the Rose Paterson Art Gallery at Weston Park. Will run from 27 March to 29 April. Parking and admission free. The Art Gallery is open daily from 11.00 to 16.00 hrs. Weston Park situated on the A5 near Shifnal, Shropshire.

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