Bug on Clematis Montana

I crept about early this morning, as Helena needed extra sleep after her busy week. Bomble was annoying and demanding, ending up falling asleep on my chest in bed whilst I drank a cup of tea.

I ran a bath and went outside with my camera to see what the sunlight would illuminate. The easterly light was still nearly horizontal and I spotted this little beast catching some rays on the Clematis Montana which is just outside the back of the house. I hope you can see him too. Only a few of these Clematis flowers have opened so far. There are thousands to come.

We are very lucky living here, as the fields, which are designated as AONB - Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - adjoin our back garden. They have probably never been treated with any chemicals and are farmed traditionally as woodland pastures. The cows are brought to graze here from May until about October each year and they roam across the pastures, over the streams and into the various patches of the now open woodland, some of which was originally coppiced.

When we moved here we noticed that the wildlife and particularly the insect populations are quite uncommon, and nearly always very beautiful to observe. I imagine that most country areas in Britain would have had a similar array of complex wildlife up to the Second World War, and before the modernisation of farming practices.

I don't have a macro lens so will have to improvise somewhat. Hopefully though I can show you some of them here in due course. I am no expert in nomenclature, so if any one knows what their names are, please tell us.