not a prayer

...as we start counting off our last few days here, I set off this morning with three potential subjects in mind.

1) It is ages since I last found a stick insect here, so that would make a good blip.

2) We have a few female Provencal Blue butterflies here, but I really want to photograph a male.

3) We also have a couple of Lesser Fiery Coppers. So far, I have not been able to get any images with open wings.

While fruitlessly searching for a stick insect, I came across the first mantis of this trip. She was a really big one and I was able to get some nice shots. Amazingly, when we got back from the shops later, another one flew onto our car. I got some comical images of that one. I also got some nice images of a tired looking bee, which I would love someone to identify because otherwise I will end up deleting them!

Anyway, none of todays targets were met, and I have given up hope of finding a stick insect this year. I will save the blue and the copper as my mission for our last two days and, in keeping with the butterfly theme, I have chosen one of the many Silver-spotted Skippers Hesperia comma that were around today.

My mantis and bee images can be found here...