Hovering near the Castle. Sphaerocordia macrogaster, ホソヒメヒラタアブ, on ツルマンネングサ, Sedum sarmentosum, or Gold Moss, Matsue, Honshû, Japan
Well, I hope that the wings of the plane that's to take me away from Japan tonight are in better repair than those of this well-worn Hoverfly. It's mustering up its courage and energy on Gold Moss Stonecrop, Sedum sarmentosum.
Many of the huge stones of which the Castle of Matsue (see an earlier photo) is built are covered with this Sedum which can thrive from the smallest of cracks and spread large blankets of golden flowers in the bright sun.
I've given the Japanese names in the caption above in deference to the authors of the fine field guides in Japanese that I've been using here. I am obviously very grateful that Latin equivalents were given in those books for the Japanese of which I am totally ignorant.
PS I expect to soon have a better internet connection. Please bear with me...
Hovering near the Castle. Sphaerocordia macrogaster, ホソヒメヒラタアブ, on ツルマンネングサ, Sedum sarmentosum, or Gold Moss, Matsue, Honshû, Japan
Well, I hope that the wings of the plane that's to take me away from Japan tonight are in better repair than those of this well-worn Hoverfly. It's mustering up its courage and energy on Gold Moss Stonecrop, Sedum sarmentosum.
Many of the huge stones of which the Castle of Matsue (see an earlier photo) is built are covered with this Sedum which can thrive from the smallest of cracks and spread large blankets of golden flowers in the bright sun.
I've given the Japanese names in the caption above in deference to the authors of the fine field guides in Japanese that I've been using here. I am obviously very grateful that Latin equivalents were given in those books for the Japanese of which I am totally ignorant.
PS I expect to soon have a better internet connection. Please bear with me...