The larvae of this pretty hoverfly eat aphids and thus are looked upon with some favor by gardeners. Sometiimes it's called Aphid-eater Hoverfly. But I prefer a translation from the Dutch: Comma Hoverfly, given those six comma-like yellow patches on its 'back'.

Tags:   Garden Strawberry flower Fragaria Comma Hoverfly Aphid-eater Hoverfly Eupeodes corollae Shaffy's Tuin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands insect larva

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Here's a pretty view from the Oosterdok southward into Amsterdam with three of the city's towers. On the left the famous Schreierstoren of Henry Hudson fame built as part of the city's defenses at the end of the fifteenth century. Then the Geldersekade - once the city's outer moat dug in the fifteenth century - leading to the Zuiderkerk in the distance. It was built 1603-1611 as the first church in Amsterdam designed for Protestant worship. On the right the Catholic Basilica of St Nicholas built in 1887 soon after Catholics had regained their freedom of religious organisation in 1853.

Tags:   Amsterdam, The Netherlands Schreierstoren, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Geldersekade, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Zuiderkerk, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Henry Hudson religious freedom for Catholics, Amsterdam, The Netherlands tower Protestant boat

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Those 'flower lines' on the petals of Geranium versicolor are a kind of road sign for insects directing them to the pollen and nectar of a particular plant. It's always fascinating to watch those insects, in this case a Honeybee. Look only at its proboscis delving deeply to draw nectar from our Pencilled Geranium.

Tags:   Pencilled Cranesbill Pencilled Geranium pollen nectar Geranium versicolor Honeybee Apis mellifera insect proboscis Hortus Botanicus, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Flower Lines petal flower

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Walking in the Garden, Adam came upon a pretty blue flower. Asked for a fitting name, it was shyly at a loss for words. 'You won't be forgotten', declared the Name-giver. Hence 'Forget-me-not'. The scientific name comes from the Greek and means 'mouse ear' after the shape of the foliage. The specific alludes to the plant's many, long branch stems.

Tags:   Adam Eden Myosotis ramosissima Mouse Ear Our Garden, Venlo, The Netherlands flower Blue Flower

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A ray of Sunshine between chilly - 8C - showers brought out this pretty Sweat Bee. It's seeking nutrients on a small English or Lawn Daisy, hundreds of which to choose from in our greenery.

Tags:   Bee insect Lasioglossum sp. Sweat Bee flower Bellis perennis English Daisy Lawn Daisy Our Garden, Venlo, The Netherlands wildflower

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