Red velvet mites scurrying around on a molehill at Ham Wall - I've never seen so many in one place, I'm used to seeing ones and twos. I got in close to see some detail, but altogether there were 30+ in an area of maybe 20x20 cm. The slightly smaller ones are males, and the wider ones are females.

Tags:   arachnid Trombidiidae Trombidium holosericeum red velvet mite RSPB Ham Wall Somerset Levels UK

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Red velvet mites scurrying around on a molehill at Ham Wall - I've never seen so many in one place, I'm used to seeing ones and twos. I got in close to see some detail, but altogether there were 30+ in an area of maybe 20x20 cm. The slightly smaller ones are males, and the wider ones are females.

Tags:   arachnid Trombidiidae Trombidium holosericeum red velvet mite RSPB Ham Wall Somerset Levels UK

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I don't normally post pics of birds on the garden feeder, but the greenfinches are so handsome I just couldn't resist.

Tags:   bird greenfinch Chloris chloris Carduelis male Taunton Somerset UK

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At Westhay Moor NNR. Body length is about 7-8 mm. An in-camera focus stack with the OM-1, 90 mm macro lens, Godox flash and Cygnustech diffuser.

Tags:   Arthropod spider crab spider Xysticus ulmi stinging nettle Westhay Moor NNR Somerset levels UK macro focus stack

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Taken with the very long lens setup I was carrying beside the canal at Bathpool, in the hope of spotting a kingfisher - instead I saw my first hairy-footed flower bees of the year. Not an ideal setup for macro but I got a record shot.

Tags:   insect bee hairy-footed flower bee male Hymenoptera Apidae Anthophora plumipes Bridgwater & Taunton canal Bathpool Taunton Somerset UK macro FOTY

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