Local Nature Reserve, Batty Piece, Somerset

A friend has just taken these photos for me showing some of the interesting wildlife to be found there at the moment.

Photographs taken by John Bebbington

Somerset Wildlife Trust reserves news

News of a botanical survey in 2012  at this Somerset Wildlife Trust reserve

Langford Heathfield Nature Reserve There is much to explore at Langford Heathfield, Somerset Wildlife Trust’s second largest nature reserve, at 226 acres. It is the reserve’s varied landscape, which includes ancient woodland, heathland and ponds, that makes it a Mecca for such a variety of wildlife. For a sheet giving directions for a walk of one or two hours, click here. An article by David Northcote-Wright in this issue of the Arion, the magazine of Butterfly Conservation, has interesting things to say about Langford Heathfield. PLANT SURVEY Look here to see a lovely website showing the results of a survey carried out throughout 2012 which resulted in 4,000 records of about 40 interesting plants, with maps showing their distribution within 10 metre squares For more information:          Go to:

http://langfordbotany.weebly.com/index.htmlhttp://langfordbotany.weebly.com/index.html

Photo: Christine Loudon

Wildlife Photography of Insects.Osmia bicolor.

The Mason Bee Story


Dear readers,
Its an exciting privilege for me to be able to use my Blog to help you to be amongst the first people to  hear about a new book on the subject of insect photography. Even better than a poster to publicise it I am showing photographs taken by John Bebbington, the Author. I asked John to provide some words to go with the photographs and I am sure you will appreciate how this story demonstrates the wonder of the natural world which is all around us. Below is Johns commentary, details of the book and some of his photographs taken very recently and not included in the book as far as I know.
We have here a combination of photographic skill, keen observation of wildlife in our own back gardens and dedication to the study of the natural world. I have collected quite a few books on wildlife in recent years and I will be ordering this one as soon as its available. As you will know I have avoided advertising on this Blog and this is a one off exception.


Please note that the link shown below takes you to the publisher but you may prefer to  contact the author direct: 


Signed copies can be obtained fro £16.99 including p&p from the author at Quantock View, Newtown, Langport TA10 9SE. Cheques payable to John Bebbington please.

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Mason Bee story.  


"Here are the images of the Mason Bee and its larva. It is the Two-coloured Mason Bee Osmia bicolor.

The bee had built cells between the two doors of our garden shed so that when we opened the shed the cells were exposed and one fell off. Even with the door open she returned and started to repair the cells. We wondered if the pollen was that of Welsh Poppy, which is abundant in our garden, so we looked at pollen from the larval cell which had fallen off the door and at pollen from a Welsh Poppy – they were the same.   The next morning we watched the bee gathering Welsh Poppy pollen.

I repaired the damaged cells with clingfilm and scotch tape and they seem to be OK."

"Photography book My book ‘Insect Photography – Art and techniques’ is due to be published by Crowood Press on 15th June. Details are on the Crowood Press website at

http://www.crowood.com/details.asp?isbn=9781847973788&t=Insect-Photography---Art-and-Techniques"

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 Two-coloured Mason Bee Osmia bicolor.  Photo by John Bebbington

the Mason Bee repairing the cells.   Photo  John Bebbington

The Mason Bee larva in its laval cell. Photo  John Bebbington