SUMMER MEETINGS

 

 Summer is in full swing. Despite what you may think, Summer is not a particularly good time for photography. So we (my wife Joan and I) have decided to take a short trip, to the Notecka Forest in the Lubuskie Lake District.

This is a place we know well, we have been coming here for twenty years - firstly with children, and now by ourselves, but always with a tent.

We are in for a surprise this time however, the campsite is full, like never before. We are setup next to a couple with two children on one side, but on the other side there was a team with nine children - respect.

Our "palace"

We quickly established a rapport with the small family next two us, as the younger of the two kids, Bogna, came up to us and asked why we had such a large tent. It is big indeed, three bedrooms, a remnant from trips with our own children. This explanation seemed to satisfy her. Her sister was a little more reserved in dealing with strangers, but she was equally as charming.

I was, of course, travelling with my camera and it quickly turned out that the children were curious - as all children are - in what i was doing. So after a brief explanation about the world around us and the sort of things I was photographing; they made it their mission to bring me any insect they found. Interestingly each insect that they brought me had already been given a name (Bogna was especially active). Of course I don’t recall the names and unfortunately I didn’t swap contacts with the family, so I will never know them. 😞

But what we did have: Cimbex Femoratus, the birch sawfly (larva) 

Birch sawfly (larva) 

Birch sawfly (larva) 

This is something that I have had difficulty in identifying. It is most likely a Stratiomys Longicornis, the long horned general (larva), but I am not sure.

Stratiomys longicornis, the long-horned general (larva)

I found some kind of pupa, but again I am not sure what it was. 😞

There was a longhorn beetle, but it did not want to cooperate and ran away.

The forest was clean as evidenced by the number of lichens growing.

Heathers were blooming.

August is the month of the Perseids and... mushrooms. They could be found in large quantities.

I have a bit of a guilty conscience about the Perseids. I told the children about the shooting stars and as we all know, when you see such a ‘star’ you make a wish, and it should come true. Unfortunately it seemed like the wishes of the little girls didn’t come true, so I then had a problem. Third times the charm - maybe next time.

Mushrooms sprouting among the heathers look wonderful.

Personally, I was hoping to meet the dwarves but they were not at home - I thing they were probably out for a walk - maybe another time...

Photo:  Marek Czubaszek