I was out walking back having enjoyed a cup of tea from the Costa coffee house, outside in the sun. I had a gardening magazine with me and I was reading through about geraniums and the new varieties which have recently come onto the market.
There was a breeze so any heat was dissipated and sitting there was a complete joy.
I raised my head from the magazine and my mind travelled to Costa Teguise, sitting on the front, by the sea. The distant sound of vehicles and industry only adding to the recognised soundscape. It was a moment of bliss and it made me think how excited I was to be returning there next March and spending part of the month there.
I shook my head and returned to present reality and finishing the tea, collected all my bits and pieces and started the walk back to the car. The wind had suddenly stopped and I felt how much the temperature had climbed since I left the house this morning.
As I approached the waste bin I saw a strange looking bee on the floor, it was either being eaten by another bee or they were fighting. Then i looked closer, no, thy were mating and the male was tapping the much larger female in a particular rhythm so as to suggest she didn't sting.
Mm, did they know I was attempting to help? No, of course not. After a few attempts she managed to get airborne with him still attached at the rear.
As she circled to find a place to collapse, I utilised the cup, hooked her out of the air (obviously hitting tea dregs, oops) and in one elegant swing, deposited the pair of them onto some plants.
I couldn't get over the size difference! She was at least twice the size of him and could take the head off that male of she wasn't such a vegetarian.
Talking of biting heads off males.
I had another encounter with mating insects yesterday. I was at my compost heap, as you do, checking the late fruiting raspberries, where else, when I noticed a very large spider, and on the same web, a tiddly one about a quarter of the larger one's size.
Think I could tell which was which in the sex stakes!
The male was no fool, instinct had already programmed him to keep one leg on a very good drop wire and approach with caution. Beating the front legs on the web, he rhythmically repeated a set phrase and as he did he cautiously moved forward towards her.
Oh, was she intent on the movements on her web! It was only that drumming which had managed to keep him alive this long.
I watched,entranced by the absolute dance of death. One wrong beat and he'd be wrapped for desert, delivery unmade. Slowly edging forward he approached her.
She lunged.
He retreated.
He started again.
Drumming again, he began the second approach.
Drumming, drumming, closer, closer.
Then, BAM, she lunged and with a split second he dropped off the web.
I have no idea what happened after that. I bemoaned not having a camera to hand but at least I had seen it and now I have committed it to the blog.
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