Wednesday, June 24, 2015

In the garden

You don't always need to drive a long distance for nature shots. Many models are waiting right in front of your door. Here I like to show you some pictures I took in my garden. 

Ground wolf spider - Trochosa terricola
Ground Wolf Spider - Trochosa terricola

White wagtail - Motacilla alba
White Wagtail - Motacilla alba

Large gold grasshopper - Chrysochraon dispar
Large Gold Grasshopper - Chrysochraon dispar

Southern hawker - Aeshna cyanea
Southern Hawker - Aeshna cyanea

Slow worm - Anguis fragilis
Slow Worm - Anguis fragilis

Slow worm - Anguis fragilis
Slow Worm - Anguis fragilis

Nut weevil - Curculio nucum
Nut Weevil - Curculio nucum

Roesel's bush-cricket - Metrioptera roeselii
Roesel's Bush-Cricket - Metrioptera roeselii

Friday, April 10, 2015

Mating season of the Common Toad

Every spring the Common Toads (Bufo bufo) emerge from hibernation. Then they migrate to the waters in which they once hatched as a tiny tadpole. Many toads gather together for a short period of time. Since they are only interested in breeding, they don't really pay attention to anything else. This is the perfect opportunity to observe their behavior and take some decent pictures. 

Already from a distance it became clear that I went to the pond at the right time. I saw something splashing in the water and I heard this:

I was happy to spend my evening with the toads. It was sunny and my amphibious friends hang out between the vegetation, so I got some nice and colorful shots.