Bugs!

Attracted to the sap dripping from holes caused by a sapsucker on the maple tree.

Click on one to get up close and personal.

This fly's head is pretty cool when enlarged.

A shy honey bee. Hard to get a shot of them on these snow drops. They burrow right up into them.

another species.

A close look at a small dung fly. 

Hives doing well!

Looks like all 8 made it through a very mild although very wet winter. So far. All are very busy today and bringing in pollen.  Here's two of them:

.I decided to get a close-up of the newts mating in the second pond (yes, it's an early spring) and while they stayed too far away, Of course these guys were right below the house and I didn't have a long lens with me.

Spring is here?

1/25/16 and it's spring? We have a day with sunshine and 55* I even saw the newts in a ball mating in one of the ponds. Too far for a photo though.
First test of the 200mm macro lens on something alive outside.
All the bees are flying. Click to enlarge as usual.

Tiny sweat bee?

Hover fly