'Beautiful British Bees' - Microscopy Art Workshop with Cath Hodsman

We all know bees are amazing pollinators,  and part of the lifeblood of our planet, but, did you know  for instance that worker honey bees are really so cute and fluffy close up? And that they  have been trained to 'sniff' out drugs and explosives more quickly than dogs? They are simply, amazing!

Cath Hodsman is a nationally acclaimed wildlife artist, who's specialty is bugs! (Entomology for my posh readers :) )  I had an amazing time last week, first, learning many new and fascinating facts about the honey bee, and then studying, and drawing them under the microscope, using Cath's expertise and knowledge to guide me.

For someone like me, who's passionate about nature, art and detail, this was a truly wonderful experience!

Here's my Worker honey bee, outside hind leg x 15 magnification.

It's incredible when the teeny tiny little thing on your slide suddenly becomes this  huge, amazingly detailed furry limb!

Cath explained how to actually take a photo through the microscope itself. (This is not a great shot as it's really hard to do, you can hardly breathe;  but, it gives an idea of what we were looking at, and some of the incredible detail.)

 Cath suggested we also do a label, which was great fun to play around with after the intensity of using the microscope. I loved using it, but it is an entirely new way to draw, and can initially, cause eye strain.  You must take breaks. We worked in graphite and colour pencil on hot press watercolour paper,  building up layers after laying the initial foundation drawing.

 

Cath explaining something - opposite  my workstation with microscope and slides!

For anyone worrying, all Cath's 'subjects' are natural bee deaths and very reverently preserved and looked after. She's a passionate conservationist and a lady after my own heart! There was a lot of fun and laughter during the day.

                Fellow students at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden, enjoying our day.

Here are a couple of examples of Cath's work, please visit her website to see more of her beautiful art.

I thoroughly recommend her workshops. The knowledge I gained will help me in my nature art journaling, and, in helping to save our precious bees!

The story of a wildlife garden - so far.

I've been off line quite a bit as I've had labrynthitis and kept wobbling about! It's getting better so I thought I'd pop in and post a few photos of the beautiful blossom in our wildlife garden.

This garden is the fourth I've had and it's like no other before! When I moved here in 2008 I was a bit shocked to find it such a long way from our flat, with no water or power. It was originally like a small, undulating field which had been cleared of brambles, with just two old buddleia plants in it! All that visited were a couple of magpies, so I suggested to Himself that we could have a garden for wildlife. He's unable to do gardening, but loves wildlife as I do, so he thought this was a  great idea. The top border was dug out  in 2009 and shrubs to attract bees, butterflies and pollinating insects  planted. Since then we have planted five trees and a wildlife hedge of native British shrubs,  and many herbaceous plants and herbs. The garden has to be manageable for me as we still have no power outside and  all water has to be carried down from our second floor flat! (The garden in front belongs to the old gentleman who lives below us.)

This is the border a couple of years later.

And here it is today! This viburnum is filling the spring air with perfume.

 

The kerria attracts loads of insects and looks beautiful.

Likewise this lovely peach coloured chaenomeles.

 The bees love the ceanothus.

Our little trees are growing so well too,  the weeping crab apple is all set to take centre stage.

And the pear trees are out in full bloom.

 The forsythia was originally a tiny cutting my mother in law gave me! (The squirrels and magpies have displaced the bird feeder stand going after peanuts, and it needs sorting out!)

Even tiny gooseberry blossom is important for emerging pollinating insects.

 And of course, dandelions are very important! We have a lot of these! :)

 Our bug and bee retreats are already attracting potential nest builders and egg layers.

The hellebores are still blooming,  and have been since early January. They are probably my favourite cultivated plant. The old brick path is very weedy and broken down, but I'm loath to change it!

 Bee friendly wallflowers! The colours are just gorgeous.

This peony appears to have been planted in the original 1950's garden and  still comes up every year!

 And this is the wildlife hedge - the first spring after I planted it in December 2011.

This is what it looked like this morning! We have blossom!

I'm excited waiting for the guelder rose to bloom for the first time!

And maybe the wild roses?

 Anyway,  our garden visitors seem to like it,  this little poppet flew down to  investigate while I was taking the photos!

 

  

It's great to  look back and realise how far we've come,  now we have a variety of birds, mammals insects and amphibians visiting us regularly. I hope this year will bring even more. How's your garden?