Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth

By on October 17, 2022

Clearwing Hummingbird Olive green in color with a dark reddish-purple coloration on the back of the moth. A day-flying moth that is also one of the most fascinating guests that frequents the garden. A beautiful sunny day brings out the best in this helpful moth’s pollinating abilities. In addition to neither biting or stinging, they are regarded as being beneficial insects. The name denotes that it has clearwings, and the quick movement of its wings, often known as wingbeats, generates a humming sound.

Clearwing Hummingbird The moth tail has the appearance of a lobster’s tail because it extends out in the shape of a fan and is separated into two equal portions.

The Clearwing Hummingbird Moth, depicted in all of the photographs in this article, was hard at work pollinating flowers on the same day and at the same time.

Macro photography presents unique technical challenges, but by getting in close, you’ll see details you would have overlooked before. In a nutshell, these moths are works of art. I first mistook it for a baby hummingbird due to its ability to hover and its erratic flight pattern (backwards and sideways). It was challenging to find a secure footing in which to take photographs.

I was hesitant to photograph insects in direct sunlight due to contrast issues, and since they vanish in a matter of seconds, I had to work very rapidly to get even a handful of usable shots. In addition, I find that the light in the early morning or late afternoon is the softest and most pleasant for photography. These moths are only active during the midday hours, therefore this doesn’t work for them.

Insects like colorful butterflies, dragonflies, and honeybees are just some of the many that can be seen on my website. The vast majority of my photographs are unique or extremely unusual examples. It was pure luck that I was there at the correct time. There are many of nectar-producing flowers in our garden, making it a great site to catch butterflies and bees.

Thank you for reading my blog.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Travel and Adventure

2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition

By on March 11, 2019

The international event, ‘’World Flora Exposition’’ (officially opened last November 3, 2018  and runs through April 24 2019) It’s a festival of Taiwan’s world of greenery held across 3 different areas; Houli Horse Ranch & Forest Expo Site, Fengyuan Hudulun Park and Waipu Expo Site. The annual event participated by international exhibitors and recognized by the International Association of Horticultural Producers.

World Flora Exposition featured modern trends in agriculture as the major theme, botanical gardening, modern landscaping, vegetables, culinary herbs healthy spices and it also showcased beautiful species of different types, all enchanting and colorful in profusion.

Among the 3 exhibition sites, missing the two areas and only the Fengyuan Hudulun Park in Taichung was visited. When I was in Taiwan, we keep on moving to explore around. A week vacation is still not sufficient, my unfamiliarity with other site locations of the exhibition, there is not enough time as we only have one day in Taichung. My area of coverage is only within Taichung, the location of the hotel (Ful Won Hotel) where we stayed in is an easy access to Fengyuan Hudulun Park expo site.

All exhibits pretty much as they are even in winter. I saw what must have been close to a thousand different species and varieties on display. World Flora Exposition, this event will inspire agriculture and commercial growers as well as flower enthusiast and gardeners.

Note: My descriptions are necessary brief due to the multiple numbers of flowering plant photos.

Fengyuan Hudulun Park Expo Site

The flora exhibition will run through wintertime to springtime, it’s wintertime and exhibitors will settle for winter blooms perhaps, the kinds that blooms and evergreens too. what I can present now are the wintertime species, these are the cool growing species enjoying the climatic conditions of winter. Most featured are the spectacular beauty of winter orchids that includes; Phalaenopsis, Cymbidiums, Dendrobium, Odontogrossum and other hybrid type botanical specials.

Special Highlights ~ Flowering house plants, Ornamental and colorful foliage, Gorgeous trailing orchids, Stunning landscape and many more.

Note: My reminder to be cautious when photographing these flowers.

Fengyuan Hudulun Park Expo Site , puts on its winter exhibition. Lets get started

Dark Solid Purple Phalaenopsis

The good idea of carrying such flowers, a better approach you can see here over winter.

Purple Dendrobium


Enjoying the climatic conditions of winter, Counting down to more stunning Orchids and Petunias down there.

Dark Red Phalaenopsis

Jane Almquist Phalaenopsis

The generation of winter white orchids

Enobi Purple Dendrobium 

Flowering orchids of vibrant colors, incredibly beautiful Phalaenopsis.

Purple Spotted Harlequin Phalaenopsis

Among the most distinctive flower shapes

Graceful arching stems, lovely polka dots!

Thongchai Gold Dendrobium

Lewes Jubilee Phalaenopsis

The display of flowers in every kind is imaginable.

This flowering tree is a winter season interest.

Flowering Petunias moment of glory, two-color combinations.

Are you familiar with these Petunias? any gardener who’s been close to a garden knows these kind of hanging plants. Petunias grow well in cool temperature and will stand few degrees of frost. Definitely, it is suitable for winter exhibition, you can see more of Petunias hanging over here.

Series of Petunias available in many colors.

Suitable background set-off a garden to its best advantage.

Infinite variety of flowering plants

Petunias, they give the most flowers per hanging plant, How lovely!

White and Fuchsia Petunias

Dark purple petunias

Cool season display loved for their attractive colors.

Stunning Deep Purple Petunias

Deep Pink Petunias

Gorgeous blooms and wintertime colors.

Soft Purple Petunias

Dark Pink Petunias

Deep Pink Petunias

Deep Pink Petunias

Beds of colorful flowers

Exhibition main entry point

The charming foundation of this landscape is the background show-off flowering borders.

Creative landscape

Featuring the best landscape from Taiwan

You will pass by this area before Fungyuan Hudulun Park

The expo site is a beautiful place to watch winter flowers in full bloom. Here in the Philippines, my favorite flowering plant doesn’t normally grow in our area because they are more adapted to colder climates, they are best suitable to grow well in Baguio and Tagaytay, these 2 areas are my favorite vacation destination too. How I wish to have the same kind of winter flowers around here. To include those beautiful flowers on my wish list.

See you again next post> Sun Moon Lake Ropeway– scenic gondola cable car

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Beautiful Monarch Butterfly Landed On Flower

By on November 27, 2018

I adore being able to go outside and enjoy the perfect weather. This morning has started off very kind! Both the presence of beautiful garden delights and the value of this feature as a visual element contribute to the overall aesthetic value of the garden and the beauty of flowers with the surprising variety of butterflies. A burst of color can be provided by your garden’s ornamental components if it has been thoughtfully designed. This month, there has been an abundance of butterflies of many different species; they provide a pleasant source of joy in the morning.

Lantanas possesses an inherent beauty all its own, with cascading colors that open to the most exquisite flowers in pink, yellow, and fuschia.

A monarch butterfly alighting on a flower for a moment before taking flight…

A monarch butterfly feeds on the nectar of lantana flowers in a cluster. They perform the same function of pollination as bees.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Dahlia Hybrids

By on February 22, 2018

Following our family vacation previously, I had focused my attention on all exciting enhancements during that time and much more to something which is more relaxing and pleasing to the eye. Our itinerary doesn’t only just cover delicious foods and luxury comfort, it also includes must- sees garden flowers too.

Eagerly to show what I’ve acquired in the course of my Baguio tour, the splash of flowers and attractive features, this is something that gives identity to a certain place,’’Botanical garden of Baguio’’ the field of blooming flowers and an outstanding park for the dahlias. The best series of dahlias can be seen around minus the fragrance as a notable exception, you can also see here all the growing species in a cooler environment and my free time to appreciate is limitless.

The scene satisfies my cravings to photograph everything. One of the great things that I love is photography no matter if it’s indoor or outdoor location is considerably an overwhelming hobby. It took an hour to finished,  shows my expression of love for the flowers and it leaves unforgettable memories to remember.

Pleasingly beautiful to the point of my interest, my top choices  are the dahlia flowers. I’ve completed all the varieties from single to the large ones. If you like beautiful flowers, you’ll surely love these dahlias!

Types of Dahlias

Dahlia flower- are sun lovers and  tender perennials forming tuberous roots. They are fast growing plant that comes in every color carried on long stems above erect plants and classified by both size and type from the big-sized dinner-plate varieties down to the midget pompoms. Wild species were the first introduced in the British Isles.  Dahlias are very useful in flower arrangement and garden decoration, they are graceful landscape plants and good for borders and mass planting.

Single-flowered dahlia – Single blooms, having one row of smooth ray florets surrounding a central disk.

Peony-flowered dahlia- having two to three rows of broad and usually flat petals           surrounding a central disk.

Decorative dinner plate dahlia – A huge plate-sized blooms.

Informal decorative dahlia

Formal decorative dahlia – The double flowers have broad petals which are normally flat and sometimes slightly twisted and bluntly pointed or rounded at the tips. This class covers a wide range similar to pompom and cactus.

Twisted dahlia – Florets are twisted and curved.

Collarette dahlia – Brightly colored flowers with one or more rings of flat ray florets, the ring collar of smaller florets about half of the ray florets.

Bi-colored dahlia

Double show and Fancy dahlia – Fully double and almost globular in shape. The central florets slightly smaller than the outer florets. The show types are self-colored while the fancy types are bi-colored and variegated. One of the oldest classes.

Cactus dahlia

Cactus dahlia – are very popular for flower arrangement,  show no disk and fully double flowers have a straight or in curving petals that tends to be narrow and pointed star-like appearance.

Waterlily dahlia

Orchid-flowered dahlia

Note: (Not available at the moment, to be added soon. Pompom dahlia, Orchid dahlia, Anemone-flowered dahlia, Star-flowered dahlia, Miscellaneous…)

The botanical garden has an area specifically designed for dahlias only. In the Philippines, you can find the best hybrid varieties in Baguio and Tagaytay, the two largest flower producers in the country. Most dahlias we grow today are the product of botanist and gardener’s breeding effort.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Best Flowers for the Honeybees

By on February 6, 2018

I have photographed these honeybees while walking around the Botanical garden of Baguio. These honeybees are very active pollinating different flowers of all kinds, it’s the best kind of flowers adapted to these particular kind of insect. Pretty much and lucky enough to take them at the right moment.

Photos of Honeybees pollinating different flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

Pollinators: Honeybee and Butterfly

By on February 2, 2018

They have the same thing in common and share the same thing in common, both are pollinators and together, they love to pollinate the same kind of flower. These 2 agents of pollination knows where to position themselves when pollinating a certain flower.

The butterfly hanging upside down position and the honeybee on top. Other photo down shows the butterfly on the left and honeybee at the right and habitually switching places all the time.

I have captured these photos while roaming around ”Botanical garden of Baguio city” Together they caught my attention, this is a rare chance to take. Lucky enough to snap a picture.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

20 Best Pictures of Double Flowering Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis

By on August 10, 2017

Anyone interested to beautify their own surroundings should consider a good promising looking plant with fascinating flowers like Hibiscus, it seems to be back in fashion nowadays. I’ve seen them around; in house gardens and public parks. It’s a good stunning display outdoors. A huge stone pots of Hibiscus lined along the sitting area of commercial establishments nearby, it’s the perfect choice for the gardeners as it blends effectively with other flowers.

As majority of plants are sun lovers, Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis among one, they prefer a direct bright sunlight and cool night temperature, an easy choice for the landscapers. Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis or Gumamela glossy evergreen foliage shrubs up to more than 14 feet tall, flowers can be single or double with a flaring bell petals and distinctive column of yellow stamens, other varieties has ruffled thin petals that resembles the Maple flower. It is available in wide range of  varieties and colors; purple, bright red, orange, fuchsia, white, hot pink, vivid pink, deep orange, reddish-purple, reddish-orange, peach, yellow, yellowish-pink and reddish-white spotted 2 color combinations.

Down there, the 20 pictures of Double Flowering Rosa Sinensis illustrate the various colors of Hibiscus, all colors are cheerfully attractive, it provides me the opportunity to photograph it the same day before flowering ends. Is gardening effort effective? How can you keep the flowers if it’s only a day bloomers? Just a bit effort from me to document it, these pictures serves as an evidence of a successful gardening.

20 Best Pictures of Double Flowering Hibiscus Rosa Sinensis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | My Indoor and Outdoor Photography

18 Stunning Photos of Butterflies

By on August 7, 2017

Some of my favorite subjects to capture are the birds, bees and butterflies. Among other specific groups, how can you get closer to the subject? Winged insects and animals are the most challenging subjects to take because they have hyperactive wings, they cannot keep still. Another thing to consider is the shooting location with the weather as it plays a very important role. August is a rainy month and the temperature changes from time to time, greatly affected by the weather, outdoor photography is hard whether to go ahead with your plans for the day or not. I simply waited for a good timing that sunny day will greet me with a smile.

Among my favorite location to shoot, one is the Rainforest Park conveniently located nearby. Little did I know, it’s equally good to take pictures of other interesting subjects of flora and fauna just about anywhere here, this vast landscape offers beautiful scenery to take so, Here it goes, butterflies would be the first to consider before other subjects.

Photography side, what I want to avoid  if ever, when a butterfly picture in a set is taken with the same kind of flowers are particularly noticeable, it looks boring. It would be better to shift into different contexts, I’ve found some of my snapshots lately repeating the same manner, Daaa!  In search of butterfly photos? There is something for you here. Ok Folks ! Happy Viewing! Lets get started!

18 Stunning Photos of Butterflies

 

The first photo shows a Monarch butterfly hanging upside down position is a rare chance to get. What a good timing! I don’t want to lose this opportunity, I’m avoiding quick movements moving slow motion. Like most winged insects, most of the time they flew away before I have had a chance to take. Patience to wait is the name of the game!

Having a hard time to focus my camera, how I wish I can approach them but how can I? With a variety of butterflies around, I’m rushing to snap the Monarch first.

At times, I waited for a quick stop even for just a second but seems hard to wait,  I just stand-by to where I expect them to land. I’m sure they will come to pollinate the same flower again..

The green butterfly

The only problem here is the sunlit area, other areas shows low light in hazy afternoon calling for flash to some areas, it calls to brighten the dark shadows.

Mid-afternoon is the best time to snap butterflies, seems they are more friendly if tired so, it’s easier to snap and to this time, you can always expect where butterflies are.

Graceful landing!

The yellow butterfly

Butterflies in flight is very difficult to photograph but not necessarily best photographed in flight. just a serious try!

My 2nd shot for the upside down position.

Flying upward position.

A happy surprise! Two butterflies together pollinating one flower.

Stunning poise!

2 Butterflies lined up on the same stem of Maidenhair fern.

 

 

Black butterfly with large wings spread-out

I could go more into details but photos will give you a clearer view before my words. Good focus should be given a good consideration as I simply go for quality rather than quantity. Higher blurry rate gives frustration but good result is worth rewarding. Most of the photos  that was published previously was taken from faraway island haunts but stunning photos of today are best featured for you.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects

Muntingia Calabura Fruit andFlowers

By on March 10, 2017

Muntingia Calabura  blooming under full sun,the petals changes its position and lean to the light and flop over. It’s a small,and white star-like flower that has a crepe texture petals and golden yellow anther that attracted insects around. However, the sepal and stigma  is color green,so with the evergreen leaves. During hot season, the taste of the fruit is quiet sweet and juicy but during rainy days, it’s tasteless as it’s only good for the birds and honeybees.

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Gardening/Greenery/Garden Insects | Travel and Adventure

Giant Sunflowers

By on March 8, 2017

Giant Sunflowers with Bright clouds in the Background

Leaving temporarily my daily chores behind, I can’t neglect my morning hobby to at least capture one beautiful subject a day. Sunflowers attracted enormous attention from passers around and amid expectations from me that it would even be more better to see it in pictures. This is my expression to brighten up my day and after snapshots would be getting into blogs afterwards so this is it.

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