The Flickr Blackeyes Image Generatr

Early May (of 2025) visit to the Haga Ocean butterfly house and this pink rose (Pachliopta kotzebuea), also known as the velvet rose, was probably the best catch of the day. It sat sort of semi-hidden in the shadows under a leaf, but since I use a tripod to shoot these, it was possible to just extend the shutter time (this was a 3 second shutter time) to get enough light in to the sesor to get it exposed properly anyways.

Since it was so hidden, I had the pleasure of telling a bunch of other visitors about it as they would otherwise have missed it.

The field digger wasp (Mellinus arvensis) is a solitary wasp who catches flies and bury them in egg chambers dug in sand/soil. In fact, the Dutch name for it, "gewone vliegendoder" literally means "common fly killer". I say solitary in that each female digs her own nest, but they still live in colonies and can still dig very close to others (like 10 cm) which was the case in my mother-in-law's garden where there suddenly were a whole bunch of holes dug in the sandy ground.

I staked the place out and quickly discovered that these were the culprits. I got a whole series of shots of this little lady gradually emerging from her burrow.

Part 1 is a focus-stacked closeup here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54254349711/

Part 2 is the same female as here, but exiting her burrow: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54307303700/

The Low's swallowtail (Papilio lowii) is also know as the great yellow mormon and the name can feel a bit odd for a butterfly which really isn't that yellow. This specimen had the abdomen as yellow as any I've seen so here it at least fits a bit.

Here is a male wolf spider in the Pardosa lugubris group. That isn't to say that it is a Pardosa lugubris as there are three species which look so similar that it is impossible to tell which is which just based on a photo like this one.

The three species are the common forset wolf spider (Pardoisa lugubris), the meadow wolf spider (P. saltans) and P. alacris (which doesn't have a common English name).

When I see one of these at my mother-in-law's place outside Härnösand, 500 km to the north of us, then it must be P. lugubris based on the distribution, but here in Stockholm, it could be any one of the three.

This female Low's swallowtail (Papilio lowii), also known as the great yellow mormon and Asian swallowtail, was sitting on the ground at the Haga Ocean butterfly house so I was urged by some other visitors) who assumed I worked there) to move it somewhere safer. I ended up placing it on this twig where it stayed for quite a while - and posed nicely for me.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54403011024/

The male looks a bit different and a shot of one can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52721755981/

These phantasmal poison frogs (Epipedobates tricolor) which roam free at the Haga Ocean butterfly house have an important task on top of looking really cute.

Since they call out to each other through the undergrowth, they provide authentic jungle sounds which really helps sell the experience. I initially (and for several years) though the sounds came from loudspeakers hidden in the foliage, but it turns out it was the frogs trying to sound sexy for the ladies.

The selection of butterflies flying around at the Haga Ocean butterfly house varies beweeen visits. On this day in mid-April (of 2025) my favourite of the day was this king swallowtail (Papilio thoas) which posed nicely on a large leaf for me.

Since adult wasps are vegetarians (the animals they catch are all fed to the grubs back home at the nest) and spring up here means not very many flowers, a good source of food is tree sap.

This queen of the common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) was enjoying just that when I spotted her low down on a tree and managed a shot before she flew off.

This Idas blue (Plebejus idas) which I found in the Paradiset Nature Reserve south of Stockholm, Sweden is so worn it was a bit difficult to identify.

Even so, the way the blue scales look sprinkled on it is absolutely gorgeous to me.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/49935524077/

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51839363002/

A male Low's swallowtail (Papilio lowii), also called the great yellow mormon and the Asian swallowtail, on the shelf beneath the chrysalides cabinet at the Haga Ocean butterfly house in Solna on the north side of Stockholm, Sweden.

For comparison's sake, here is a female in nearly the exact same spot from a year-and-a-half earlier: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52845038432/

The image presents an eerie humanoid figure with the head of an antelope, complete with horns and pointed ears, dressed in a dark suit. Most striking are the rectangular, pitch-black eye sockets, which remove any readable emotion and contribute to a disturbing, detached aura. The monochromatic palette and dripping textures enhance the sense of decay, emptiness, and loss of identity. This surreal depiction can be seen as a visual metaphor for alienation, social masquerade, or the erasure of individuality. A disturbing yet compelling piece of digital art.

You can use this image free of charge. The terms of use and the image download are available via the following link: pixabay.com/illustrations/ai-generated-surreal-antelope-9...

#AIart #surrealportrait #darkfantasy #symbolicart #digitalexpression #modernsurrealism

The emerald swallowtail (Papilio palinurus), also known as the green-banded peacock, is a spectacular butterfly with the dorsal side of the wings covered in iridescent green scales (like so: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/52917346784/).

This one wasn't interested at all in showing me the green side here, but I think it came out as a really nice shot anyways.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54027691899/

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54131515382/

Today, I was visiting the Haga Ocean butterfly house (again) and had a really good time chatting with visitors about all the cool butterflies there.

When I discovered this one climbing out of the undergrowth, I got really excited though. I got it out of there and it took off and began flying back and forth - with me and the camera on its tripod running (ok, walking) after it.

Eventually it landed in a somewhat awkward spot, but I managed to cram the camera into a position where I was able to get a couple of shots I liked. A short video showing the somewhat awkward position can be found here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54481843632/

This is one of the swordtails, a species called the cream-striped swordtail (Graphium porthaon), but also called the coastal swordtail and dark swordtail, which in the wild is found in tropical western Africa.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54457403642/

This small - and very dark! - spider belongs to the genus Pardosa - the thin-legged wolf spiders. It is actually a male spotted wolf spider (Pardosa amentata) and was quite difficult to photograph as you can imagine a matte black, 5 mm spider against a background of dried dirt. High contrast is just the beginning here.

Anyways, it's a cool little species and this one was hanging out near the ditch at the parking lot of the main entrance to the tyresta National Park where I spent

One of my favourites at the Haga Ocean butterfly house is the gold rim swallowtail (Battus polydamas), also known as the tailless swallowtail and Polydamas swallowtail.

These seemto have a predilection for sitting on the floor where people walk (while looking up at butterflies) and this one was no exception. I put my finger in front of it and it climbed on so I could move it to a twig - which eneded up becoming a nice photo.

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54459708276/

Just a couple of days ago, while spring is still starting up here in Stockholm, Sweden, I spotted this little orange fuzzball on a leaf among the flowers in front of my neighbour's house.so I dove down low with the camera. This one is a male red mason bee (Osmia bicornis) and he was probably waiting for the first females to appear (males get out and about first).

So far, I'm quite pleased with the new diffuser.

Here is another spider friend from my first time out with the new Handmaid diffuser v1 in Tyresta national park.

This one is a male ground wolf spider (Trochosa terricola) and he was also trying to gross the gravel road near the old miller's cottage in Åva-Stensjödal when I spotted him.

I think the faces of these guys are great. They look a bit confused which is adorable.

Part 1, a little more from the side, here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54462464975/

Getting a good shot is always satisfying, but I won't lie and deny that this "collecting" species is part of the fun.

Here, I managed to photograph two new species for me in a single shot. The black and yellow one is a flower lonhorn known as Judolia sexmaculata) which doesn't have a common English name. And the blue one is a
Gaurotes virginea, also without a common English name.

This is from a 2024 visit to the Mjällådalen nature reserve somewhat near Härnösand, Sweden.

In early August (of 2024), I was hanging out next to the large oregano plant (Origanum vulgare) in my mother-in-law's garden trying to get photos of the European peacock butterflies, small tortoiseshells and silver-washed fritillaries that were buzzing around there and enjoying the nectar.

I got a bit luckier than that and spotted this female scarce copper (Lycaena virgaureae) and moved in for a shot.

The "scarce" in the name is misleading - while not as abundant as the other species I mentioned, this is still a somewhat common species in Sweden.

Par 1 (closer) here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53925035006/

For a shot of a small tortoiseshell from the same flower, have a look here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53908938254/

Compared to the size of this rather worn female orange-tailed mining bee (Andrena haemorrhoa) a dandelion is quite a hefty source of pollen.

I found her on a walk around the neighbourhood at my mom's summer house in Värmdö, Sweden together with my wife. Pretty cute, right?

Part 1 is more of a portrait here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53499533907/

Part 2, more from the side, here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53511839192/

Part 3 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53697406132/