FEAST OR FAMINE

Life on the 6 th   floor of an old Parisian building usually gives me a view of rooftops, chimneys, and the occasional pigeon. But my tiny dill plant had a far more charming guest: a 22-Spot Ladybird: a golden-yellow beetle dotted like a miniature work of art.     Now, here’s the fun part:   Not all ladybirds are red! The 22-Spot Ladybird ( Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata ) is a cheerful yellow with 22 black irregular-sized spots. Instead of snacking on aphids like many of their cousins, these little rebels eat mildew. Yes, they are the cleaners of the insect world, nibbling away at the powdery stuff that gardeners dread.   Across cultures, ladybirds are considered harbingers of good fortune. In France, spotting one can mean a wish granted; in Germany, they’re called Marienkäfer (Mary’s beetles) and are protectors of crops. Finding one on my dill leaves in Paris feels like a small blessing.   Most ladybirds are voracious predators of aphids, scale insects, an...

  Four artists are exhibiting their artworks in the Galerie Sagot – Le Garrec by Nicolas Romand in the 6th arrondissement of Paris from 14 April to 27 May 2023. ‘Exhibition Insects’ includes prints and drawings by Nathalie Grall, Claire Illouz, Lanfanco Quadrio, and Mikio Watanabe.   Nathalie Grall (1961-) is a French artist and engraver who uses traditional techniques to create modern prints. She focuses on nature and landscapes with minute delicate details.    Claire Illouz (1955-) is a French artist. She mainly uses pencil to create realistic drawings, usually focusing on the human body and facial expressions. She also produces original hand-made ‘artist books.’    Lanfranco Quadrio (1966-) is an Italian artist and engraver living in Sicily. He uses mixed media, such as photography, digital images, and traditional techniques. His prints are often colourful and vibrant, as well as fine and detailed.   Mikio Watanabe (1954-) is a Japanese artist l...

Photographs of mini flyers –   mini voltigeurs –  are close-up photos of flying insects. The exhibition, from 21 October 2022 to 14 May 2023 is on the railing fence of the Jardin des Plants (the botanical garden) in Paris, hosted by the Paris National Museum of Natural History.     The photographer, Ghislain Simard, has developed specific photographic techniques designed to capture the fastest movements of the smallest insects. His photographs have won awards at the International Wildlife Photography Festival in Montier-en-Der, where he regularly exhibits his work. MARTINA NICOLLS MartinaNicollsWebsite    I     Rainy Day Healing    I    Martinasblogs    I     Publications     I     Facebook    I    Paris Website    I    Paris blogs    I   Animal Website    I   Flower Website   I   Global Gentlemanliness SUBSCR...

The Insectarium – Collecting, Arranging and Preserving Bugs, Beetles, Butterflies and More – With Practical Instructions to Assist the Amateur Home Naturalist  by Harland Coultas (2018) is a vintage insect guide republished for a contemporary audience. It was originally written for entomologists and naturalists, and retains the original text, illustrations, and artwork.   Harland Coultas (1817-1877) was a British botanist born in North Lincolnshire. Most of his works were written from the 1850s. His most well-known article is ‘What may be learned from a tree’ written for the New York Times on 4 August 1860, reproduced from his book of the same title.   Insects are arthropods, such as beetles, cockroaches, ants, bees, grasshoppers, flies, moths, and butterflies.    An insectarium in a commercial, artificial habitat with glass sides, enabling people to view and study insects (6-legged creatures) in a more-or-less similar replication of their usual habitat. It can ...