Ooshiokara-tonbo (Orthetrum triangulare melania) dragenflies and sacred lotus flowers: Ofuna Flower Center

In the radiant sunlight, I found a beautiful pair of dragonflies clinging to the lotus flower bud on the verge of blooming to rest their wings for a moment. Probably they were briefly resting on their way in flight before performing their ceremony of mating somewhere in a swamp.

Rising up out of the muddy water, graceful lotus flowers are fully blooming one after the other to prepare for precious reproduction. Various summer insects are magically attracted by the inviting colors and aromas of the flowers for serving the ritual of pollination. 

In the scorching sunlight of the high summer, the elegant dance of life has just begun silently everywhere in sight.

Tsumaguro-Hyoumon (Argyreus hyperbius) butterfly (female): Kita-kamakura

Cast‐off shell of a cicada: Engaku-ji

Ruri-tateha (Kaniska canace) butterfly: Engaku-ji

A newly hatched butterfly was resting its blue-striped wings on the stone by the pond.

Dragonfly on a lotus flower bud: Kaizo-ji

Japanese Oak Silkmoth: Engaku-ji

A beautiful silk-moth is tightly clinging to the stone image of Nyoi-rin-kannon as if to ask for teachings and protection from this deity of mercy.

"Nyoi" stands for the precious orb which brings wisdom and happiness and "Rin" means the chakra which smashes any earthly desire. Nyoi-rin-kannon hold these divine belongings to bring salvation for all living things.

A dragonfly (Natsu-akane) in Hase-dera

A bright scarlet dragonfly, which is called Natsu-akane (red dragonfly of summer), is settling firmly on the ripened receptacle of a lotus flower to bravely make a territorial display.

This amazing combination of the dragonfly and the lotus flower is truly a vivid manifestation of the essence of this high summer.

A Himeato-sukashiba (Nokona pernix) moth in Engaku-ji

A small moth with transparent wings is resting still on a maple leaf as if to hesitate before rising into the air.

This moth mimics a wasp to defend itself against enemies.

Kusanoou (Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum) flowers in Kita-kamakura

On the small vivid yellow flower of Kusanoou, a juvenile Yabukiri (Tettigonia orientalis)  casted a sharp glance in a instant as if to intimidate me.

A Hototogisu (Tricyrtis hirta) flower and a bee in Tokei-ji

A chubby bumblebee is flying into a small polka-dot flower of Hototogisu to seek its nectar. Soon such a buzzing bumblebee will disappear from view in this garden as autumn quietly deepens.

A Komaruhanabachi bumblebee in Engaku-ji

In the soft afternoon sun of October, I saw bumble bees buzzing busily from flower to flower to collect pollen and nectar.

Until the end of their lives, they go on carrying out their last duties absorbedly for leaving offspring.

When long and bitter winter is over, I will find their noisy offspring buzzing diligently around flowers in the warmth of spring.

A spring honeybee on a Ume (Japanese apricot) flower in Engaku-ji

Spring is approaching moment by moment.

Ume trees are blossoming as the first and graceful herald of spring.

Honeybees begin to emerge from their harsh winter confinement to fly vigorously from flower to flower in the soft spring sunlight.

A Jyoro-gumo (Nephila clavata) spider in Tokei-ji

I saw a beautiful female silk spider quietly and magnificently standing in readiness on her shining silvery web.

Soon she will fade away from view leaving her precious egg pouch somewhere in this autumal garden.

A Beni-shijimi (Lycaena phlaeas）butterfly in Engaku-ji temple

A small butterfly was absorbedly sucking nector from small flowers in the bright sunlight.

A Siokara-tonbo (Orthetrum albistylum speciosum）dragonfly in Engaku-ji temple

High summer is just around the corner. Dragonflies begin to fly around in the garden.

Cabbage white butterflies in Kencho-ji temple

Summer is the best season of reproduction in the dense undergrowth.

Insects are crawling and flying around zealously and wholeheartedly for mating and ovipositting.

These small creatures know their fates and are doing their duties silently and joyously without any waver.

A Hana-abu (Syrphidae) in Jochi-ji temple

This Hana-abu seemed to be intoxicated with the sweet aroma and nectar of the tiny flowers of Hime-utsugi (Deutzia gracilis).

In Kita-kamakura, with the coming of early summer, these milky-white flowers bloom simultaneously and flourishingly here and there.

A spider web in the grove of Tokei-ji temple

A large web woven by a female "Jyoro-gumo" (Nephila clavata) spider was shining sliverly in the afternoon sunlight.

The name "Jyoro-gumo" means "a spider which is beautiful like an eminent court lady." This beautiful female spider dies after having laid her egg case on the trunk of a tree or on the undersurface of a leaf in late autumn or early winter. In the next early summer, a lot of her precious offsprings pop out from this egg case one after another.

Pelopidas-mathias butterflies and Shion (Aster tataricus) flowers in Kaizo-ji temple

In the garden of Kaizo-ji temple, the reckless male butterfly was eagerly following around and courting the nonchalant female butterfly which was busily sucking nectar from flower to flower.

Numerous dazzling flowers of "Shion" (Aster tataricus) are blooming ecstatically in the clear afternoon sunlight of October.

A cabbage white butterfly in the garden of Engaku-ji temple

Butterflies will soon disappear from the gardens of autumn. The offspring of this cabbage white butterfly will survive the cruel wintertime as a tiny pupa or larva under dead leaves dreaming of their lively and joyous flight in the bright blue sky of next spring.