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Portrait of the Common Yellow Dung-fly (Scathophaga stercoraria), sometimes called the golden dung fly. The single picture has been made without a tripod outside in the garden with magnification 10 and f/6.3, using a Canon 7D, a Canon MP-E 65 mm/f2.8 and a Canon 2x teleconverter. The adults are mostly predators on smaller insects — mostly other Diptera, they will also feed on pollen, but most specimens seen on flowers will be hunting prey there. Both males and females are found on dung, the males only feeding on other insects that visit dung, such as blow-flies. Females will be there both to feed and oviposit on the dung surface, Females prefer to lay their eggs on the small hills of the dung surface and avoid depressions and pointed parts of the dung. This ensures survival, as emergence is better by avoiding the drying on small points in the dung. Also by avoiding possible drowning by rain by not laying eggs in depressions of the dung surface. The female yellow dung-fly is capable of making these decisions about her egg placement, and thus increasing possibility of success of her future generations. The eggs hatch into predatory larvae and feed on insect larvae within the dung. After 21 days or more of feeding, dependent on conditions, the larvae burrow into the soil around and beneath the dung and then develop into pupae, before developing into adult flies (source: Wikipedia).

Detail head of a female dronefly, made with magnification factor 6 and f/14, using a Canon 7D, a Canon macro lens MP-E 65 mm/f2.8 and a Canon 2x teleconverter. It is a single picture, made in our garden whille the dronefly was doing it own business. Eristalis tenax is a European hoverfly, also known as the drone fly (or "dronefly"). It has been introduced into North America and is widely established. The larva of E. tenax is a rat-tailed maggot. It lives in drainage ditches, pools around manure piles, sewage, and similar places containing water badly polluted with organic matter. The larva likely feeds on the abundant bacteria living in these places. When fully grown, the larva creeps out into drier habitats and seeks a suitable place to pupate. In doing so it sometimes enters buildings, especially barns and basements on farms. The pupa is 10–12 mm long, grey-brown, oval, and retains the long tail; it looks like a tiny mouse. The adult fly that emerges from the pupa is harmless. It looks somewhat like a drone honey bee, and likely gains some degree of protection from this resemblance to a stinging insect. The adults are called drone flies because of this resemblance. Like other hover flies, they are common visitors to flowers, especially in late summer and autumn, and can be significant pollinators. In its natural habitat, E. tenax is more of a curiosity than a problem, and the adults are beneficial pollinators (source: Wikipedia).

Detail head red mason bee (osmia rufa), made with magnification factor 6 and f/14. It is a single picture made in our garden, using a Canon 7D, a Canon MP-E 65 mm f/2.9 and a Canon 2x teleconverter. The bee was alive and kicking. Osmia rufa is a species of solitary bee, also known as the red mason bee due to its habit of using mud to build small cavities within its nest. The species is most active during the spring and early summer although it can be seen as far as late June. Despite being classed as solitary, these bees are gregarious. The female is larger/broader than the male and has 2 large horns on the head.The female has a much smaller sting than honeybees or wasps.The male has no sting. The size is around 10 mm (source Wikipedia).