An armoured beetle soldiers on,

A force of life in the heat of the sun,

Long and slender with leatherlike wings,

Polllinating flowers in the early spring.

Magnificent butterfly with black velvet wings,

I see your white spotted tips and bright orange bands,

A welcome migrant from northern climes,

A symbol of transformation, joy and happy times.

Honey scented matico, a magnet for bees,

Bright orange ball flowers attract them with ease,

Bursting with nectar and pollen to please:

A delicious scent on a gentle breeze. 

Bringer of fortune, innocence and love,

Ladybugs remind us to live life to the full,

A gift to brighten any day,

Transformations with happy resolutions are on their way.

Hamless hoverfly, gardener's friend,

A suit so glossy with striking bands,

With wings that hover at impossible speeds,

This skilled deceiver mimics bees.

Feeding on aphids, bugs and thrips,

Pollinating flowers where're she goes,

Like a hornet but with larger eyes and lack of sting,

The stunning belted hoverfly is a beautiful thing. 

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A red spotted moth found on the dunes,

Resting on a striking Viper's-Bugloss bloom,

Glossy black with six spots on its long, narrow wings,

Slowly fluttering in and around the reeds.

Head down and diving in,

A bee loves nectar rich thistles like these,

They are bright and lucious and sweet as can be,

With fine cotton hairs on their stems and leaves.

Without a web to catch its food,

The flower crab spider sits and broods,

Laying in wait for an insect, moth or bee,

To land on the flower where they come to feed.

Tiny lemon snail sleeping under a leaf,

Not far from the sea on a sandbar reef;

Tucked up closely to an accommodating friend;

Safe and cosy as the wind blows and the leaves bend.

A riverland wonder from the southern glades,

On her way to her breeding place,

Resting to gather warmth in the sun,

Before going on her way.

Fast and angile, sleek and strong, 

With stunning markings in black and gold,

Her beauty would be hard to replace,

A living symbol of elegance, happiness, peace and grace.

A bee can travel ten miles a day to gather food,

Sweet nectar and pollen to feed her brood,

Never a moment's rest for this busy bee,

A joy to hear and a delight to see.

Slow to move but steady and true,

Snails know which way to go,

Carrying their home in their spiral shells,

Reminding us to take our time and consider our decisions well.