Photographing lady beetles is always a bit hit and miss. When I see them, they tend to be scurrying along the edge of a leaf or up the stalk of a plant. They whip around a corner of the leaf and zip down the underside, then back onto the stalk. I’m always reminded of bumper cars, though I’ve never seen two lady beetles bang into each other in that way. That’s a photo I’d love to get.

This little bumper beetle is an ashy grey lady beetle and it was motoring around in typically industrious fashion.