In amongst the Flowers

by Daniel Mackie May 05, 2016

People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.

So said Iris Murdoch in her 1970 novel A Fairly Honourable Defeat. And no month is more joyously filled with flora than May - the month begins with bluebells and takes us to full summer floral displays. Flowers are associated with joy, fertility, rebirth and even enlightenment. Beauty is an obvious connection, but one enshrined in myth with narcissus, anemones and hyacinths all springing from the deaths of beautiful young men according to the ancient Greeks.

The DM Bugs and Butterflies Collection takes a closer look into the blooms. There emerges a world of tiny winged creatures, fluttering from stem to stem. These unique illustrations marry the beauty of these flying pollinators' floral homes with their own delicate structure, embodying the joy of a hot summers day.

The butterfly is bathed in the generous rounded blossom of the bright pink peony, situated on a grassy meadow. The dragonfly is by the water's edge hopping mainly between the yellow-centred white-petalled narcissi. The bumblebee is contenting himself with the sunshine yellow buttercups mixed with the odd daisy. The ladybird is resting by the edge of the corn field, amongst the scarlet poppies.

This brand new selection depicts the smallest creatures of the DM Collection, but those with the most beautiful habitat.

The relationship between these small insects and their habitats is one of the most interdependent. Bees and butterflies feast on the nectar of the flowers they visit, but repay the debt by transferring pollen between plants to enable them to reproduce and flower once more. Ladybirds eat the aphids and other pests that can destroy a rose bush or field of crops alike. Dragonflies' eating habits are rather more useful to us humans, as they will munch on mosquitos and other biting flies.

But some separation needs to be kept in this Collection - a particularly peckish dragonfly has been known to eat up a butterfly or even a whole bee!

Shop the DM Bugs and Butterflies Collection.

Daniel Mackie

Author

Comments will be approved before showing up.

Also in News / Work in progress / Mythology

Kingfisher - Halcyon Days

by Daniel Mackie March 12, 2021

In Greek mythology, Halcyone and Ceyx were lovers who incurred the wrath of the god Zeus by mocking him and his wife. Angered, Zeus killed Ceyx.

Belling The Cat- Aesop's Fable

by Daniel Mackie December 30, 2020

Ideas are nothing, execution is everything.
Belling the Cat is a fable first recored in the 12th ceuntry. A group of mice debate plans to neutralise the threat of a marauding cat. One of them has an idea of placing a bell around its neck, so that they will be warned of its approach. The others applaud the plan, until one mouse asks who will volunteer to place the bell on the cat. All of them make excuses!

Tiger in Buckinghamsire!

by Daniel Mackie June 14, 2020

This is Mack's Tiger. It was part of a school project based on my work and a theme of animals in the natural habitat. Mack created this on Procreate on his mums iPad