Walk on
the Wildside
Seasonal Snapshots of Nature in Close-up
Intro' updated late 1999.
'Walk
on the Wildside' was an experimental series of monthly nature
walks I wrote for Microscopy UK's Micscape magazine when it first
started in 1995-96. The series' aim was to encourage an interest
in the world in close-up. The series is looking a bit dated now
with its small gif images but leave the series on in case of
interest. The 'quaint?!' writing style was intended to mimic to
some extent the style of Victorian natural history books.
I should stress that I'm an amateur naturalist and don't profess to be an expert. This is not an in-depth series, but simply provides snapshots of nature in close-up that have interested and excited the author during his own walks. Books, courses and on-line resources where more in-depth information can be obtained is included in the 'snapshots' below.
| October | Bumblebee - wings, head, body hairs, legs - a wealth of interest in one insect. |
|---|---|
| October | Special supplement - capturing nature in close-up for the Web. A look at the techniques and is illustrated with the equipment the author uses. |
| September | Seeds and fruits - dandelion, dock, clover and bramble, butterfly wing scales. |
| August | Sea-side holiday issue: Shells, sand, sponge spicules, seaweed and fish scales. |
| July | The beauty of small flowers, intricate detail in larger flowers, butterfly and moth larvae, froghoppers (spittlebugs). |
| June | Pond-dipping issue - shrimps, algae, 'water fleas'. |
| May | 'Bugs and beasties' on mosses, fungi - not just an autumn attraction, the intricate flowers of grasses and rushes. |
| April | Mosquito antennae, lichens, the daisy flower. |
| March | Spring is in the air! Ladybird (ladybug) in close-up, feathers, and early signs of Spring - catkins and pollen. |
| February | Bears in the roof-gutter, and the wonderful colours, shapes and textures of plants. |
| January | Admiring evergreen leaves, rotifer's in the bird-bath. |
| December | The beauty of non-flowering plants, pond-dipping - two protozoa that are easy to find, and nature's pepper pots. |
| November | Planning a walk, guidelines on what to take, and what to see in Autumn. |
Also
read important notes on collecting.