The NatureSpot Photo of the Month for February is this microscope image of a Leafy Liverwort, White Earwort, taken by NatureSpot contributor Melinda Bell. More...
Today the Met Office announced that February 2024 has been both the wettest and the warmest on record. It may seem that there is little to photograph in February, but the closer you look the more you see. Local Bryophyte expert Melinda can identify many species in the field (often helped by using a hand lens), but the trickier mosses and liverworts (= Bryophytes) require examination under the microscope. This is true of many invertebrates and plants. Good microscopes can be bought for relatively small sums of money these days, but learning how to use them is as important as the instrument itself. Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust now runs a monthly microscope workshop at Rutland Water and all are welcome - you can find the details in the NatureSpot Events Calendar. Once you have your microscope you don't need a fancy camera, a cheap compact camera or a mobile phone can be held to the eyepiece and produce quite good results. In the case of Melinda's specimen, her photo shows the longer pale cells in the leaf centre, helping with identification.
You don't need fancy equipment to take good photos - the best camera is the one you have with you, but read our Photography Help page. If you'd like to be a future NatureSpot Photo of the Month winner, submit your records!
Past winners: https://www.naturespot.org.uk/photo-of-the-month