Along the Union Canal

Yesterday was the Edinburgh Canal Festival, which takes place every year at sites along the Union Canal. So we walked along the canal for a while and visited the festival itself. 

Parts of the towpath are lined with a variety of flowering plants, including Dog Roses, which are in full bloom just now 

all these flowers attract insects, though nowhere near as many as in previous years (the decline of insect populations has been chillingly evident over the past couple of years). We were pleased to find this Double Orange Spot moth 

and these hoverflies - a Melangyna sp on the left and a Eupeoides sp on the right.  

Plus this beetle, which I think is a species of Donacia (possibly Donacia simplex?) if you know for certain that I'm wrong, please feel free to tell me so in the comments!

We also popped into the community garden in Harrison Park

where a good number of bees were busy amongst all the flowers.